Floating On Air did something that none of our other horses have.  No, she didn't win, she didn't even hit the board, but she showed speed and actually took the lead out of the gate.  Unfortunately, this was not one of those 2-year old races where the first out of the gate wins. Floating on Air also got claimed out of the race and will now be trained by Doug O'Neill. The entry of Call Aly and Chatty Lulu went off at even money, but Call Aly couldn't catch Upper Manhattan who was much the best.  Much the best, even though the margin of victory was only a length.  Because once Upper Manhattan hit the lead, she veered out (in response to a left-handed whip) and then back in.  A straight course would have resulted in a much wider margin.

Result: April 30, 2008 
Hollywood Race 2

Upper Manhattan	$34.00	$9.60	$4.20
Call Aly		$2.40	$2.10
Ravin Maniac			$2.40

Equibase Chart 

Rose Tries to Sing a Winning Tune

May 1, 2008
Churchill Race 5
Maiden Special Weight
4.5 furlongs
2-Year Old Fillies
Post Time: 2:43 PM; HRTV

PP	Horse
1.	Alexandra's Halo
2.	Singing Rose
3.	Missy Lou
4.	Kissin Bobby Vicar
5.	Leigh McLovin
6.	Simplify
7.	Star of War
8.	Champagne Launch
9.	Ride On Josephine
10.	Roman Anthem
11.	Best Put

Singing Rose (filly; Congaree - Dial a Song by Mining) is out of a stakes-winning dam who earned $148,855.  She did not race as a 2-year old, but she did win her 3-year old debut. She has produced one winner. Interestingly, we also received notice of a workout for Singing Rose today, working 3 furlongs at Churchill Downs in 36:80. 

The first-year sire Cuvee has two offspring in the race, Star of War (Cuvee - Miss Awesome by Awesome Again) and Champagne Launch (Cuvee - Launch a Double by Bright Launch).  Star of War is a half-sister to one winner.  Champagne Launch, who sold for $130,000 as a yearling, is out of the stakes winning mare, Launch a Double. Launch a Double won the Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes as a 2-year old. Launch a Double is the dam of the stakes winner Double Colico.

The best sales credentials in the race are held by Ride On Josephine (Johannesburg - Running Debate by Open Forum) who sold for $375,000 as a yearling.  Ride On Josephine's dam won or placed in 7 stakes (4 as a 2-year old).  She also broke her maiden in her debut.

The dam of Simplify (Pulpit - Classic Olympio by Olympio) won or placed in eight stakes races and earned $336,578 in her career including $155,905 as a 2-year old. Simplify is a half-sister to Classify, a stakes winner who was earned $125,710 through 2008. Most recently, she finished third in the Carousel Stakes on March 29.

Missy Lou (Yonaguska - Hard Freeze by It's Freezing), who sold for $95,000 as a yearling, is out of mare who earned $255,061 including a 2nd in the Debutante as a 2-year old. She also broke her maiden in her debut.  Missy Lou is a half-sister to 7 winners and a full-sister to the winner Honest to Betsy who finished 4th in the Adirondack (gr. II) as a 2-year old. Missy Lou is also a half-sister to one of my favorite horses of all time, Mr. Freeze, who earned $143,821 in a 53 race career.  But, that's another story.

2-Year Old Works 

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

April 30

Pearl of Valor (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Maderia M'dear by Black Tie Affair (IRE)) - Churchill Downs, 3 furlongs in :38.80.

Peace Bear (colt; (Peace Rules - Cocktail by Relauch) - Woodbine, 3 furlongs in :38.80.

Bear's Conductor (colt; Congaree - Symphonic Lady by Blare of Trumpets) - Woodbine, 3 furlongs in :38.60.

Gatwick (colt; Speightstown - Beauty Halo (ARG) by Southern Halo) - Hastings, 3 furlongs in :37.80.

Wear Blush (filly; Congaree - Tifonica (ARG) by Equalize) - Hollywood Park, 4 furlongs in :49.00.

New to this blog

Sargon (colt; Saarland - Cherished Jewel by Private Account) worked 3 furlongs in :37.60 at Woodbine on April 30. Sargon is a half-brother to 4 winners, 1 of which won as a 2-year old.

You ought to know Mr. Mistoffelees!
The Original Conjuring Cat -
(There can be no doubt about that).
Please listen to me and don't scoff. All his
Inventions are off his own bat.
From "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot

I think we all will be getting to know Mr Mistoffelees.  He made his $1.5 million sale price look like a bargain, drawing off to win by 9 1/4 lengths. 9 1/4 lengths in a 4.5 furlong race? Not bad, not bad at all. Chapel Run was a bit erratic, but showed some grit and ended up second (the way the Chapel Royals have been running, the biggest mystery was how Chapel Run went off at 37-1). Interestingly, the experienced runner, Regardlesofoutcome, finished 3rd once again. Tripp to Hedo showed some speed, but got a little tired. Our boy, Medaglia d'Onore, ran pretty evenly to take 6th. I was encouraged that he broke well and seemed to be in the race from the beginning.  Fradiablo was pulled up, but he walked off on his own power and seemed to be ok. Meetmeatthechapel and Wallstreetgold were scratched.
 

Result: April 24, 2008 
Keeneland Race 3

Mr Mistoffelees	$3.60	$3.20	$2.40
Chapel Run		$18.80	$7.40
Regardlesofoutcome			$2.00

Equibase Chart 

2-Year Old Works 

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

On 4/23, Speight the Halo (colt; Speightstown - Ballado's Halo by Saint Ballado) worked 3 furlongs at Santa Anita recording a time of :35.40.

Gemswick Park (filly; Speightstown - Queen's Park by Relaunch) and Mullins Beach (filly; Speightstown - Treasure Beach by Silver Deputy) worked 2 furlongs together again at Winding Oaks Farm on 4/24 recording a time of 24:80.

At Churchill Downs on 4/24, Cozy Bird (filly; Birdstone - Cozy Island by Cozzene) worked 3 furlongs from the gate in :39.60. 

Floating On Air (filly; Peace Rules - Charmie's Secret by Secret Hello) was on track at Santa Anita working 4 furlongs in :48.00 on 4/24. 

Also working 4 furlongs at Santa Anita on 4/24 was One Perfect Karat (filly; Pleasantly Perfect - Golden Fanfare by Seeking the Gold) who worked in :49.40. 

New to this blog

Singing Rose (filly; Congaree - Dial a Song by Mining) worked 3 furlongs at Keeneland on 4/23 recording a time of :36.60. Dial a Song was a stakes-winner who earned $148,855. She did not race as a 2-year old, but she did win her 3-year old debut. She has produced one winner.

Another Congaree filly, Wear Blush (Congaree - Tifonica (ARG) by Equalize), worked 3 furlongs at Hollywood on 4/23 in :36.80. Wear Blush is the first foal out of a stakes-placed mare who earned $140,381.

Working 3 furlongs at Belmont on 4/24 in :37.11 was Our Golden Dream (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Adorahy by Rahy). Our Golden Dream is a half-sister to 4 winners including Icabad Crane who won the Federico Tesio on 4/19.  Icabad Crane also won his first start as a 2-year old.