If the higher-ups at The Blood-Horse ask, I'm working hard during my trip to the U.K.  Hardly sleeping, what with all the work.  Yes, sir -- it's been nothing but work, work, work since I arrived.

That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

However... it's hardly been dull to spend the day popping in at British studs all day long.  The beautiful grounds of Juddmonte... the palatial new offices at Darley ... the pastoral atmosphere of Shadwell ... these and other visits have afforded me a real appreciation of England's role as the birthplace of Thoroughbred racing and breeding.

One fun moment happened this morning. As we arrived on the Darley property, we saw ahead of us on the main path a line of horses and their handlers, calmly making their way deeper into the farm.  Moments later as we caught up, we could see that these were no young stock, nor were they broodmares out for a stroll.  Here was a line-up of Darley studs, all nicely behaved during a morning constitutional.  Most were stallions that I'd not seen before outside of race replays and conformation photos.  I tried to pick out the attributes of their sires and dams in each of the studs as they pranced by.  I couldn't have asked for a better display -- I felt like I was watching my own private parade of stallions.