I guess you all saw the two Derby Preps on Saturday,(The Arkansas Derby and The Bluegrass Stakes). The Arkansas Derby was won by a son of Smart Strike. We had two foals from the same crop by Smart Strike, but didn’t do as well as Curlin. We sold them both. He was quite impressive, but we don’t know what was behind him. He has only run three times and all of the starts have been in 2007. No horse has won the Derby in over one hundred years that had not started as a two year old. Off the top of my head I think it was 1904, Old Rose Bud. ( I know if I am wrong, I will get a response real fast!) This is the first year that major Derby Preps have been run on an artificial surface (The Lanes End at Turfway and The Bluegrass at Keeneland). Which considering the weather was absolutely miserable here (40-45 degrees and rained over an inch) it was a good thing Keeneland had the poly. Otherwise, it would have been a "follow the leader" race, instead of a four horse photo. The winner, Dominican, won by a nose over Street Sense, a head over Zanjero who was a head over Teuflesberg who was a length and one half over Great Hunter in a race that had absolutely no pace (26.12  51.46  1:16.65  1:39.82  Final 1.51.33). All Five are expected to go to the Derby.

Hot Cocoa & Coffee Shop

Went to the track to photograph 2-year-olds today. The weather is awful: RAIN, so only in-the-barn photos. The first four are of a sleepy Hot Cocoa – dangling lip and all. The last is Coffee Shop. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow and there will be more to see. Dad’s note: the mother of the Bluegrass winner, First Violin, he trained briefly for Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Parker. She was purchased in the January sale and turned around to win two weeks later at Mountaineer. Have a good weekend!
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