October has ended and we have surpassed a million and a half for stable earnings this month (year to date). We are not at our all time high, but getting close. We are up to 42 winners which is below the number of winners we had in 2011. The Hoosier Park meet ended leaving us with 13 wins and 21 seconds. We were less than $20,000 behind the leading money winning trainer. We had set a goal of 15 wins for the meet and got oh so close. We won one stake and finished second in a couple of others. The last week was kind of typical of our meet. We had 4 seconds (one was a win and they took our number down and placed us second) another filly HARBOR CAT also finished 2nd in “The Miss Indiana Stakes” and our homebred filly DREAMIN BIG who was on a four in a row winning streak finished 3rd in the $200,000 Frances Slocum Stakes. This was the filly that was involved in the gate debacle and has never been the same since colliding with the gate they didn’t get moved out of the stretch. It is a shame as this was the race we had been pointing for all year and she had never finished anything less than 2nd in her career until the other day.
Churchill Downs opened on Sunday October 28th, the day after Keeneland and Hoosier Park closed. It runs until Saturday after Thanksgiving and is a great place to claim a horse to run through the winter. We are going to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas for the winter where maiden special races will run for a purse of $53,000 which is more than either Keeneland or Churchill. If you have never been t Hot Springs, this is a great spot to come and go to the races. The town is very welcoming and the atmosphere is casual. All the locals are glad to see us back every year. One of the few places where the town really puts out the welcome mat for horseman.
The November Breeding Stock sale begins at Fasig Tipton on Sunday, November 4th and Keeneland begins on Tuesday the 6th. It is a mixed sale. They sell racing stock, broodmares, weanlings and is a great place to get a horse. If you need any tax breaks for the year, this is a good spot to fill the need.
Two more months left in 2012 and we will be racing around this area and try to stock up for Hot Springs.
The Breeders Cup begins Friday and is held at Santa Anita this year. I haven’t gone through all the races, but I do like a filly in the Juvenile Turf tomorrow. SPRING VENTURE has raced three times in Canada and has won all three. She has ran on grass and poly. Still reading the form, so may post again if I find anything else I really like. But, bet with both hands. Good Luck!
Remember to set your clocks back on Saturday and go out and support your local (or any) track.
