Weekend Postview

Congrats to the Sleeter's. I hope TVG is right, because that's where I heard it. They've been married for 47 years. They must be something right as everyone in their family is connected somehow to the industry, and I'm sure if I'm a little off in that last claim, everyone in their family is passionate about the game. Happy anniversary! They are living proof that good people get good horses. The entry of Cable Boy (45) and Get Serious (10) finished coupled at the back of the back in the Pennsylvania Derby. I have to admit I am pretty disappointed, especially after how well First Defence (80) ran in the Kings Bishop. Not sure what the next move will be, but hopefully someone connected to Cable Boy will leave a message. I'm still sure we saw a great horse those first couple of weeks at Monmouth, and maybe the horse just needs to catch up a little more. There was no change at the top of the Premier Turf Club 3yo division. Precious Kitten (250), Gr II Winner! Not bad at all. A lot is said about the dam of Jazil and Rags to Riches, but don't forget Precious Kitten is a half sister to Kitten's Joy. You can support her and her owners here. TBA standings. We see many of the Woodward runners up near the top of the Twinspires.com TBA board. Lawyer Ron (365) proved is was no fluke with an even (Beyer-wise) bigger performance. There have been 8 Gr I run so far this year, 1 was won by retired Flashy Bull, 2 were won by retired Invasor, so keep your fingers crossed Lawyer Ron stays healthy, without him this division is pretty flat. The other 2 time Gr I winner is Lava Man (355) who has to be pretty doubtful for the Classic. The 2 yo division isn't really carried prominently on the homepage nor our individual pages because there just aren't a lot of races, you can view it here on the 2yo tab. Question for the masses, how many 2yo Gr I Winners has AP sired? Majestic Warrior (120) sure looked impressive to say the least. And if the Yankees can't win a championship this year, hopefully Steinbrenner (who owns Kinsman) can get one this way. The hose is Kinsman all the way through the Granddam Take Heart, and the first two dams of Majestic Warrior were both Gr I winners. Go East Young Man. Don't think Baffert is regretting a thing, do you? The Sprint Division is atrocious to say the least. It's just hard to make these top level sprinters run more than once every 2-3 months. There have been 5 Gr I's w/ 5 different winners now, and only Silver Wagon, a Gr II win and Kelly's Landings, a Gr III win, have managed other Graded Stakes wins. Smokey Stover got a leg stretcher over the Monmouth course, oh wait that was a race? Yeah, if you want to call it that I guess you can. Midnight Lute (130) looked awesome.

Haskell Pics

It wasn't to be for Cable Boy. It seemed to me he got a little worked up in the paddock, and might have been hustled a little too much from the gate, the thought of Hard Spun's speed might have spooked Velez more than it should. I did get to meet a member of Phantom House while I was at the track, it seemed like they were all having a good time, and that's what the day was; a good time. A great time would have meant a win, but they threw this horse in the deep end, and I truly believe while he didn't win the race, he certainly didn't sink. He dug in against Hard Spun and next time I imagine there will be even more fight and a little less energy spent in the paddock. I don't imagine this being the last we've heard of Cable Boy at the Graded Stakes level.

Cable Boy Waiting

Slow news day = Cable Boy We all saw the "workmanlike" (how many times have you read this word this week? 100,200) performance put in by Street Sense (410) in last Sunday's Jim Dandy Gr II. The run got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, Curlin (390) won't be 100% cranked either. That got me giddy. Many casual fans don't understand a basic fact about horse racing: In every race there are horses headed in different directions and running in the race due to different motivations. In the Haskell a casual fan could see the same thing if they look hard enough. Curlin's main goal is to get to the Breeder's Cup 100% fit and healthy. The most important races leading up to that in order: 1. Travers - Beat Street Sense take strong hold of 3yo division 2. 1st time out against older horses/last prep for the BC - put in a solid effort, don't lose it mentally, win is good if against slightly diminished older horse contingent 3 Haskell - Come off the bench with a solid performance that many will call workmanlike. Cable Boy has a vastly different goal: Win the Haskell. The trainer and owner both are connected to Monmouth, and this is Monmouth's marquee event. Winning this is their ultimate goal. True, should they win the thought is to the Travers, Older Horse, BC, but as they train Cable Boy the thought is to have him 100% on Sunday. And, if you look over Cable Boy's recent works it looks like he's coming in a monster. His works have stretched out to a mile though his recent work in between racing last week was 5f in 57 1/5. No one has ever seen Curlin come off the bench. Worrisome is the 101 Beyer he threw in his maiden, true, but I think this situation will be new. Curlin has been working regularly at Saratoga where his main goal as shown is the Travers, so maybe Assmussen thinks he can grab a $1 million dollar purse at 90%. I beg to differ. Post script - I was trying to find the article where D Wayne Lukas talks about Jump Start being one of the best horses he had under his care. Remember, while this sire might not be known to most he was a Gr II winner and second in a Gr I as a 2 yo and never was able to show what he had as a sophmore when getting injured for the BC juvie. 2007 is the year his first crop turns 3, so we're just starting to see them run. Of note is that his stud fee doubled from 10k to 20k recently.

Cable Boy Works

Cable Boy Issues Warning in Sizzling Haskell Work bloodhorse.com Watch out Curlin, Hard Spun, Any Given Saturday, you don't want to mess with a mean dog in his own yard. Classic Cable Guy Quotes "don't dig to deep or you might get burnt by the molten lava" This concludes our broadcast day. Click. I'll juice ya up. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. You seem to prefer the latter

Cable Boy update (UPDATE)

Jim Dinan Jr left a message on a prior post, that I'd like to bring to the front by posting it here. I'd like to thank him for keeping us up to date with Jersey's home grown Haskell hopeful. Cable Boy is training very well right now and if he can be allowed an honest pace (and keeps improving) he'll have a shot at these big boys.Poker Hcp we have Gimme Credit starting. Loved his price in his last race. Have not looked at the others in there yet. Still a strong little horse, loves the Trf. If he's still hand ridden around the far turn, 2-3 lgths back, watch out.Also have a surprise runner in the Long Branch just as Cable Boy skips it. Get Serious was pegged for an allowNW2l race on 7/19 but he's been traing real good. Off maiden win, but solid. The Long Branch obviously will miss Cable Boy, but I believe it will be for the best when we see him Haskell day. The Long Branch appears to be a wide open affair. Free PP's for that race and many other graded stakes can be found on the TBA homepage, please check it out. Monmouth has been rewarding speed like nobody's business the whole meet. I can only think of 2 days where I've read or seen horses passing horses in the stretch. I could joke they might as well move the Finish Line to the Quarter Pole because that's where most of the races are over. It really hit home when Southwestern Heat set suicide fractions in the Jersey Shore and was in a photo with Principle Secret, those horses are a little more than a nose apart I think. So, the the trick in this race is to find that horse who will lead w/ a quarter to go. Get Serious exits his Maiden score to jump in with the big boys, and as Jim notes might be live. He won the last race under wraps while carving out fast fractions, and even under wraps it doesn't appear he was slowing too much in the sprint. The fact that they just put him round a mile and might not have been pointing to this race all along is reason to be shy, but could be very useful underneath and at a price. Saratoga Lullaby might get his revenge on the Cable Boy connections in this spot. He does have a major case of secondittis, but his company has been good, and this might be somewhat of a class relief for him without Cable Boy looming somewhere. First Defence is being brought in by Bobby Frankel who just owns the Shore's Greatest Stretch some Summers, and this could be another one. He is currently 10 for 17 in the money. This horse skipped the Dwyer and finds himself in a little shallower water here. Has to be even money favorite. I'll box these 3 if it's worth the money. Good luck. Asbury Park Press article UPDATE Cable Boy worked a mile in 1.39:60 today (1/1)

Cable Works up to Haskell

Daily Racing Form: News (free subscription req) The article was posted a little while back, but Cable Boy worked over the weekend. A nice solid 4f in 50:40 (50/62) Curlin and Hard Spun are both pointing to the Haskell. Street Sense is up in the air, Chelokee is out, and I think Delightful Kiss will go to the West Virginia Derby. A little softer, nice pay check.

Cable Boy Part II

In the recent history of the Haskell Jersey based runners have fared quite well against the out of town invaders coming to score the $1 million dollar purse, Jersey based runners like Technology, Skip Away, and Holy Bull really jump off the page. Praying For Cash won the Long Branch, finished second in the Coronado's Quest after a bad start only to be nipped in the Haskell by Bluegrass Cat. Ok, maybe it wasn't such a nip, but it was a valiant effort. A son of Songandaprayer and owned by Bobby Hurley, he was put into stallion duty in Florida, but I just checked with them and it turns out he had a little fertility problem, and as was the case with George Washington, Praying for Cash is back in training! I think that's breaking news right there as I hadn't read anything about it. He supposedly breezed a couple times, I couldn't really get any other news, keep an eye out for sure. Park Avenue Ball started his buzz as a 2yo winning the Gr II Futurity and finishing 2nd in the Sapling. In fact, PAB was probably the best traveled Jersey bred since those named at the top finishing 2nd in the Hutcheson & Withers. He has come back strong in both his 4 and 5 yo years and is closing in on a million in earnings. He is currently recuperating from throat surgery, but a tough horse like this no doubt will return just as good. A sadder fate has befallen My Snookie's Boy. He fell into claiming ranks and was in for a 10k tag at Gulfstream where he broke down and was euthanized. It's a shame what different paths all these great horses took. This year's hope is Cable Boy. He has generated buzz since his scorching maiden win. I was there for his first try against winners (setting the course record while doing so), where he looked like a man amongst boys, and yesterday he really turned it on. He scorched the first fraction, :22.66 but was able to settle and come home nicely, 1:39.42, just a tad slower than his own record time. He now points to the Long Branch BC Stake July 14th, but as this article points out, you have to think his invitation to the Haskell is secure: Jersey Bred, course record, undefeated. See you July 14th.

Cable Boy

Do you know this horse? You should.

Haskell

With the Triple Crown now in the rear view the next stop are the midsummer classics. After a little R&R many of the Derby starters will start to come out of the wood work for races like the Virginia Derby, American Derby, Swaps, but there is one a little more on the radar than usual. The Haskell, being held at the site of the Breeder's Cup this year is already generating a little buzz. Invitations usually go out early to mid July but some connections are already showing an interest. And why wouldn't they not only is it the site of the BC, but has also been a Summer spring board to divisional titles for Point Given and War Emblem. Asmussen has seen the light, he said, the fact that the Breeders' Cup is at Monmouth this year on Oct. 27 makes the Haskell a better fit than the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 29. So, count Curlin (390) in. Hard Spun (245) is a great fit if you ask me, with his speed Monmouth Park seems tailored made to him, and I'm sure Jersey Joe Bravo is available if you want a local rider (now that you've burned bridges w/ Gomez). Nafzger has said the Haskell or the Jim Dandy will be next for Street Sense (355), but I'm leaning towards the Jim Dandy for him because Breeders are calling the shots.. It will be an easier spot and it will keep him apart from Hard Spun. The Monmouth Horse will be Cable Boy and I'm looking forward to his next race in the Coronado's Quest Stakes 6/24 . I think he could pose a real threat. This will be a great season at Monmouth as many of the big names will want to get a run over the track. Look for great fields also in the United Nations, a Gr I on the turf, Better Talk Now (155) is a prior winner.

New Jersey Horse Update

Monmouth Park has it's heroes, some well known: Skip Away, some a little more obscure: Carrots Only, but I love Monmouth Park and no stone should go unturned, so without further ado let me tell you about 3 horses I'm excited about. Who's the Cowboy - A sprinter who has encountered some trouble his first 2 trips this year. Opening weekend saw him run in the 5 1/2 f Decathalon Stakes. He broke a step slow which cost him about 5 lengths. He ended up making a wide move on the turn and closed well. He lost to another Monmouth hero Joey P by about 4 lengths. Joey P set a new track record in this race. Can't really hold too much against him here. Last weekend in the John J Reilly (6f for NJ breds) Who's the Cowboy finished a neck behind Hey Chub after dueling for the lead. The track was VERY biased that day to inside speed, and that's where Hey Chub was. Again, not much to hold against Who's the Cowboy. But now, with those 2 defeats and everyone probably thinking he's past his prime Who's the Cowboy might be at a price his next start. I saw Who's the Cowboy both weekends, and I saw him last year. He looks better than I can remember. Look for his comeback in the Colts Neck Handicap July 4th (NJ breds). Cable Boy - Set a course record last Saturday when I made one of the best bets of my life, and Cable Boy has his trainer John Forbes already thinking Haskell. The owners of Cable Boy, Phantom House Farm, you might remember from Tale of the Cat. I tried to get in touch with a few yesterday, but I couldn't pin down an email. If by some chance you might be reading this drop me a line, I'd like to keep a little record going here of how he's doing. Indy Wind - He's actually listed in the Monmouth Park programs as a horse for the course. So, how in almighty did he get off at 11-1?The horse does have some physical issues it seems, but he worked lightning in his only published work before this start. 11-1! Argh, I wish I was there. Not sure what he's thinking next, but last year there was some high hopes for him, another start like this and the bandwagon will be full, so get on it now.

A Good Bet

I had some good fortune over the weekend for sure. Both mom and baby are happy and healthy (knock on wood), but my run of good luck didn't start there. A couple of years ago Indy Wind stepped onto the track and looked like a bright shiny penny. He was flawless is every sense of the word, and one look at him and his competitors would tell you he was a 1-5 lock. The board flashed 3-1. So, me and my buddy of Pick-4 fame decided to make money. We would put Indy Wind on top of every horse in the exacta, but then we noticed if the favorite finished 2nd we'd actually lose money. Neither of us liked the favorite, so we tossed him. Indy Wind won by about 5 (memory is foggy) and the favorite clunked up for 2nd. NEVER AGAIN! I proclaimed. Never again would I do something so stupid. You like a horse to win, you're getting good odds, you bet him to win, end of story. I had a chance to redeem myself this past weekend I liked three horses in the 7th race at Monmouth. Cable Boy, Keeneland Kid, & Veritaserum. They came out to the track and Cable Boy is black beast. On his toes, neck bowed, but not washed out. He looked like a stakes horse. I figured he'd be 5-2 at best. He won his maiden pretty well, had some speed, and looked like the 2nd choice if you asked me. He was 5-1 Let's just say I didn't repeat my Indy Wind mistake and bet him on the nose. True I would have had a $76 exacta or a $100 dollar tri, but I couldn't feel any better about my decision. I think it was the right bet.

Foalin' Ain't Easy

Yesterday I was doing my regular thing. You know hanging out at the track. Talking to friends. Making a killing on 5-1 Cable Boy (who looked spectacular). Oh, and by the way my wife was having contractions every 30 minutes! You might think I'm a bad husband, but you have to understand I was alive in the late pick-4. So, off to the hospital we went (once I busted out of the pick-4). I was my usualy helpful self, making off color jokes and making the whole room feel pretty comfortable. The doctor didn't like my, "Hey, I don't know if you can look for them, but I can't find my car keys" joke. Some of that story may or may not be true (unfortunately, most of it is), but what is definitely true is that another beautiful girl was brought into the world Saturday Morning at 3:41am. Elsa Einin 7lbs 11oz 21 inches. Pretty cool huh?