Catching Up With Herringswell

Within hours, Check The Label and Cat Park pronounced themselves legitimate grass juveniles in second and third place finishes in Churchill overnight stakes on closing Saturday.

Cat Park never advanced from third position as Lost Aptitude lulled the field to sleep through respectable fractions of 23.3, 47.3 and 1:11.4. The wire-to-wire winner highlighted what was part of closing Saturday's theme, "try and beat the grass speed". While in the Caressing, eventual winner Sheer Beauty led for most of the large majority of the 1 mile stakes. Taking nothing away from the winners, both were impressive. Lost Aptitude was third in Cat Park's allowance win at Keeneland and now has won two-straight out of that race.

Check The Label, a bay Stormin' Fever filly,arrived comfortably in Palm Meadows on Sunday. Cat Park has remained at Churchill Downs while his winter schedule is mapped out.

Bullsbay has put a lid on a breakout 2009 season after his 7th place finish (beaten just 5-lengths) in the Grade II Clark on Friday. The 5-year-old son of Tiznow won the Harrison Johnson (Laurel), Alysheba (Churchill), Whitney (Saratoga) this year. He was second in the John Campbell (Laurel) and was third in the Hal's Hope (Gulfstream) and Woodward (Saratoga).

The Palm Meadows barn continues to inch towards capacity as the Boynton Beach shedrow has raised its total to 17. Those already wintering in Florida are; Angel's Cove, Apple Charlotte, Bum Bum, Check The Label, Cherokee Queen, Desertstormelite, Drop A Line, Great Belief, Kapsiliat, Let's Do It, Peace Fire, Quando Quando, Rcuandry, Salsa Star, Shehashighhopes, Straight Talk and Vamos A Ver.

Shehashighhopes was our latest winner, graduating at Calder under leading-rider Eibar Coa. Before Electricty, Sumo, Cutter, Embraceable Blue, True Zip, Saucey Evening and Sit Chilly are entered and will each aim for that title over the next few days.

Jane Motion celebrated her birthday over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend turning 13 on November 27. Birthday checks are OK, but she prefers cash! All jokes aside, Happy Birthday to Jane!