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A couple shots of some of the crew at Palm Meadows. Better Talk Now has since shipped to Keeneland, leaving 13 at the Boynton Beach facility.


Caught With A Mouth Full.

Dancerama (Dance Master) with Jill as they head for their
gallop together. The 3-year-old filly finds to time to pose for
the camera, regardless of a mouth full of hay.



Whenever You're Ready, Champ.

Johnny waits for Better Talk Now to tell him he's ready for
his gallop.

Going to 'bat for the Chilean

About 14 days ago, I dug through replays of horses entered for Aqueduct's Excelsior Handicap like an old man with a metal detector at the beach. I had memorized the past performances of all eight entrants and then tried to find out more than the daily racing form could tell me. I had come to my conclusion.

Kurbat not only fit, he was live in the Grade III. Although it was just his first attempt against stakes horses in the United States.

In his first stateside start, Kurbat tore up Laurel and set a track record for 1 1/16 miles. Yes it was an Allowance race. Yes, it was at Laurel. But for a horse to run that big in his first start in 10 months, and in a different country. That's impressive.

In his native Chile, Kurbat had beaten Real Merchant twice, who was also entered for the Excelsior(and had recently finished second to the Excelsior's favorite). He also won a G I, by 10 lenghts.

As they loaded in the gate last Saturday, I was a tad nervous, eyeing the #4 stall like Tom waiting for Jerry to come out of the fox-hole. Boom. At live action it seemed like Kurbat's nose hit the ground. It didn't. But his stumble was bad enough to disguise his true ability last Saturday. The crawling pace of 25.45/50.69, on an already speed-favoring track did not help his chances.

Later today, Kurbat comes back like he forgot something- just six days later- in Keeneland's 7th race, the $100,000 Fort Harrod.

Post Time 4:05 PM.

Gulfstream Winds Down, Spring On Horizon

As the once-full Barn #8 at Palm Meadows dwindles down, the other barns follow. The activity in South Florida diminishes but does not disappear, it relocates.

Spring time in horse racing is like the first day of school. A new year, new faces, new roles, and same faces, same roles. Johnny has a new haircut. Susie has a new dress. Mrs. Gordon has a new crop of third graders.

Keeneland is the site where various stars come and make their season's debut. For us, Rebellion and Better Talk Now fall into that category. Breeders' Cup winner Forever Together and track-record holder Informed Decision will do so for Mr. Strawbridge and Jonathan Sheppard.

The babies are on display.

The famous 4 1/2-furlong 2-year-old sprints are a treat. A Vindication colt crosses the wire in :50 seconds. "There's my Derby horse," you'll overhear.

Louisville.

The Derby is just weeks away. Twenty will enter the gate. Each of which connections' will map out a scenario that can make they're horse, "the horse."

South Florida was dubbed as a soft location for 3-year-olds coming into the winter. Quality Road, a virtually unknown on the Derby trail, was stabled maybe 100-yards from that now-quiet Barn #8. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee has emerged as one of the favorites for the Roses. All he's done was win the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby.

Dunkirk. "Oh yeah, that expensive Secret Status gray colt", is what he was referred to until he made his presence felt in Hallandale.

Coming into the winter, Capt. Candyman Can was a leading Triple Crown contender. Last weekend, he won the 7-furlong Bay Shore. He's a sprinter. That's why we love this game. There's no telling.

Black-Eyed Susans. White Carnations. History, heartbreaking upsets.

Afleet Alex, Barbaro, Curlin & Street Sense, Rags to Riches & Curlin.

Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, War Emblem, Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, Big Brown. The other side; Touch Gold, Victory Gallop, Lemon Drop Kid, Sarava, Empire Maker, Birdstone, Da' Tara.

Ah, the Spring.

Locked & Loaded for Weekend Stakes

During one of the biggest weekends of the Spring, team Herringswell will be quite live in stakes action all over the country.

Keeneland's Friday feature is the $150,000 Transylvania Stakes for 3-year-olds traveling 1 1/16 on the turf. Augustin Stables' Smart Bid will be making his second start over the grass. His first run over the turf was an impressive win in an allowance at Santa Anita. That win matches up quite well with those of Friday's rivals. The son of the successful turf sire Smart Strike, is coming off a sixth place finish in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

Smart Bid is a 1/2 brother to Herringswell's own Deal Making. Edgar Prado is booked for the ride.

On Saturday, Caprice will try for her second straight stakes win when she lines up for the $75,000 Yerba Buena Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. In her last race, Caprice scored in the 1 1/2 miles La Zanzarah at Santa Anita. That day, the 6-year-old came from off-the-pace under Rafael Bejarano. Pace up front will certainly help her chances in Saturday's 1 3/8 miles event. Clinton Potts will ride for the first time.

The impressive newcomer Kurbat will make his North American stakes debut in Saturday's $200,000 Excelsior at Aqueduct. The Chilean had plenty of success in his homeland having won a G 1 by more than 10 lengths in December 2007. He hadn't won since that effort until his monster debut at Laurel in February. That day he set a track record for 1 1/16 miles. Joe Talamo will ride the Augustin Stables 5-year-old.

Best of luck to Augustin Stables (Smart Bid & Kurbat) and Np Bloodstock Inc (Caprice).


Post Times

Friday Smart Bid- 5:05 PM EST

Saturday Caprice- 4:45 PM EST
Saturday Kurbat- 4:46 PM EST

Rebellion Breezes, Ships to Keeneland

On a mission to defend his title in the Commonwealth at Keeneland, Rebellion breezed for the final time at Palm Meadows on Monday and packed up for Keeneland.

The 6-year-old's second place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is looking pretty strong after three horses from that heat have gone on to win big-time races.

The winner of the BC Dirt Mile, Albertus Maximus captured January's Donn Handicap. Third place finisher that day, Two Step Salsa won the $2,000,000 Godolphin Mile last weekend. Well Armed who finished out of the money on Breeders' Cup day, won the $6,000,000 Dubai World Cup.

Rebellion worked 5-furlongs with his usual partner Better Talk Now. The duo worked over the Palm Meadows turf course in 1:02.60. Regular rider Xavier Aizpuru was aboard Rebellion.

"All right I'm done. It's all up to you now bud," Aizpuru said as he dismounted his morning counterpart.

The Grade II $250,000 Commonwealth will be ran on April 11 at 7-furlongs over the Keeneland Polytrack.

Keeneland opens its historic boutique meet Friday April 3. Herringswell Stables will have a large contingent during the 3-week season.

Break On Through

Just two months removed from his mystery showing in the Donn Handicap, Bullsbay (Tiznow) captured his first stakes win in the $50,000 Harrison E. Johnson Saturday at Laurel.

The Donn effort was out of character from the ultra-consistent 5-year-old. Before that bizarre afternoon, Bullsbay hadn't finished more than three lengths back of the winner in any of his 11 career starts. Sent off at 6-1 that day, Bullsbay was moving along nicely, but soon faltered and was eased by jockey John Velazquez.

Since, Bullsbay rebounded with a second in Laurel's John Campbell before breaking his stakes-maiden Saturday.

In Saturday's slop, Bullsbay dropped back early as Crimson Comic set a half mile pace of :48.35. Turning for home, Jeremy Rose angled Bullsbay towards the rail and he swallowed up the Laurel stretch. He finished the final 1/8 of a mile in 12.34, three-quarters of a length ahead of Senior.

Ballast

"Ballast is the one to catch," track announcer Larry Collums called as they headed for home in Wednesday's ninth race.

Over the last three years, Ballast was a name often heard and spoken, by horse players and race goers since his May 2006 North American debut. After all he was 5-1 or less in 15 of 21 career starts for Herringswell Stables. Twelve of those 21 races were stakes, two times he won stakes (2006 & 07 renditions of the Tropical Turf H. at Calder).

Wednesday's ninth race was just another claiming 50 on the turf. Number eight, Ballast was making his first appearance in such company. Fifty thousand is a decent amount for an eight-year-old. Not for a work-horse like Ballast. As Graham tightened the girth on the Irish bred, just a quarter of an hour later, he'd be claimed.

Claims are a part of the game. They happen everyday, some days multiple times. As a matter of fact, Ballast was not the only horse to be claimed from this particular heat.

The 8-year-old Irish bred had been within just a few lengths of stakes winners such as Silver Tree, Shakis, Kiss the Kid, Spice Route and Soldier's Dancer. The two latter he finished a close fourth behind while trying to capture his third consecutive Tropical Turf Handicap.

However, the son of Desert Prince was getting older and this is where he fit. A very honest horse, who gave his best every time did not change his effort level in his final run under Motion in the program. Cliche? Maybe. But Ballast was always there. Ask a horse player, we already went over how consistently he was bet. Ask a jockey. Rafael Bejarano, Kent Desormeaux, Garrett Gomez or Jeremy Rose, have all won on him.

Yes, he was claimed. He's far from a hall of famer. Heck, he never won a Grade I, let alone a Grade II, just the same Grade III, twice. This is just a homage to a hard-working horse who gave his best for our operation.

So turning for home, of course he was the one to catch. Unfortunately his best was not enough Wednesday and finished second by a 1/2 length.

Thanks for all the effort, Ballast.



Read about Ballast's 2007 Tropical Turf win.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2007/December/01/Ballast-digs-in-gamely-to-win-Tropical-Turf.aspx