Derby Oaks or Bust

The first installment of Derby, Oaks or Bust will be from Whirlwind. He is allowing us access to several of his runners and most have debuted already so let us get caught up with Whirlwinds runners.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

by

Whirlwind

The journey begins with small steps and hopefully progresses to  a place in the starting gate early in May for the three-year-old Classic races.  At this stage of the game, the year is just beginning and the juveniles are just starting to arrive at the track and getting ready to begin their careers as racehorses.  It began with a thought of the perfect pedigree to get the required distance at a specific point in time.  1,000’s of fillies and colts are begun with those thoughts but how they turn out is frequently a different story.  I have been lucky in the game to have gotten a few there, but I am still waiting for that elusive springtime win.  I hope to follow with my impressions, trials and tribulations, hard fought victories and devastating losses all in the search for that elusive “ONE.”

INTRUDER-colt-super5–#113911

Victory Gallop x El Prado x Fit To Fight

He was bred from the retired mare, Fight Earn, a non-descript race mare of no particular distinction other than also being the dam of the highly ranked 3-year-old colt, Virtuoso.  One of the super partners was keen to use the mare again, if not to Cryptoclearance again, than to one of his sons.  Victory Gallop was chosen as a solid choice, he has put a few good 3 year-olds this year and would continue an already successful pedigree profile.  I would expect him to get better as the distances increase, I would expect him to become a serious racehorse past nine furlongs.

In week 2776, he was placed in a 6 furlong MSW on the main track in Delaware, where he is based.  He had a top jock, was allowed to settle early in the full field and closed willingly for 3^rd and a speed rating of #67.  It was an encouraging race, the winner had an uncontested easy lead, but Intruder was picking up speed and closing quickly.  Not a bad first effort!

WILD WILD LIFE-colt-super11-#113277

Empire Maker x Pleasant Colony x Danehill

This guy was bred from scratch with bp’s and is expected to succeed.  I suspect he should be able to run all day and won’t reach his true potential until going two-turns.  His lines are very similar to top 3-year-old colt, Rhibus, and I would be delighted with a runner with similar talents.  I think Empire Maker may be the best sire in the game at this time and the Mr Prospector line adds precociousness to normally the late blooming get of Pleasant Colony.  Speaking of Pleasant Colony, I think he is vastly under-used and under-appreciated for what he brings to the table, enormous amounts of stamina as well as surface diversity.  Danehill speaks for himself and with Seattle Slew, Danzig, Gone West and Deputy Minister, they are the elite broodmare sires.  He is named after a song from one of my favorite bands, the Talking Heads.

Week 2783 was this colt’s debut, with a sponsored race in New York, a MSW over 6 furlongs on the main track.  Once again, I am back to having disappointing Saturdays after the initial success last year of the super juveniles.  About all I can say positive about his first outing was that he broke alertly and carried his speed for about 3 furlongs.  Hopefully next time out will show some improvement and move forward.

CLASH CITY ROCKER(GB)-colt-super1-#96108

Beat Hollow(GB) x Deputy Minister x Kingmambo

This was bred from the mare, Ruse, who was bred at the very beginning of the super project, with all intentions of being a foundation mare for the project and this will be her first offspring.  He was bred with the intention of winning the 2000 Guineas next year.  I bred a colt last year for mikehusker using Beat Hollow and that colt, Drop The Bomb(GB), has his ticket punched for that spring classic already.  I have had mixed results using sons of Sadler’s Wells, but Coolmore can’t be all wrong.  We invested heavily last year in High Chaparral and have yet to get a good one, El Prado has been encouraging, Powerscourt looks like he could be a good one, Montjeu appears to be picking up steam and the hope is that Beat Hollow will become pre-potent this season. Named from a song by the only band that mattered.

Week 2783 was the starting point for this colt, going in a 5 ½ furlong turf MSW in Pennsylvania.  He went off as the 5/2 favorite, raced basically evenly, passing tired horses in the lane but not making any gains on the leader.  He at least picked up a minor check, finishing 5^th, and hopefully will make a better run next time out.

SATAN’S STEED-colt-worldwide-#113276

Kingmambo x Roberto x Northern Dancer

I’m not sure what I was looking for with this one, except that I really liked the way the pedigree came together.  We have found that using turf female families with solid dirt sires seems to work well, just the surface choice becomes a mystery.  He is bred beautifully, top to bottom, and hopefully will be a runner.  I don’t remember where the name came from but he sounds big and nasty.  In my mind, he is a very dark brown and stands about 17 hands and kicks anyone at the slightest provocation.

We will try the turf first time out and he went in week 2783 in a MSW 5 1/5 furlong race in Eastern Kentucky.  Another who went off as the 5/2 favorite, he stalked the early pace and tired in the stretch to finish 5^th.  I have a feeling the weeds weren’t his cup of tea, so his next race will be longer and over the main track.

WRONG ‘EM BOYO-colt-super19-#6860

Red Ransom x Danzig x Seattle Slew

This is a direct homage to Wayne’s Horseshoe Bay.  He was bred from a horse we claimed specifically for his pedigree.   I have never had any luck with Red Ransom or frankly with any sons of Roberto.  Though in my Bloodstock Advice link at DelPenn, I have endorsed using Lear Fan, Dynaformer and Kris S and seen nice horses, I just never seem to get one.  I am just hoping to get one that takes off running over the weeds and never looks back.  Another one named from a Clash song.

He made his debut in Texas in week 2783 in a MSW 5 ½ furlong turf race.  Off as the co-favorite, he flashed some serious gas and raced greenly but held on for the show.  He graduates next time out.

I ZIMBRA-colt-gradeone-#95985

Empire Maker x Danehill x Secretariat

Bred from another retired mare that we did to use as one of our foundation mares, when we first started the super stables.  Danetariat was an ok racemare, winning 3 times in 13 trips over the turf, but with no real distinction.  Once again, we go to Empire Maker and look for more lightening in a bottle.  I am quite fond of the Fappiano/Unbridled branch of the Mr P line, it is tragic that they both died young before they had the opportunity to stamp themselves as the successors to Mr Prospector.  Hopefully he goes first time out of the box.  Named after a Taking Heads tune.

Week 2783 was his first start in a 6 furlong dirt MSW in Kentucky.  He ended up on an off track with a lousy post and was the morning line favorite.  He ran credibly for 4^th, but the race was better than it looked.  It was a fairly quick race # and the winner had an easy uncontested lead and as happens frequently with off tracks, the speed held  with 10 winners on the day at the track being front runners.  A dry track next outing and we are off to the races.