TRACK TALK – Itch

TRACK TALK | Itch

24/07/2014 by PHAR LAP from THE BLACK TYPE BUGLER

  

Today is ISSUE 23 of TRACK TALK. We will spend some time with one of the top trainers in our game Derby Fever, the accomplished Itch stable. Breeder and trainer of the mighty O’RAGHALLAIGH II.

O’RAGHALLAIGH II – At one time, he was the fastest early speed in the Sim. Nobody could break faster. $1,221,372 in prize money, still active

        SIRE  GHOSTZAPPER              DAM SIRE  STOP THE MUSIC     DDS GALLANT MAN

      

    

Stables Winning strike rate    20.6 %              ITM   50.8 %

PHAR LAP:  Hi Itch, thanks for taking the time for this interview.

Itch: You’re welcome and thank you for the honor of participating in this fabulous BTB series. I congratulate you Sir on your wonderful work at the old BTB.

PHAR LAP: Where do you come from Itch ?

Itch: I grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, It’s an old steel mill, gambling town on the Ohio River, about 30 miles south of Mountaineer Park in Chester, W.Va

PHAR LAP: Have you a racing background and can you give us an insight on how you got involved in this great game.

Itch: My introduction to horse racing came as a gambler. I remember hitting the exacta the first race I ever bet and thinking how easy it was. Boy was I mistaken. Later, I worked as a groom at a thoroughbred farm in Virginia. It was about that time I saw something about the Sim online and I was hooked.

PHAR LAP: Could you tell us how long you have been breeding and training in Derby Fever.

Itch: Started my first horse in 2000.

PHAR LAP: Could you tell us the highlight of your training career so far.

Itch: Training highlight was in 2011 when caught lightning in a bottle and nearly won Trainer of Year. O’Raghallaigh II and World Cup Wonder both caught fire that year in the same stable, giving a total of seven graded victories.

 PHAR LAP:  O’RAGHALLAIGH II is your best horse so far, can you tell us about some other stars in your stables.

Itch: Yeah, there a few I would like to show you  

WORLD CUP WONDER – $1,324,020 in prize money

             SIRE  A.P. INDY                      DAM SIRE MR PROSPECTOR     DDS NORTHERN DANCER

     

 

FORZA – $699,120 in prize money so far, still active (22 starts)

                 SIRE PULPIT                             DAM SIRE NUREYEV                          DDS RIVERMAN

         

 

PHAR LAP:  Breeding and training are passions of yours Itch, have you any horses that are getting you excited?

Itch: Let me show you a few

DEMON ROAD – $1,092,344 in prize money so far, (24 starts)

                      SIRE BLAME                     DAM SIRE SADLER’S WELLS                 DDS NIJINSKY II

       

 

LET IT BE ME – Lightly raced

                          SIRE PULPIT                                   DAM SIRE HALO                             DDS NIJINSKY II

   

 

Itch: Let me show you a couple of 2 year old’s that I am keen on

MAESTER OF SILKS

            SIRE BERNARDINI                      DAM SIRE GONE WEST                  DDS STORM CAT 

    

 

O’RAGHALLAIGH III – 1^st foal of O’RAGHALLAIGH II

               SIRE EMPIRE MAKER              DAM SIRE GHOSTZAPPER             DDS STOP THE MUSIC             

         

 

TO ITCH HIS OWN – 1 Start 1 win

SIRE BOYS AT TOSCONOVA       DAM SIRE BLUEGRASS CAT          DDS PRIVATE ACCOUNT          

 

PHAR LAP: Breeding is one of the most exciting aspects of the game in my opinion. Have you any secrets you would like to share with us, we all would like a horse of RAGHALLAIGH II class and quality.

Itch: My secret is that I would rather claim a fast horse with a bad name than breed a slow horse with a cool name. My breeding program over the years has been mostly an abysmal failure. Most of my home-breds could not outrun a fat man.

PHAR LAP: Without giving away all your secrets, have you any favorites as Sire, Dams Sire and Dams Dam Sire?

Itch: What I used to like to do was go over the older sires list that no longer is available in the Sim. Like with O’Rag, I like old-timey back ends. One of my favorite tricks over the years has been to try to prop up an unknown sire with a Mr. P-Northern Dancer back end. I would say player must invest just as much in the DS and DDS as they do the sire.

PHAR LAP: Do you prefer scratch breeding or breeding to your good retired race mares? Do you like using he mares?

Itch: I like the idea of breeding to my mares to make the connection to history, but the only problem is the aforementioned abysmal failure of my home-breds.

PHAR LAP: OK Itch, we all know breeding is only one aspect of the game, once you get a good horse and get your maiden out of the way, the skill of the trainer then comes into play. Do you have any training preferences you would like to share with us? I am sure there are fellow trainers out there that would appreciate some advice from a trainer of your standing.

Itch: I prefer to take my time with my horses and let them develop slowly. I am not big on juvenile racing, because I do not believe horses are physically ready to race at that young age. I would rather have a 4yo or 5yo that is ready to handle the stress of racing. When a new player is shopping for claimers, I recommend he keep an eye out to claim 4yos, because that’s the year you’re most likely to see a horse improve.

PHAR LAP: If you could pass on one piece of advice, what would that be?

Itch: Don’t overdo it. Over the years, I have seen many new players come and go in the Sim. They join, love the game, and overdo it. They open too many stables, and, after time, the maintenance becomes a burden and they quit. Try to play the game at a level you can sustain.

PHAR LAP: Here we go Itch, jockeys!!!  Great people, but they can be a real pain in the backside sometimes. Do you call the shots or let them ride their own race?

Itch: I’ve always adhered to the camp that says “jockey select” is equivalent to “horse select.” I almost always go with jockey select and 100 percent effort, unless I’m bringing a horse back from a long layoff. I think if you just go with “jockey select,” your horse is more likely to run the style of race it prefers.

PHAR LAP: Do you pay big incentives to get the best jockeys?

Itch: Yes, those thieving scallywag’s.

PHAR LAP: Do you have a favorite Jockey?

Itch: J. Maloney in West Virginia. Drunken Irish immigrant jockey from Ireland named after my late father.

PHAR LAP: All right Itch, let’s look to the future, have you any big goals you have set yourself?

Itch: Nah. I’ve already had my share of luck far above anything I could have expected in this game. I have had several good horses in the past few years and I am appreciative.

PHAR LAP: Have you any big races to win on your bucket list?

Itch: No. I just like winning at least one race a week.

PHAR LAP: If I was new to the game or had a problem horse that had me stumped or needed some help, where would you recommend I go?

Itch: Chat, obviously. Also, you could start a thread about it on the message board. Veteran players in the Sim really enjoy helping new players.

PHAR LAP: Can you recommend any Horse Racing Movies or Documentaries?

Itch: I am not much of a movie buff. I liked Seabiscuit.

PHAR LAP: Are any there things in the game you would like changed or improved on?

Itch: Absolutely not.

PHAR LAP: Well Itch, it has been a great to hear your story, I know you have a small set up in comparison to most trainers I have interviewed and work on a limited budget but you have been very successful, if you get a horse with talent you know how to get the best out of it, that’s for sure. I am sure our community will enjoy your thoughts and learn something from your experiences. Phar Lap and the Black Type Bugler thank you for your time and we hope success continues to ride with you.

 

GIDDEY UP from PHAR LAP (gcliffo)