Challenge Update: Traded up to E-card Sire

Had some nice results this week picking up a fist full of BP’s.  I also traded up the sire cards to a pair of E-cards and traded that in for a sire.

 

Results

 

SPRING PROSPECTS had a disaster of a race this week finishing eighth in a $8,000 claiming sprint.   I did not care much for the outcome after it followed a fourth place finish in the last start.   I’ve had the jockey setting put on 70, hoping to keep him off the lead and safe something for the end of the race.  True, he did not set the pace this last start, but was less than a stride off the frontrunner early on and had nothing to show at the end.  So this is his end.  G-card picked and zilch in BP’s for the bad outcome.

 

Using cards a little while ago, I ended up with a 3-year old filly named CHALLENGE TAKER.  And her first challenge was to run in a $150,000 maiden claimer with a 4-horse field where she had to overcome longshot odds of 22/1.   She took off to the front of the 7 furlong race and wasn’t caught until the last half-furlong, losing by 3-parts of a stride running with older horses to boot.  Second place was worth 40 BP’s for the first time starter who also dragged a G-card from the deck.

 

FIREWATER FOOL turned out to be a foolish gamble.  This runner was racing in allowance and picked it up out of the auction and dropped him in for a low $7,500 claim tag.  He was 27/1 and limped across the line in eleventh out of the fourteen runners, never a serious threat in the race.  I got him from the auction and that is where I will get rid of him too.  I did pull an F-card from the deck.

 

MUSICALL RIDE made his first start for me this week and ran in a 6f dirt starter allowance.   He ran in the mid-field in the early going but did respond nicely going into the turn and finished on the wire first.  It’s his first win in nearly a year and he was a very slight 4/1 favorite in the 13-horse field.  Picked another F-card from the deck.  Also collected 37 BP’s too.

 

 

Stable Changes

 

Spring Prospects was tossed into the auction and sold for $51 and I’ve moved ON IT’S MARK out of the farm to take his place.  This is a 3-year old filly who has won her last two starts and looks promising on the dirt.  Granted, she’s a low-end claim runner and I’ll be looking for a good spot for her.

 

With Firewater Fool taking another trip back to the auction, I filled the vacancy with WESTERN COMEDY.  This is a 2-year old lady bred from the sire cards who finished 2^nd in her debut and has been resting in the farm.  She’s now training and should be scheduled to race in about two weeks.

 

My recent plan was to trade up some sire cards for a pair of E-cards and exchange those for a sire to breed with a mare.  Problem I had was that Thechallenge stable lacked a mare age four or older.  I have claimed HOT ITEM, a six year old for a price of $2,000 and 4 BP’s.  She’s had a lovely track record winning 21 of her 46 starts and ITM 39 times.  I’ll be using her for breeding.   After various maneuvering, I’ve trading in shares to get an E-sire by the name of Tavistock.  This one is a Montjeu bred sire who largely produces grass runner.  Fortunately, HOT ITEM has been successful on both the dirt and grass, so I’m hoping for a child of equal capability.   I would have liked to keep Hot Item running, but as part of this challenge I’ve devoted the cards earned to breeding but I’ve kept her legacy going using part of her name with the newly bred horse, aptly named HOT CHALLENGE, a beautiful 2 year old filly who will graze in the farm with her mother until a stable position is opened.

 

Totals

 

SIRE CARDS:

Two F-cards and two G-cards are added this week to the collection which now comprises of 9 F-cards and 7 G-cards.   I’ve traded 5 G-cards up to give me a 10^th F-card, of which I’ve traded all of those in for a pair of E-cards.  As noted above, I’ve used those two E-cards and exchanged them for a sire, which leaves me now with just 2 G-Cards.

BP’s

77 BP’s was very nice to collect this week and surrendered 4 BP’s with the claim I made but the BP total advances, now at 649.