The Challenge-Week 30

The Challenge of obtaining 1,000 BP’s to acquire a top notch sire share is within reach.    This week placed four horses into the starting gate.  Of the four, one was claimed for a price of $15,000.  LANDALUCE made his fifth start for the stables and fired off to the front in the 9 horse field.  Going the sprint of 6.5 furlongs as the 2/1 favorite, he held that spot until the final stride or two and was beat by a half stride, finishing second.   We collected 20 BP’s as the four year old left the stable and a total of 59 during his stay.  He leaves with a record of 0-2-1 in his five starts and dropped an F-sire card and a G sire card after the race.

BLOODY SATURDAY ran a 7-furlong sprint, shifting to the turf for the third time and in an expensive $125,000 claiming race.  Ok, the chooses were not inspiring as I tried to keep him in the local track region and avoiding the higher transportation costs by going elsewhere.  He showed some eagerness and locked into a head-to-head battle on the lead which continued to the top of the stretch.  The two battlers were overtaken by two others and finished third and fourth.   Bloody was the one coming in fourth.  Not a bad showing at 13/1 in the tougher conditions and he got 7 BP’s and an F-sire card.

Two year old FLUSH THE TOILET, a horse bred with a retired mare and an exchange of E-cards made his second start.  I traded the dirt for the turf hoping to find better results and he ran in a 5-furlong, pricey $75,000 claiming race.   Similar to his dirt start, he finished 6th in a field that was one smaller with 7 entrants in this one.  He wasn’t a factor the entire race and it doesn’t look like he’ll be a producer for the stable.  I’ll take some time to consider his future, but I think this one may be flushed away.   Got a G-card out of the race.

KOKETTA, a filly that has the early speed setting at 45 made her second start and was looking to make it two in a row for the stable.  She ended up in a small 5-horse starter allowance field ($5,000 tag) running a mile distance.   She put in a fine race, staying within a stride of the front runner throughout the race.  She was pegged as the 3/5 favorite and just could not find a way to reel in the winner who was the 9/5 second choice.   Finishing second was not bad and after shipping costs, she collected 10 BP’s and a G-card.

37 BP’s earned this week which brings the grand total to 969…ooohhhh so close to that 1,000 target.   The stable picked up 3 G-cards and 2 F-cards which bring the card totals to 8 F-cards and 11 G-cards.  Trading the G’s in, brings me to 10 F-cards with 1 straggling G-card.   I’ve traded the 10 F-cards in for a pair of E cards, giving me enough to exchange a sire card.  So I did.  I ended up with an E-rated sire by the name of Mine For Gold, who was sired by Mineshaft and has never bred a stakes winner.

I have two vacancies in the stable, with one from a horse claimed this week and the other a carry over from last week.   BARK AT THE RAIN was given a rest and has been with the stable since the start of The Challenge series in January.  He’s now available and has been moved to the stable, from the farm, to fill one of the vacancies.

I’ve got a handful of others sitting in the farm resting, but none will be ready to move out for at least a week and a half.  So I’ll sit with a vacancy  for now and seek to obtain a horse or two via auction or claiming.   This coming week will be rather light with only two runners slated to make an appearance.