Francua Chronicles: Milestone’s Achieved!

Wow what a week! To date this has been my best week yet as I hit quite a few milestones. Before I get into the nitty gritty of the week, be forewarned that this post is a bit lengthier than usual.

First, I’ll point you to the weekly record as this was by far the best week I’ve had in the game since I started some 8 months ago (see below). The great performance from this week bumped my overall win % up from 10.3% to 11.6% which is chipping away at that 20% mark I set for myself when I started. Secondly, I got my first local/stakes winning champ from an unlikely hero. Third and the milestone I’m most proud of, after roughly 800 races I earned a graded victory in the Grade 2 Royal Dodge. It truly was a feeling of vindication seeing a colt that I bred take down a field filled with some of the best turf 2 year-olds in the game.

However, even with all of my successes this week there were quite a few let downs as well. A common pattern seems to occur for me whenever I have a horse debut with an amazing speed fig, next out the horse bounces with no explanation in sight. Because this pattern seems to occur so frequently for me I have dubbed myself the “King of the Bounce”.

 

Weekly Record – 44-12-4-4

Weekly Win % = 27.2%

ITM % = 45.4%

 

Last Weeks’ Watch List:

HONORED SOCIETY (CALIFORNIA CHROME x DUNKIRK x MACHIAVELLIAN) – After showing improvement at 7.5 furlongs I stretched him out again to 8.5 furlongs this time to his detriment. He didn’t have any type of kick in the stretch and faltered to 6^th by 4 lengths. I’ll probably bring him back to 8 furlongs to see how he handles it.

 

JESTER’S DANCE (DAIWA MAJOR x DANEHILL DANCER x SMART STRIKE) – At this point I think I may be the bounce king, ran an 81 in the debut against maidens, got a stretch to 8 furlongs against winners and didn’t do any running at all. He’d finish 7^th by 10 lengths posting only a 72 speed fig. I suppose we will bring him back in to the 7-7.5 furlong range and see if that brings him back to life.

 

CHEST CANDY (CANDY RIDE x HENNESSY x SEEKING THE GOLD) – Ran good enough for 2^nd in the most recent posting a 71 speed fig and stretched out this week to 7 furlongs. She ran a bang up race closing from 11^th place to break the maiden and post an 80 speed fig. I will more than likely stretch her out to a mile and see how she likes two turns.

 

TURN EM’ LOOSE (CARAVAGGIO x WRITTEN TYCOON x KINGMAMBO) – Ahhh… my pride and joy. He won an NW2L allowance on the stretch out to 7.5 furlongs in his last so I figured we’d give a mile a shot in the G2 Royal Dodge. As I’ve become accustomed to watching he’d break last and sit 10 lengths off the pace in 14^th place before picking up the pieces and running away with the victory! In one race he managed to crush quite a few milestones. Up next I’ll likely be sending him to the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf  Mile.

 

Studs:

IMPULSE TO SWEAR (SWEAR (AUS) x FRAC DADDY x DYNAFORMER) – Based on the breeding she’s been quite the surprise. This week was an impressive victory against NW2L 150K Claimers that saw her sit 6 off the pace before closing to a victory and posting an 81 speed fig. I will more than likely stretch her to a mile in the next and see what she can do against allowance horses.

 

DITTYBOPPER (MIDSHIPMAN x ALYSHEBA x DEPUTY MINISTER) – She didn’t care for the off track or the distance in her last and as a result I cut her back to 5.5 furlongs this week. The adjustments proved to be very beneficial as she’d go on to win a speed duel and hold off the late chargers for the victory.

 

CALM AGGRESSION (VAR x INDIAN CHARLIE x DEHERE) – He was a 1-2 favorite coming into the 5 furlong dirt sprint this week and, well, he ran like it. He ended up wiring the 6 horse field of NW1x allowance runners and scoring a whopping 69 speed fig. I’m tempted to give him a whirl on turf to see if there is any improvement.

 

KILLER SHAKE (SHAKE IT UP x HUSSONET x PULPIT) – This 4 year old gelding struggled at the allowance level so I brought him back to 75K claimers going 6.5 furlongs. He came back with a vengeance this week posting a 98 speed fig and getting the victory.

 

WILD CAT TALE (TALE OF THE CAT x WILD AGAIN x TIZNOW) – She came out swinging against winners in her first attempt and ended up wiring the 5 horse field posting a 74 speed fig. I don’t think she’s quite ready for stakes company yet but if the circumstances are right I may give her a shot.

 

WAR MAESTRO (WAR FRONT x SMART STRIKE x UNBRIDLED’S SONG) – Gave two turns a shot for the first time and improved the speed fig to 79 while earning the same 3^rd place result as in the debut. I’m tempted to stretch him to 8.5 furlongs again but not really sure he wants to go that far.

 

COMBO BREAKER (CAPE BLANCO x KINGMAMBO x SUNDAY SILENCE) – As some of the vets say I guess they only run as fast as they have to in order to win and he did just that this week posting a 61 speed fig in the four horse allowance field. He wired this field easily and will more than likely get a bump up in class for his next.

 

CURSED WORLD (IRONICUS x KITTEN’S JOY x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY) – I paid 100K for this horse back in June and so far he hasn’t lived up to the hype. Only reason he makes the Stud’s list today is because he finally found the money in his 3^rd start with me. He’d end up finishing 2^nd in a 19K NW2L allowance affair posting a 94 speed fig.

 

UNTAMED KINGDOM (ANIMAL KINGDOM x PLEASANT COLONY x SHARPEN UP) – Against my better judgement I started her off on the dirt and it was obvious she didn’t care for the surface posting up speed figs of 59 and 60. Fast forward to this week where we gave her distance and got her on the turf course and she was an entirely different filly. She’d go on to wire the field of 12 and post a speed fig of 80 in the victory.

 

TEMPERANCE GOLD (BAYERN x MEAGLIA D’ORO x KRIS S.) – This one has a very interesting story as the original plan was to continue to build her up on the dirt. I claimed her back in March for 20K and switched her to dirt and got two races out of her before trainer Damascus claimed her for 50K. I was a bit disappointed when I lost her and added her to my watch list. It wasn’t until her 2^nd race with the new trainer that I put a claim back in on her and retrieved her for 50K. Fast forward to this week and I continued my dirt project with her, sending her a mile on the dirt against 50K NW3L claimers. She’d go on to run beautifully scoring the victory along with a 98 speed fig.

 

NEW MEXICAN MORN (SLEEPLESS MORN x ARCH x AWESOME AGAIN) – I actually take a lot of enjoyment out of this guy. As the story goes, he was a 3K claimer who’s turned into an amazing runner for me. This week he actually helped me achieve my second milestone as he ran in a 9 furlong local stakes race on the turf. I was a little on edge about dropping him in on the turf as most of his success with me has come on the dirt, but the surface switch didn’t phase him one bit. He’d go on to wire the field and post up a 105 speed fig while earning that Local Champ & Stakes Winning badge. To put it in perspective just how great this guy has been for me, his record is 6-3-1-2 with earnings of 137 BPs and $122,420.  Not bad for a 6 BP and 3K investment.

 

Duds:

SAVAGE THUNDER (COMMISSIONER x THUNDER GULCH x DAMASCUS) –  Well one thing is for sure he’s quick out of the gate, unfortunately he hasn’t proved he’s able to sustain it throughout an entire race. Most recently he finished 8^th by 5.5 lengths. Given that he’s had 3 shots on dirt with little to no improvement I’m going to see if he enjoys the turf in his next.

 

FIVE FOR FIVER (NATHANIEL x ZAFONIC x TOM ROLFE) – One of the first ever horses gifted to me and I’m pretty sure I screwed her up from the onset. In 8 tries I was only ever able to get her in the money once and most recently ran her 6 furlongs against maiden 2k claimers that saw her finish 4^th by 7 lengths. I would have liked to have given her a shot at turf sprinting before losing her to the claim but its probably for the best.

 

SURFSIDE (AUSTRALIA x GONE WEST x KRIS) – So the stretch out to 8.5 furlongs proved that he enjoyed more distance posting a 75 speed fig, but I don’t think he cared for the dirt surface as he finished 7^th by 13 lengths. He will get the switch back to turf going as far as I can find in his next.

 

CRIMSON GENIUS (SHOWCASING x DEEP IMPACT x FUTURE STORM) – Gave him a switch to dirt this week to see if that helped. It did not, and he finished 8^th by 7 lengths. Its highly likely that I’ll drop him into claimers in his next.

 

 

FELONY (DORTMUND x SUNDAY SILENCE x WILD AGAIN) – She got a cut to 5.5 furlongs this week and it didn’t work out the way I hoped as she finished 9^th by 10 lengths. Not really sure on where I’m going to go with her next. I could always try turf or drop her into claimers to see if the class relief helps.

 

UNION LEGACY (DEN’S LEGACY x UNION RAGS x READY’S IMAGE) – Slowly but sure the speed figs increase but he’s not doing enough to continue running him with special weights. I’ll drop him into claimers and probably cut the distance to 5 furlongs in his next.

 

UNIVERSITY TB (STANFORD x CURLIN x DAMASCUS) – I bought him out of the auction and gave him a crack at turf going 6 furlongs. He matched his top speed fig (64) but lost ground in the stretch in a 6^th place finish. I’m thinking routing is what he wants to do so I’ll give him another chance on turf.

 

CAT ON CLOUD NINE (RUNHAPPY x STORM CAT x PROUD BIRDIE) – This week we tried 8 furlongs against 100K claimers and he was always outrun. He’ll continue to move down the claiming ranks until he shows a little bit of form.

 

ZENNZ (ZENSATIONAL x DEPUTY MINISTER x RUBIANO) – Despite the cut to 5 furlongs I wasn’t able to get her over the hump this week as she’d post a 66 in a 2.5 length 7^th place finish on the dirt. I may drop her into claimers in her next and see how she looks there.

 

CLEVAR GIRL (SUPER SAVER x UNBRIDLED x A.P. INDY) – She probably needs to stick to the 7 – 7.5 furlong distance as she couldn’t find any extra late kick routing. She’d finish 6^th by 5.5 lengths against Allowance NW1x’s.

 

 

Next Week’s Watch List:

ROBIX (HARD SPUN x ELUSIVE QUALITY x FOREST WILDCAT) – Tried 7 furlongs in her first time against winners and didn’t want any part of the distance. She gets a cut to 6 furlongs and remains on the dirt.

 

GENUINE OUTLAW (CURLIN x HARLAN’S HOLIDAY x UNBRIDLED’S SONG) – She just missed breaking her maiden by .5 lengths in her last. She comes back to run the mile again in hopes that she improves.

 

MAGNETIC MOON (MALIBU MOON x STREET CRY x STORM BIRD) – He broke his maiden in the slop and comes back to run against winners for the first time going 6.5 furlongs on the dirt.

 

CHISELED INMATE (WAR CHANT x NUREYEV x ARCANGUES) – She’s getting the stretch to 8 furlongs after making a nice close going 7 on the turf in her last. Surface and conditions will remain the same.

 

HOMEMADE SCOTCH (POINT OF ENTRY x EMPIRE MAKER x NUREYEV) – I’m banking on her not really caring for the good turf conditions in the debut. That being said she was given a stretch to 8.5 furlongs in hopes that the added distance will help her get that first victory.

 

THE MARVELOUS ONE (ITSMYLUCKYDAY x A.P. DELTA x STREET HERO) – He won for fun going 14 furlongs in his last. He gets a much tougher group this week as he’ll run 13 furlongs against NW3L’s 48K allowance foes.