The Challenge – Week 43: Card Decision Made

The challenge for this year was to accumulate as many cards as possible to see what could be bred at the end of the year.  I’d like to have some time to get a race or two in with whatever is bred, so what I am aiming at doing is exchanging the cards around mid-November.  Right now there are 4-D cards which would gain two sire shares (or breed one D-D-D-D horse).  I’m set on getting two D-sires.  Also, with a large kitty of BP’s I’m planning on using those to build up a nice strong back end for one of the sire shares.   The other sire share I may either retire a mare and breed to that, or use whatever BP’s are left to find something halfway decent for a back-end to the sire share.  As for remaining cards, I’ll just create some random duds with them.   That’s the plan for now, but if a high card should be flipped (like an A, B or C), those plans would change.”

Now onto this weeks results.   After a pair of tough weeks, things smoothed out a little bit.    Recently claimed MOI ROCK made his first start for the stable and ran in a $15,000 claiming race at a long 13 furlong distance.   He never went this long before and has been racing sprints for a while now.   This was an ability test for him and as a co-favorite at 8/5, thngs looked promising.  But results were otherwise as he finished 4th, and about a football field behind the winner.  10 BP’s were earned and one G-card.   He’s looking to return to the sprint as the ability test was a failure.

Another first time runner for the stable was NELSON ECHO.  This guy has been running on the turf over several races but has been good on both surfaces.  He was sent on the dirt this week in a $5,000 claiming event, at a distance of 8.25 furlongs.   He has also run well in sprints and the shorter routes, but looks better with the shorter routes.  He was the third betting option at 9/2 in the 10-horse field.   He started slow, running ninth for the first few furlongs but in the second half of the race, was on the move.  Approaching the stretch, he made his way into fourth and was charging in the stretch and battled his way to the wire and finished second by a neck.    Nice enough for a pair of sire cards, both being the common old G’s and 20 BP’s to boot.

NEVER FIND A WAY did just the opposite.  He made his first start for the stable and it was a winning one.  Debuting in a starter allowance with a $10k tag, he quickly found the top spot when the gates opened and held the spot right to the finish line.   The 9/5 favorite earned three sire cards, 2-G’s and an F.   37 BP’s were nice to find with the cards and this one looks like a keeper!

5-G-cards this week were earned, in traded for an F, which joins the other F earned this week.  This has been combined with three other F’s already held, to trade up for an E-card, giving the cards now on hand as 4-D, 1-E and 3-G.   67-BP’s for the week are very nice and bump the bankroll to 1,861.

Periodically, I like to provide readers with the racing stats and so far this year, Thechallenge2 stables have seen the horses race 127 times with 49 wins (38%), 18 places and 13 shows (ITM 63%).   This week looks to be another three horses targeted to be entered.