RK Thoroughbreds Sprint Stakes Brings in a Legend
The plan was to remain on vacation from the BTB until the money ran out. Then stage a triumphant return that would have all the sim in an uproar and give me the leverage I wanted to displace gold4ever’s current writing spot ahead of me AND secure a nice raise from the snowcheif in the process. But as you can see from this black and white on your screen, the best laid plans of mice and men . . . well something happens to them . . . the plans that is . . . I think . . . where’s Steinbeck when you need him?
I was snowboarding in the UAE (formerly
Upon walking in the local watering hole, I noticed that I was walking into the welcome party for the RK Thoroughbreds sponsored stake sprints that are scheduled to take place this Saturday under the sunny skies of the
‘Bokie,’ I called out, ‘if you’re rich enough to sponsor a race, you’re rich enough to buy me a brew.’ Rbokie to my surprise heeded my request and as he handed it to me I asked, ‘So tell me about your stake race.’
‘Well,’ he began, ‘there are actually two races we are sponsoring, so which one would you like to discuss?’
‘The first one will be fine,’ was my response.
‘The first race sponsored by RK Thoroughbreds is actually race #15 on the card and will be 5.5 furlongs in length on what is supposed to be fast dirt. Beyond this, the race is restricted for horses six years old or older. The fifteenth race has six entrants including a runner out of my jetster stable ROYALLY SHAFTED.’ Rbokie continued, ‘SHAFTED is a nice six year old runner that has won three of the last four sprints sponsored by RK and eight out of his last ten starts overall. I have top jockey H. Harzheim in saddle who is scorching hot in 2009 ending up in the money in over 80% of his rides.’
‘This is all fine and dandy,’ I said, ‘but I’m looking for tips. I need to be able to cash in on this race so I can extend my vacation away from the BTB. I’m hoping to be on a canal in
‘Well,’ Bokie retorted, ‘here’s the morning lines and the post positions. As you can see, ROYALLY SHAFTED is going off at 2/1 odds from the first post. Beyond that, look for my runner to break for the lead out of the gate, and if he has the lead at the first call, he hasn’t lost.’
‘Now we’re getting somewhere,’ I responded, ‘what about this one?’ ‘This one’ was a horse named XTRA MILAGE.
Rbokie looked at where I was pointing and started, ‘oh MILAGE is 9inchtall’s six year old. As you can see, he is going off at 3/1 odds according to the morning line and will break from the fifth post. 9inchtall!!,’ Bokie called across the room, ‘tell our writer friend about MILAGE!!’
‘He has been doing great in allowance races lately,’ 9inchtall started, ‘winning two of his last three allowance runs. But he has been struggling with his last three stakes starts ending up out of the money in all of them. When he wins, he’s catching them from the back of the pack. I’m getting worried that he just doesn’t have the speed to catch the stakes level horses. I’ve been talking to my jockey, B. Addison, figuring out how we can get an allowance performance out of XTRA MILAGE in a stakes race. In fact, I need to call him right now.’
As 9inchtall walked away to make the phone call, I felt a tap on my shoulder and found trainer jgaudet behind me. ‘What are you doing here?’ I asked.
Jgaudet smiled and began, ‘I’m running TURKO BUTTER in the fifteenth race this Saturday. He’s my seven year old out of my silverball stables. I’m excited about this race as it is the first stakes race for TURKO since he was a two year old. He’s been struggling a little lately in the allowances last winning in August 2008, but I’m pretty happy with the morning line of 5/1. I and my jockey, T. Tippett, really think we can hit the board on this one out of the outside post. If we do, TURKO BUTTER will do it by lurking, almost closing, from near the back of the pack.’
‘Thanks for the information,’ I said and turned my attention back to Rbokie. ‘Bokie, I need information on the rest of these starters. What about FIGHT FOR FREEDOM?’
‘FIGHT FOR FREEDOM has run in a RK sponsored race here before, finishing third behind ROYALLY SHAFTED. FREEDOM is a nice seven year old runner for fredje out of the hills stable that was more of a route runner in his prime. Fredje has recently sent his brown horse into more sprints and has found some success ending up in the money in his last three sprint starts. The horse looks to break to the front, but has not been able to grab that lead lately at the first call. This has resulted in FREEDOM fading down the stretch. In fact, I think fredje is not here right now as he is talking to his jockey S.L. Ledwith about strategy out of the gate.’
I looked at my sheet and noted that FIGHT FOR FREEDOM was starting out the fourth post and had a morning line of 7/1 odds. Looking up to post number three, going off at a value bet of 47/1 was a nine year old horse SIMPLE MAN.
‘Oh that’s mab123’s runner,’ started Bokie as if he knew I wanted information, ‘I think mab123 entered this stakes just so he could attend this welcome party.’
I looked over to a corner where mab123 was sitting with three very attractive women sitting with him around the table. He did appear to be enjoying himself (please note: mab123 if you are a female, I do apologize in advance, but I need you to be a male in this article for the following – thanks for understanding). As I turned back towards to Rbokie I heard a shout from the corner I was just looking at that sounded like, ‘HEY EVERYBODY, LOOK AT ME – I’M kirby!!!’
‘Anyhow,’ continued Bokie chuckling at mab123, ‘SIMPLE MAN has not even seen a dirt surface since March of 2003. His last six starts have been on turf and there was a five and a half year break in there somewhere. Beyond that, SIMPLE has not even won a race on dirt, and the races he won on turf were 7.5 and 9 furlongs. Personally, I think the 47/1 odds are kind. Heck, T. Jay . . . ‘
‘WHO’S T. JAY?!’ someone yelled from across the room. But before Rbokie could answer that question he was POPPED on the side of the head by a flying empty can.
We both looked at where this can was coming from only to see a very red faced and somewhat tottering squirrel getting up from a table that had at least a ten level high can pyramid (or is that considered a castell?) and was attempting to walk towards us.
‘What is the squirrel doing here?’ I asked Rbokie before she arrived.
‘Why she has the final entrant in the fifteenth.’ Bokie responded while rubbing his head. ‘She has been at that table for six hours now. I think she’s lamenting the inevitable that is going to happen to her entrant probably sooner rather than later.’
‘WHO?!’ I screamed.
‘Why SOLAR SONG,’ was his response. There was a second of silence between us as I digested this information when the somewhat unbalanced squirrel arrived.
‘Both of you just shut it. I know what you are saying,’ she began in a half yell – half slur, ‘you’re saying, ‘why is she running two time Horse of the Year and two time Breeder’s Bowl Classic winner in a dirt sprint in the middle of the desert?’ Well, I tell you why. I want to win another race with SONG. You realize that my seven year old has not won a race in over a year? SOLAR SONG is getting upset about this. I know because he told me.’
She must have noticed the amused look on our faces as she yelled, ‘That’s right!! I talk to SOLAR SONG all the time and he talks to me. You have a problem with that? Huh? I’ll tell you what. Since I seem to be amusing you so much with my training techniques, let’s take a poll.’ She then crawled up on top of the bar and yelled, ‘WOULD ALL THE TWO TIME TRAINER’S OF THE YEAR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND!!’
She crawled back down satisfied at the lack of hands in the air. ‘Now maybe you two will hear me out about my runner. It is true that SOLAR SONG has not seen a sprint race since October of 2004, and that has been the only sprint he has ever run. But he has not been on form for over half a year running mainly 9 to 10 furlongs so SONG and I decided to try something different. So here we are and we are feeling very confident. SONG told me he is enjoying the dry air of the desert and if he is feeling good. I say he can just sit in the gate and wait until the field gets to the 2f mark before mowing them down. And we feel so good, we are going to put up jock M. Hall who has yet to see the winner’s circle this year. If you think we’re nuts, just look at the morning lines.’
And with that last statement, squirrel smacked down on the paper I was holding and just kept going until she hit the ground. She did not move and appeared to have fallen asleep. Figuring she was not going anywhere anytime soon, I did look at the lines one last time. It read, ‘SOLAR SONG, squirrel4 stable, post #2, odds 8/5.’
I left later on in the evening with the RK Thoroughbred welcome party still going strong. I thought about the fifteenth race coming up on Saturday and where I’m going to put my money. I weighed the options and figured out a pretty savvy betting scheme that would have me in
And this is why you, dear readers, are getting another article from me. Even if SOLAR SONG wins, at the odds he is going off on, I will not have enough money to continue my worldwide odyssey. So I’m starting to rebuild the coffers, please pay well snowcheif. I’ll be out of your hair sooner if you do.