DDVII Stable Update Part 1

Dear Partners and Friends,

This week you will receive an update email each day about our DDVII two year olds, based on our trip to Elloree this past Saturday. What a great time we had! In between rain bursts we were able to spend time with the colts both on and off the track. 

We hosted a luncheon for all the farm employees (and Donegal guests) and made sure the farm hands know how grateful we are to them for raising our horses from their yearling sale to their trip to the racetrack. About ten crucial months. We could not succeed without the great job Frank and Bari Smith and their staff do for us. We also gave each staff member a pretty sharp Donegal green hoodie with our logo on it to remind them of our appreciation. Special thanks to the Connollys, Keith Mason, the Gillmans, Debi Tucker, two Paschal fans and my own Linda for attending.

Here is the most incredible thing from our trip: We had both the Donegal visitors and the Elloree staff (including jockeys) vote on who they thought the best prospect was. Every single horse got at least one vote from our Donegal folks AND got at least one vote from the staff/riders. This speaks more powerfully to the quality of this 8 pack than anything I can think to say.

And as you enjoy the photos below, a very special thank you to Paula Gillman for being our photographer under adverse and rainy conditions. These reports will be much more interesting to you because of her efforts. Now if she would only shut up about the Kentucky Basketball Team (sorry Michela).

Shut the Box (Hard Spun out of Unbridled's Song mare)

This energetically named colt is eager to get on with it. He will clearly be one of the first to the races. On the track Shut the Box tugs away at his rider. A very racing looking prospect who needs to fill out a little. I will be very surprised if he isn't one of our first to break his Maiden.

I expect the Box to be Shut at Elloree in May and see this boy race in July/August. A pure dirt prospect.

As you compare the two photos above, notice how much longer Shut has gotten. It is what makes him racier looking now. You can also see that he is quite a bit taller than when we bought him. Frank Smith says he has grown three inches just recently. These growth spurts are fascinating. Sometimes a horse will grow taller in the front and back at the same time, but sometimes they do not. When they are out of sync growth-wise, they can become awkward on the racetrack until the shorter end catches up.  

Ballagh Rocks (Stormy Atlantic out of Sadler's Wells mare)

One of the best looking prospects. Scopey, athletic, mature...all the parts are there. A likely long distance turf prospect who will enjoy long distances. His mare was precocious, but Stormy Atlantic can be a little slower so timing is up in the air.

You can see that Ballagh Rocks has grown, but he can still use some additional height. This colt has a great mind and is very professional on the racetrack.