Stable Update 9/4/2016

Hi Team,

I hope this message finds everyone well. The month of September will be very busy as not only will several members of the stable be making starts and important workouts but the massive Keeeneland September sale gets under way in about ten days. In the past several partners have been able to come for parts of the sale so hopefully that tradition continues as the sales are action packed. 

Finnegans Wake (Peter Miller) - Finnegan has come out of the G2 Del Mar Handicap with a banged up left front ankle. Peter Miller and his vet in California are trying to determine the best plan for getting him back to the races. This is very disappointing news but FW has been an iron horse compared to 99% of all racehorses and things like this happen. It doesn't sound like any surgery will be needed just some rest and as soon as a plan is sorted out we will let everyone know. 

Eirigh (Todd Pletcher) - He has resumed serious training in Ocala, Florida and they are very happy with how he is training. He is going to breeze each week this month and if that goes well he should be ready to head back to the track towards the end of the month.

The 4 yr. olds

Keen Ice (Todd Pletcher) - Keen Ice is doing well at Saratoga and had another solid breeze this week at Saratoga for the Pletcher team. He will need several more of those before he is ready to run but his progress at this point is very exciting as each week he gets closer to heading back to the races. As Jerry said last week there are some lofty goals for him as there should be based on his talent, let's just hope that he continues to impress the Pletcher team. 

Rock Shandy (Unassigned) - Rock Shandy is doing well in Kentucky as he gets over his reoccurring shin injury. He is now turned out in a paddock 24 hours a day to allow the pressure of movement help stimulate healing. He was re-x-rayed at the end of last week and it showed the bone is healing well and his leg will be checked again at the end of the month. A positive report there will allow him to go back into training soon after.

Brother O'Connell (Tom Morley) - He gave a big effort last Friday in the West Point Stakes earning a 96 Beyer as he only was beaten by a length and a half. He also couldn't get a clear run down the lane as the horse in front of him was drifting around a bit. I think the biggest thing the race did was let us know that we should be in great shape with him next year in that NY bred division as some of the consistent podium finalist in those races are getting older and BOC should be able to find that length or two next year. He has had five starts on the grass this year with three wins and he will likely run in an allowance race again for his next start with a stake at Belmont or Aqueduct following that to close out the year. BOC has very much surprised me with how well he has done this year and next year he should be even better. 

Puca (Frank Smith) - Puca remains in Elloree, South Carolina with Frank Smith. She continues to do well and Frank is very happy with how she has been doing. She will be ready to go back to the racetrack within a couple of weeks depending on transportation schedules...shipping horses is a lot like Bingo at a retirement home, it should go smoothly but usually there is some chaos. Regardless she is doing very well and Frank has done another super job of pushing all the right buttons with her and it will be exciting to have her close to running again.  

The 3 yr. olds

Patrick's Day (Jordan Blair) - Patrick's Day is doing well and is preparing for a start at Kentucky Downs on September 10th in an allowance race going the very odd distance of a mile and 5/16ths. Oatfield is going to be entered in the same race and if only one is allowed to run then PD will scratch as there is a race ten days later in the Churchill Downs condition book that he will likely win. He will breeze this coming weekend in preparation for the marathon like distance of his possible next start. 

Oatfield (Jordan Blair) - Oatfield is doing well out of his maiden win and had a very solid breeze this week to get ready for the same race as Patrick's Day. While running that far in just his 3rd career start is not ideal if he is able to get into the race but the purse sure helps matters. Jerry's formula captures a high percentage of horses able to run this far so if he is able to get into the race it will be exciting as he would probably be one of a few that could handle such a distance over a course that finishes uphill. Fingers crossed that he or PD can get into the race as most races at Kentucky Downs have had 20 or 30 horses entering each race thus far. 

Shut the Box (Chris Richard) - Shut the Box was not able to draw into his race at Kentucky Downs as there were 26 horses entered in his race. Luckily Chris Richard found a race at Ellis Park this Sunday for him going a mile on the turf. We don't know how he will handle the grass but his pedigree suggests that he could handle it just fine. However, with how well he has run on the dirt this year it is very uncommon for a horse to run very well on both surfaces so we will see what happens. He has done very well since his last race and he should give another strong effort against the best field he will have faced thus far in his career. 

Ballagh Rocks (Bill Mott) - He ran another huge race on Saturday falling just short of breaking his maiden and had every right to bounce a bit off of his big performance earlier in the meet coming off of his long layoff. So it was another impressive effort even though he didn't win and I'll be surprised if he doesn't break his maiden next time out during the Belmont meet. He is poised to have a very big 4 yr. old year for the stable next year.

Donegal Moon (Todd Pletcher) - DM is continues some time off in Kentucky to help him get over some bruising at the bottom of his cannon bones. This is actually very common in horses that have been in training for long durations as DM has been. Rest and some time does the trick for a large majority of bone bruising cases. He should come back just as good towards the end of the year.  

Vulcan's Forge (Todd Pletcher) - He had another solid workout this week after his most recent start on the dirt. His next start is still up in the air as he is one that the further the better is the key and ten furlong races on turf or dirt don't come around very often. He should get better as he gets older so he is another that should have an even better 4 yr. old year. 

The 2 yr. olds

Irish Freedom (Baffert) - The most exciting horse in the stable is doing well having come out of his big maiden win in good shape. His next start will be on October 1st in the G1 Frontrunner Stakes at Santa Anita. Now there have been a few 2 yr. old colts run faster than Irish Freedom during the Del Mar meet but for almost all of them in the race it will be their first two turn dirt race and based on Irish Freedom's running style and breeding it should be to his advantage. Fingers crossed he keeps doing all that is asked of him in his morning preparations and the next 30 days can't pass soon enough. 

Aife (Clement) - She has been working very well at Belmont for the Clement team with her last couple of works being very good. She will make her debut on September 10th at Monmouth going one mile on the turf.

Fahan Mura (Clement) - She has come out of her first race in good order as she had her first breeze back this week. She should improve a lot off of her first start and we should see her back in a similar spot during the month of September. 

Green Moon Rising (Richard) - He has settled in well to the Chris Richard barn and is breezing right along in Kentucky as he gets ready to begin his career. He will likely be ready to run towards the end of October or beginning of November and he is another of the 2 yr. olds that will wait for a race further than six or seven furlongs.

Stefan O'Eishen (Morley) - He is training right along for the Morley team and had another workman like breeze this week. Stefan O Eishan is not fully mature yet as he is still unbalanced because his front end has not caught up to the growing that his hind end has done. That should come in time and his trainer is not going to push on him as its very evident that his body is changing week to week. He should run at Belmont once they start carding maiden races further than six or seven furlongs. 

Blarney (Richard) - He is doing fine as he was gelded this week and it will take about another week for him to recover. If his gelding heals without any setbacks than he should be back to his routine by the end of next week. 

Dirty Day (Cox) - He had a very solid half mile breeze for the Brad Cox team this week. He will need a few more breezes before being ready for his career debut. After a couple more we should have an idea as to when his debut will come which should be at either Keeneland's meet or the Churchill Downs meet. 

Gorse (Pletcher) - He is being given a short rest in order to help him get over some minor tendinitis. He will be checked in on in about three weeks to see if the swelling in his tendons has gone away, this is a very common thing for 2 yr. olds to get. 

Beltany (Baffert) - He has done very well for the Baffert team since his arrival in California and had another solid work this week. He will likely run during the upcoming meet at Santa Anita when racing resumes.  

Arklow (Cox) - He was given a bit of time off to get over some tendinitis (swollen tendons) and that his about to be over and he should resume breezing soon as long as the Cox team is happy with his gallops and the weather cooperates as well. 

Hy Brasil (Pletcher) - He has been sent to Kentucky in order to get over his minor ankle injury. We are fortunate that no surgery was needed.

Please don't hesitate with any questions and have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Conor  

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