Aboukir Bay: Kentucky Downs, Race 6
Admittedly, it is time for her to get her nose on the wire first. Four 2nd place finishes can be frustrating for everyone, owner, trainer and the bettor. Horses that often run underneath are hard to gamble on but with her closing style and the added ground I believe this is the distance she has been looking. This will be her second start sprinting with the added blinkers and given the trouble she found in the final try at Fair Grounds, I think we have found the key to her. We tried something new that last time which I told myself forever she wasn’t and that was a route horse and it did not work, but live and learn. That was around the time the CD turf was getting bad and she lost her footing early and often and just galloped around there so we gave her a vacation and set up for this spot. Her last work can be seen below.
Looking at the field, the rail horse is interesting but FL is a long ship up and she will try the turf sprint for the first time in her career, so questions to be answered there. Parents Pride is the obvious favorite in the field with the strong number last out but I vaguely recall that not being the strongest race on paper prior to the running of the race so we will see and she has to get another furlong in here. Everyone else in the field seem to have more questions than answers when you look at them on paper. Should be a good dash and I like my outside draw since they go right before they go left going 6 1/2.
Bali Kuta: Kentucky Downs, Race 11
I would say that the route MSW came up saltier than the sprint and I do not have a good feel for who is the winner from the handicapping side of things but I will give you some insight on my filly.
Bali has been impressive from the get go, always getting better the more ground she gets. In her only two turf tries, she was barely beaten by horses that went on to both run 2nd in stakes in their next starts last year. So as I stated, she isn’t a dirt horse so why did we run last time. Well with the new HISA rules, if you do not run for 365 days you would be put on the vets list and subsequently you would have to work off of said list which then delays you from being able to run again as they take blood and have to wait on those results and so on and so forth. So we opted to take a turn on the dirt and if she showed up great but she did about as expected and when the running started she was spinning her wheels. So it became more of 6 furlong work with a gallop out more than a race. Apologies for those that backed her that day but hopefully she can make it up to you here as what I expect to be a decent price. Her final breeze can be seen below, the time originally did not post but should be updated by now. It was 50 2/5 on Saturday, Aug 27th.
Wonderful, wonderful come from dead last win at KD, Jason! Congrats, and thanks for sharing your training life with us!
Was trying to comment on your substack description as I have not yet read this first article - its in the que. Wanted to say I love the idea. As a horse and racing fan, I am always looking for more specific detail on the condition of all the athletes and methods of all trainers and how they perform on race day. I know your name but never followed you. I am now. I grew up 50 years ago riding my bike and locking it to a fence near the barns at belmont on Plainfiled road, Ive always wanted more insight and detail and I am sure I will get it here. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to it.