Woohoo Katie jo!

[jenarby]

I saw that Wild and Striking ran 2nd and barely got beat! Sounds like he hung in there pretty well! Congrads!!

[Goalie]

I got the report on Wild and Striking also .Congratulations Katie

[missgrey]

congrats! where has she been?

[cnevolunteer]

I'm sure Katie has been super-busy with her barnful of beautiful bays and getting ready to go back to school but yes...GOOOOOOOOOOO WILD AND STRIKING (aka Nero). You guys have to "meet" that horse. He has so much personality and he worships the ground Katie walks on.

Nice job Miss K!

[Katie Jo]

Thanks so much guys, even though it got me in trouble with miss smoochie. (cuz I forgot to call her to let her know).

I've been super busy with the ponies and just got back to school (albeit 3 days late). I had class today and my computer isn't hooked up in my apartment.


But Nero ran an absolutely super race. If you guys remember this is the horse that almost died from PHF in the fall and then we had a huge battle with ulcers. He ran two or three solid 5ths in a row, but no speed, just kind of hanging in there 'evenly', and then he ran 5th last week on a Wednesday, everyone said I should run him back as soon as possible because he was acting like a dummy and felt really good. So I entered him for this past Tuesday, he was a total idiot all day and then before the race I still didn't think he'd run that well. I knew he was fit, but I was so mad at him for being dumb all day and throwing me around. He's always been a hard horse to get to run because he's very stubborn. Jocks hate him, he's got heart but you have to persuade him to show it, he has to like you. This particular jockey likes him a lot and Nero is always good for him (why I rode a different jockey twice in a row I'll never know), so when the jockey got on I said just to use his whip and not to let Nero tell him any different, don't let him give up. It was awesome. I couldn't see him around the backstretch really, he was sitting in 6th, then around the turn I completely lost him and all of a sudden hear something Wild and Striking over the loudspeaker and look closer to see my horse's wild eye edging up towards the lead on the inside, he was moving like a freight train. He lost by a length and a half. I watched the replay about 6 times and each time was so happy, Nero put his heart into it. He was SO MAD that he didn't win, he dragged me back to teh barn and wouldn't walk to cool out, I literally had to run to keep up with him (mind you he's a BIG horse, 16.2 and powerful). He's still mad. I had to leave him in Boston which is breaking my heart. Dad has to put him on the phoone with me so he doesn't get upset that I've disappeared. I think we're going to try to race him there in a week to see if we can get the win- the jockey and a few of my friends that train think i'd be crazy not to try. He feels great and why not capitalize on the fact that he's mad he didn't win.... And its on a Saturday so I should get to be there- I won't race him unless I'm there, he is too tough.

Anyways, on another note, Varda has entered retirement. She raced 4th, and then ended up 5th after getting shut off at the 3/8ths pole and had to be steadied in her last race. Dad put her on the trailer after that and took her up to Maine. She's going to hang out for the winter and I might breed her in the spring, I hope so at least. She taught me alot about training racehorses though. She got pretty sore after this last race. Even though she was sore two trainers offered to buy her- that's all I needed was to sign her death warrant. NOT QUITE. So she's home. Never to see the racetrack again. ;D


off to buy my books.

[Einstein]

Congrats on Nero, and that is wonderful news about Varda! Not that she got so sore, but that she gets to retire, because I'll bet she will be thrilled to be in Maine and hanging out for the winter, I am so glad for her :flower:

[juliab]

Congratulations on Nero's great race. I didn't realize that he was Wild and Striking.

I'm happy that Varda will be retiring. I just worried about her getting hurt because she seemed to put so much into each race and I read that she was "fractious" in the starting gate again. Poor girl just doesn't like that starting gate!! She is a lovely looking girl and will make very nice babies.

[ZenRider]

Congrats and sounds like a good decision with Varda. So who are you thinking of breeding her to?

[Katie Jo]

Yup, Wild and Striking is the one and only Nero.


Varda will be very happy.

I really don't know who I'll breed her to. I love her athleticism and her heart (she puts her heart and soul into everything she does).

It sucks that she got so sore, but having to pull her around the pack on the turn and having her put so much effort into the race really put a lot of stress on her knee. She'll be ok after a little while, but only mommy-ok. (says me)
I dont know if she'll be happy in Maine, it is DARN COLD up there. I may have to get her a blankie so she doesn't freeze to death. (our barn isn't the warmest, its 15 stalls and only 3 horses... kinda hard to heat)

[smooch]

Katie said:

Thanks so much guys, even though it got me in trouble with miss smoochie. (cuz I forgot to call her to let her know).

that's right -- don't ever do that again! meanwhile I can't wait to see the tapes (better remember to bring them with you or you'll REALLY find out what it means to be in trouble with miss smoochie . . . .) ;D

[Katie Jo]

I dont know if I can get that race.. I have to check when I'm at Suffolk tomorrow... If I can get it, I will definitely cuz I really want it. But I watched the replays on the tvs at the track.

[Luci]

Wow! Congrats on our racing buddy Nero who scared everyone to bits when he was sick. And, many happy baby days for Varda :bunny:

[jenarby]

Hey Katie,
Are you at Suffolk a lot?
A mare we used to have, "My Girl Quigley" is there now. The guy I bought Toby off of claimed her from us the night after we ran Toby for the first time. He ran her four times for four 4ths. He told me he'd retired her and sent her to KY to be bred. Then I got a work out notification from her at Suffolk. Just got another one the other day. I asked him about it (yep, I was kinda peeved) and he said he didn't even know about it. He said that the pwner must have taken her up to another trainer. He kinda acted like he didn't really know anything about it.....

[Katie Jo]

I was at Suffolk every day all summer, but now I'm going to be there tomorrow morning and then next week for Nero's race. I won't be there a ton as its 5 hours away from school.
I don't recognize the name, but Suffolk does seem to be where horses that should be retired end up. I couldn't believe people wanted to buy varda, poor girl. If you can find out the trainer associated with her, I can let you know any info I might have.

[jenarby]

My Girl Quigly is entered to run on August 30, 2004 at SUFFOLK DOWNS

Your comments for this horse were:

Race: 1 Distance: Five And One Half Furlongs Surface: Dirt Age: 9 Sex: Mare
Race Type: Claiming Purse: $6200
Jockey: Tammi Piermarini
Trainer: Michael J. Collins
Race conditions: FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON A RACE SINCE FEBRUARY 29. Three-year-olds 118 lbs.; Older 123 lbs. CLAIMING PRICE $4,000.
Last Raced: 03/02/2004 at MOUNTAINEER RACE TRACK AND GAMING RESORT in Race 3
Finish Position: 5th
Last Reported Workouts:
08/25/2004-SUFFOLK DOWNS-Four Furlongs-Dirt Fast-51:00 Breezing
08/18/2004-SUFFOLK DOWNS-Four Furlongs-Dirt Fast-51:00 Breezing
01/30/2004-MOUNTAINEER RACE TRACK AND GAMING RESORT-Five Furlongs-Dirt Fast-1.03:60 Breezing