PF 1st week of January 2012 

The entries have closed for the first two weeks of the new season...to say we're anxious would be an understatement.

Cop is getting his first big test in the G3 Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-old's. the Holy Bull is often considered to be one of the Derby Prep races and that's exactly what we are using it for. he likely won't start again until late Februrary or March as we don't want him to burn out before the big day. Goldie may also be headed to The Downs, but as he prefers turf that decision is still up in the air. Goldie faces his first start in early February. Interestingly, Goldie is sporting shorter odds than Cop for the First Saturday in May...

Our Maiden joined the Track Brigade this month with a ride over to Fairgrounds for the Truly Bound Handicap for older ladies. Nice little ungraded romp to help remind the ol' girl what she's really supposed to be doing; enough playtime, time to get back to work. Her past runs and her bloodlines suggest that she could have been graded-caliber, but she likely lost her best shot at that goofing off at EV; if we're super lucky maybe we can get a G3 with her. She'll be run easy this year as she was mainly picked up to breed later on.

Thunder has already proven himself, but as we feel he still has one good season in him he'll be joining the Track Brigade as well. He's entered for the fourth week of January, though the race may change as we get closer to post time. This is another one that we don't want to burn in anticipation of shed-work later on.

Enigma rounds out our Track Brigade with a start in late January. He's going over for a maiden sprint at Shenandoah; early entries suggest a rematch with JD Kayll's Handsome Bane. Enigma finished 4th in his last start (G3 Missile Stakes) soundly tromping an 8th place effort by Bane and naturally we hope for a repeat performance out of Enigma. His entry looks pretty much set, but anything can happen and may change if we feel the need.

Of course our team is less one with the retirement of Revotic. Rev is The Boss's personal favorite though Unforgiv'n runs a very tight second. Rev's sassy black filly looks every inch the future champion and we have very high hopes for her. All the foals have been awarded stall charts and stable names and Unforgiv'n has been christened "Sassy" by the staff.

Sassy's pasture buddy is her polar opposite Perfect Summer. Summer is the snow white daughter of PG and Junebug and is the spitting image of her mother.  Watching the black and white fillies streak about the paddock is a wonderful way to relax after a hard day's work.

The boys are another matter. Bluegrass Thorn, Prince Stephen, and Perfect Charmer are the classic rough-housing "boys will be boys." Prince especially likes to bully the others; as the oldest that's not entirely unexpected. He's starting to get a nickname change though...instead of "Prince Charming" some of the grooms on the receiving end of his temper have started referring to him as The Royal Pain. Watch out for those teeth: if he doesn't like you, you won't sit for a week.

 Thorn is our Tallest of Crop and uses that height to his advantage over Prince.  Prince can outrun most everyone on the farm at short distances but as Thorn can outstride and out-stay him Prince has decided not to bully our biggest colt. Lucky is another matter entirely, though.

Perfect Charmer was nicknamed by the daughter of one the grooms - her favorite cereal is Lucky Charms. Lucky he wasn't when Prince took an almost instant dislike to him; he needed "big" brother Thorn to be his bodyguard. Fortunately the damage is not severe, nor is it lasting, and the colts seem to have gotten it all worked out (finally!).

Rev may be getting company in Barn 3 before too much longer. We expect to close soon on the transfer of Marscay's Princess from Foxie's Lodge -- then again, there's always quarantine to fret over as she ships in from Australia.

 Many things planned, many things begun, and many things continued lend to the hope that 2012 far surpasses 2011. Being published in Australia as the Top Story will only aid in that quest ("Could Swain's Gold finish the Heat's business?" The Aussie Connection). Onward and Upward! Run, Baby, Run!