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The Roundup
12 May 2009
Running for RED Roses....

 1 May 2012 

Just before vanning over to the Downs who should arrive but the Princess, herself.  Naturally Rev is thrilled to have a pasture buddy, though she could do without the competition for attention. We took some time to get her settled before heading out with the boys; Goldie is entered, though Cop is not.

Looking at the bottom line it seems it may be time to cut some overhead. Toying with the idea of selling a runner and a foal, though it breaks my heart to do so. Likely Enigma (though Cop is a possibility), and possibly one of the colts though wich one is the single most agonizing choice I've had to date. Knock on wood that Goldie brings a check so everyone can stay safe at home where they belong.

 Running for home, running for gold, and running for Red with the Run for the Roses.  Wish us luck.


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 4:20 PM EDT
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2 May 2009
March 2012 Race Recap

On to Churchill Downs!!

Swain's Gold blew us away - along with the field - when he came home on top by 2 1/2 in the G2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita. $150,000 is our largest purse to date, but we are fervently hope it doesn't stay that way for long. The Downs on the first Saturday in May is Goldie's next stop on the road to glory.

Copacabana didn't do as well as hoped with a next-to-last in the G3 Louisiana Derby May 18. As it's starting to look like he may be a late bloomer, we may be holding him for the Belmont. He'll van with Goldie, but whether he runs is yet to be decided.

Thunder tried gamely in the G2 San Louis Rey, but it was just a bit too soon as he came back dead last and limping. He'll be stepped back in levels after a nice break...no sense breaking down such a nice horse. Watch for him in Late April or May.

Maiden finished in the middle of her 15-starter Allowance field on March 10. PSR=71 at 6.5 furlongs so she will be starting again...just haven't decided when, yet.

 Enigma somehow got lost in the shuffle and hasn't started since January so he's next. Race hasn't been selected, yet, but it should be sometime soon.

Marscay's Princess has yet to arrive and we're beginning to wonder what's keeping her. Maybe a visit to the quaranteen barn is in order? The foals are growing like the little weeds that they are; Sassy still showing her stuff (and her heels) over distance and Prince still being a Royal Pain. Weaning will begin just as soon as we get back from Elmont Park (assuming we make it that far) and it will be a busy Summer all around.


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 11:25 PM EDT
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30 March 2009
Jan 2012 Race Recap

4 out, no checks back, Swain's Gold still to start.

Our Maiden went off first in the Truly Bound Handicap. She finished near the back, but still managed to post a PSR of 82. Looks like she's out of shape, but she still has some speed. She'll likely start again in Februrary.

Copacabana was next with the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes. His 7th place finish was disappointing, but his PSR is showing a marked improvement. Possibly March for his next start.

 The Heatherlie Handicap at Caulfield was next on the agenda with Roll of Thunder. Thunder came out badly injured, but still managed to post a PSR of 90 in a Track Record setting race. We've contacted neighbor Lane's End to see about borrowing their pool for his recuperation. Hopefully he'll bounce back in full. Next start won't be before March.

Enigma also came back lame, but thankfully his seems to just be a twisted ankle. Poor Enigma was sadly outclassed in the Grade 2 Memsie Stakes - my own stupidity, really, as I meant to enter him in the Allowance. I neglected to verify the entry and he had to suffer for it. He should bounce back quickly, but his PSR of 48 has me thinking longer breaks and shorter races.

Swain's Gold will be going off shortly. He's currently Pre-entered in the Grade 2 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill Garden, though that may still change before post time. The Gloaming runs over weeds 11 Feb.

 Congratulations to all those who brought in checks this month, better luck to those who did not (including us).

The babies are growing nicely and some new pictures have been posted to the 2012 Scrapbook page. The Bloodstock Manager has been working overtime again; her current project is color genetics though she's still working on Tail Lines. While pouring over some old records, she managed to dig up Revotic's original Jockey Club application. Much to the Boss's delight, a foal picture of Rev was attached!

We're eagerly awaiting the arrival of Marscay's Princess and are beginning preparations to add Thunder to Barn 4. Maiden and Enigma may also be going to the shed, but that's still dependant on how they run this season.

Gp, Baby, Go! See you at the track!!


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 9:54 AM EDT
Updated: 30 March 2009 10:24 AM EDT
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20 March 2009
Let the good times roll!!

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!


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 4:48 PM EDT
Updated: 30 March 2009 10:22 AM EDT
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28 February 2009
Bloodstock Manager

Mares are all in foal and safely in their stalls. PG is calmed, groomed, blanketed, and tucked away. The barns are swept and the breeding gear stored for another season. Foaling kits are by each stall and the vet is on speed dial. Nothing left to do but wait.

I hate waiting.

I've decided to be productive; I did some more work on the Tail Line review. I added all our current breeders and their families, plus a few more that I had missed last time. Did some additional research for the Boss and logged the haplotypes -- with the exception of Jewel Princess. She's Family 23 and they didn't get typed as part of the Databse project, but I have everyone else's.

Naturally I'm thrilled at Foxie sending a La Troienne mare our way -- more than makes up for not getting Rose. Boss says we may still be able to close with Glenmore, but I get to fuss over Marscay's Princess until then.

Marscay and Princess Rooney AND La Troienne? I've done died and gone to Bloodstock heaven. I can't wait for next season when I get to couple her with PG...what a nice baby that one will be.

My eyes are blurred and my head is swimming from Tail Line review so I guess it's time for a break...Is it really dinner time?

Maybe pizza is in order...I wonder what specials Domino's has this week...


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 3:57 PM EST
Updated: 28 February 2009 4:08 PM EST
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25 February 2009
Starting a Season of Surprises

A late Christmas present to the Boss appeared at the farm on New Year's Eve. In honor of finally getting her much-desired "filly", the Boss sat down with the Head Trainer and the Bloodstock Manager to overview the 2012 stock and plot for future breedings. Following, find an peek at their war council.

 

Boss: Racing first. With our new lady we have 5 runners for 2012. Only two things really concern me. 1. Heat Seeker will be back as a 4 year old. 2. Shatterstar is aiming for the KY Derby.  

Heat Seeker means good things for Goldie later on, but bad things for Enigma now.  Almost makes me glad we're not fully G1 ready yet. That said, I was hoping for half a chance at a Classic race with Goldie and Cop, but we're gonna have to keep a close watch on Shatterstar.

HT: We may still get that shot. Goldie and Cop are starting to peak and Enigma should still be Graded-Competitive. We will definately have to watch out for the Big Boys, though - especially pointing at the Classics.

Thunder should be good for Allowances. If he shows the same speed again he may even make G3; 2 if we're lucky. Same for Maiden - Allowance and low Gradeds...and probably some Handicap, too, but I want to limit that with her.

Bloodstock: She's too nice to pack it on her. Try it if you must, but don't get carried away...remember what happened with Rev.

Boss: Alright you two, cut it out. Yes Thunder and Maiden will both be going to the shed, but not just yet. If they do as well as we all hope they may get a return trip in 2013...::ignores the groans from the Bloodstock Manager:: Don't forget we're trying to get Rose, too. She's not going to come exactly cheap.

Bloodstock: Oh, but she's worth it...

Boss: I know, but she's out of our price range right now...

HT: Enigma, Thunder, and Maiden should all be fine this year, plus Cop and Goldie on peak and you may just get your breeder...you have foals comming, too. Or did you forget?

Boss: I didn't forget...I have high hopes for Rev's foal...part of me wants a colt for later stud, and another part wants a filly for pure sentimentality.

Bloodstock: With any of these crosses colt or filly should be fine. All the mares are very well-bred and the stallions are top notch. Should be a bumper crop...Do I want to know how you swung A breeders Cup Distaff Winner to The Sire of Revenge?

Boss: No, you don't. But I want a colt there. Stephen's girls are nice, but his boys are awesome - Look at Stevie Wonderboy.

Are we good then? Everyone set on where we're at, where we need to be, and how we're gonna get there?

HT/Bloodstock: We're good....::share a glare -- they really don't like each other much::

Boss: Behave...see you guys at foaling! ::after they leave:: Maybe this group will help me earn enough to be able to buy Rose off Glenmore and still keep a positive bank balance...


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 5:26 PM EST
Updated: 25 February 2009 6:04 PM EST
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11 February 2009
When one door closes...

...another one opens. Our first mare, Revotic, is off to the shed after a very game 6-year-old season. She ran well and really showed her heart as she brought in over $73,000 in 12 starts for our first season in PF. She got a good vetting, a rework of her feed, and a specialist massage and is off on her cross-country ride to go visit Rivendell Stables' Champion Big N' Rich. She'll be comming home to have her baby here at CF; we all have very high hopes for this foal and wait with baited breath for it's arrival.

 A very interesting twist to Rev going off to Rivendell is that she'll have a chance to play catch up with her mother, Exotic. In a rare quirk of fate, both mares are scheduled for Big N' Rich and it will be very interesting to watch these two foals go head-to-head on the track. A second wrinkle is in Rev's half-sister, Isca's Revenge, going over to War Machine. All three of these foals will bear close watching as they near their debuts.

As the Boss frets over her bank books, the Bloodstock Manager frets over her breeders. 5 mares are scheduled for Perfect Goer with 3 being CF foals; much gratitude to Glenmore and Olmo Dorato for the leases of Rose and Junebug. Rivendell's Baby Greyhound and Whisperwood's Exotic Springs round out PG's book for this season along with a very special lease mare.  Tout Charmant, BC Filly + Mare Turf runner-up, Granddaughter of Seattle Slew, and mother of million-plus winners Sovereign Sword and Blue Hawaii, has been leased to us from Darley Stud-Kentucky. She hass settled in well and seemed to really like PG. Good, if not great, things are hoped for from all the foals.

A very special breeding was arranged this season, along with an expansion, to give us one more foal for the upcomming season. 1996 BC Distaff Winner Jewel Princess has been leased and will be standing to Lane's End Farm's Stephen Got Even - Sire of the Great Revenge and Grandsire to Revotic. Stephen is by BC Classic and Belmont Stakes winning Chef de Race stallion A.P. Indy who is in turn by the Great 1977 US Triple Crown Winner Seattle Slew. Jewel Princess is by 1972 US Champion 3 year-old Colt Key To The Mint and out of Jewell Ridge by the French Champion Melyno who received Timeform ratings of 111 and 130 at 2 and 3, respectively. We're expecting one extremely worthy handicapper out of this cross; if it runs to family expect to see it hit the track late in the 2 year-old season or maybe early in 3.

Congratulations to Copacabana for drawing a cash prize in Whisperwood's Stallion Series. It wasn't much, but it was much appreciated for Whisperwood to host this and much enjoyed for Cop to actually have won something. Rev's retirement left a stall open for a new runner so our Head Trainer hit the auctions. Knowing full well we couldn't financially compete at the Steward's End of Year auction, we went to the late season stable auctions and hit paydirt. The Boss was wanting a filly to replace Rev, but she's very happy with the gentleman who vanned home with the Trainer.

Comming 5 year-old Roll of Thunder is by Rainbow's Champion stallion Thunder Arctic out of Hopeful Farm's Grinder's Daughter by Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone. Thunder is fabulously bred with 10 US Eclipse Award, 3 CAN Eclipse, 9 WR, 8 TR, 3 BC, 2 KY Derby, 2 CAN Hall of Fame, 1 US HoF, and 2 US Leading Sire award winners in his first 3 generations. Thunder holds 2 TR's of his own and has consistently clocked PSR's in the 80's and above - that consistency is what first drew us to him as it's just what CF has been needing. Potentially still Grade 3 competitive, we have expectant hopes for his 5 year-old track season with us - don't tell the Bloodstock Manager as she thinks he was bought to stand stud, which he may, eventually, but not just yet.

We started this season with 5 stalls and 2 racers; we close with 13 stalls, 5 racers, 2 breeders, and 5 foals-to-be - with one more mare on her way and due to arrive early 2012. $172,000 37:0-5-3 gives us a respectable bank balance going into next season. Babies and breeders eat quite a bit, but we're expecting great things from our runners now that we have our racing legs under us. Good luck to everyone after a very competitive 2011 season. Bring on 2012!!


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 10:02 PM EST
Updated: 28 February 2009 4:24 PM EST
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17 October 2008
Those darn Vampires....

Summer 2011 (PF) 

The Circle F bloodstock manager has been working overtime - much to the Boss's consternation - to develop a very thorough review of Circle F stock for the upcomming season.  Our breeding program launched with the acquisition of Million Dollar Winner Perfect Goer and will be growing when Revotic retires at the end of 2011; we have leased two mares to stand to PG as Rev will be going off to Rivendell.

With threee foals (and possibly a new mare) on the way, the time has arrived to review what exactly we have on hand and what we need in order to improve our herd. Sire-line research is relatively easy; what has the Boss going gray is the Tail Line research our manager has been burying her nose in.

With so many articles and notes available it was easy to figure out "how to". The hard part was simply in the doing - tracing lines and cross-referencing charts to determine the exact branch a particular horse decends from is very time consuming and exhausting work. Our bloodstock staff has more than proved their mettle in that endeavour and the reports will very shortly be made public.

 Thats right: the reports are going public for the betterment of all of PhotoFinish;  Circle F's way of giving something back for the 6 year Anniversary of PF Sim.

Much as we would love to stay and chat, we have two runners this week that we really should be watching. Thanks for stopping by...See you at the races!!


Posted by flyingfancyfree at 11:49 PM EDT
Updated: 24 October 2008 11:46 PM EDT
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