DEXTERA WINS the CHANDLER STAKES

Well, they went to Arizona and they came back with the trophy. The turf course proved a Stakes winning paradise for DEXTERA(ger). Under a confident ride from David Flores, the hot favourite won the Chandler Stakes by three parts of a length from fellow South Californian raider Dish Dot Dash. The victory was however more emphatic than the margins suggest as Dextera was mostly hand ridden in the stretch and Flores did not have to get serious with her.

Many congratulations to Deron Pearson and Jim Cassidy for this victory which was well deserved. I hope that Dextera can now step up another grade and win a nice Stake in California over the coming months. That said she has increased her broodmare potential as she is now a Black type winner.

I am particularly pleased for Deron who has had a rotten year with horses being plagued by injury . Let's hope this win ( following on from 's maiden win at Oak Tree will mark the turning of the fortunes,.

GREAT DAY FOR TROELLER and DOYLE

Doyle bought Big Audio (Lot 425) for 87,000gns and Full Mandate (Lot 432) for €60,000 as yearlings, andlooked on yesterday when they came back to the ring and raised six-figure sums – even better, Full Mandate, who was knocked down for 150,000gns, was owned by a partnership that comprised Doyle’s wife Anna, Peter Coxand Jan Rus.

Full Mandate, a daughter of Acclamation, had already paid off her yearling purchase price several times over,despite a single victory in a Newbury maiden. She subsequently finished second in the Gr.3 PrincessMargaret Stakes at Ascot and then runner-up in the Goffs Million Sprint (behind the Hannon-trained LuckyGeneral), which took her prize-money haul past £294,000.

Troeller, who was aided in the bidding process by his 17- year-old son Alex, said: “She’s been bought to join Jim Cassidy in California – I’ve loved her since I first saw her two months ago on a visit to Richard’s yard. She ran a great race in the Goffs Sprint, she ticks the boxes and she’s a great physical specimen. “She should stretch to a mile in the US, but it would be a dream to win the American Oaks again [over ten furlongs]. I remember standing in the grandstand at Hollywood Park before Ticker Tape [who he bought for Cassidy at this sale] ran in that race, thinking to myself, ‘This is a big mistake it's too far’, and she won, so maybe we can do it again.”

APRIL PRIDE WINS THE HAROLD RAMSER GR 3

Way out the back for most of the race, APRIL PRIDE angled between horses coming into the stretch and powered away to win the Harold Ramser in truly good fashion. She showed determination and guts slicing through a narrow gap to show a very good turn of foot.She did all the connections proud  and I am delighted for James Peyton of Forging Oaks Farm.

I bought this filly privately in the fall of last year and though she has had a few hiccups on the way she had won the China Doll in good style and came back to her best today. Hopefully she can now climb further up the Graded Stakes ladder

Many many congratulations to all connected with the filly

This victory made it 3 Stakes  Listed, Gr 3 and Gr 1 in the last 3 weeks)

This from the Bloodhorse

April Pride, toward the inside at odds of 7-1, was one of several horses closing in as the field rumbled down the lane. She worked her way between the retreating Strawberry Tart and outsider Point of Reference mid-stretch and quickly overtook Century Park for the lead, drawing away under vigorous urging to a 1 1/2-length win. The final time was 1:34.01 on a firm course.

"When we straightened out for home, we were going for a really tight hole and we actually had to slow down a bit before we went for it," Gomez said. "I actually think that helped her, because when I asked her she really accelerated, so much so that when we went through there, my boot slipped back in my right iron. That hole was tight and she went through there great. I think I worried about it more that she did.”

WE have done it again 

Our clients Team Valor have savoured immediate success and a good return on their investment  with recent German-trained, Italian-raced Junia Tepzia. The filly, who was sourced and bought for Team Valor after I spotted her debut win in Merano, romped home by a widening 3 ¼ lengths on Saturday in the $91,000  Listed Premio Coolmore at San Siro in Milan in just her second lifetime outing.

Junia Tepzia is the latest success story from Italy for Gordian Troeller, who has bought some really good horses in Spaghettiland including Becrux, Sweet Ludy, and the progressive Fatastico Roberto and Golden Mexico
 In the aftermath of Junia Tepzia’s scintillating victory on Saturday, she appears destined for the Breeders’ Cup, where she will likely face the starter at Santa Anita on November 6 in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Timeform confirmed the value of Junia Tepzia’s runaway win in the Listed Premio Coolmore when it rated her with a 105p, which puts the filly into a very strong position among her age and sex.
“We knew the race was good,” said Barry Irwin of Team Valor . “But, as excited as we all were, we didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. When we learned of the 105 Timeform rating Monday, the Breeders’ Cup became a no-brainer. For this filly to do what she has done in such a short period of time is amazing. Her win on Saturday was superb and what really gets the juices flowing is that she looks one to improve with age and seasoning.”

Back in  November 2008 I noticed a colt who won at Wolverhampton  and then bought  GITANO HERNANDO for Team Valor.

The colt won his next start, was placed 2^nd ( head bob) in the Group 3 Dee Stakes and then had a lay off due to a small setback. On his return he broke the track record at Wolverhampton.

In an audacious and extremely well planned move, Team Valor brought  him to the US where yesterday he won the Group 1 GOODWOOD STAKES in good style beating  Mine That Bird ( KY Derby Winner)  Richards Kid ( Pacific Classic winner) :Tiago ( GR 1 winner), Colonel John (Travers winner GR 1) Monzante ( Eddie Read Gr 1 winner) and other top class horses.

GITANO HERNANDO showed talent guts and determination to win the race and afterwards at dinner Kieren Fallon is reported to have said “I have never been on a horse that did what this one did today. He was plenty tired at the eighth pole, but he swelled up, dug in and he simply would not let that other horse get by him.

Where Gitano goes next is being decided over the next few days but it is certain that this is a colt with enormous potential.

Gitano Hernando was bought privately but we have also had Graded Stakes winner come out of the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale which this year starts on October 26. Please call me if you would have any interest in unearthing a few gems at this sale,

I can’t wait for the Breeders Cup where we should have two 2yo and maybe one older horse running. Bring on the rest of the year.

Well, I have done it again. Forgotten to keep this site up to date.  I will try and recap the last 3 months, but first we had  A FANTASTIC STAKES RACE DOUBLE on the weekend.

LEMONETTE won the Gaily Gaily Stakes at Arlington on the Saturday. She lasted out the maraton really well and it is a credit to eric Reed that he has managed to get her a black type win. On Sunday at Del Mar MEYDAN PRINCESS won the Osunitas Handicap in really good style. I have always held this filly in high regard and it was truly delightful to see her come with a strong late run to win ( even though she got slightly hampered at the 1/8th pole. Hopefully we will see her winning a Graded race soon. Congratulations to James Peyton and Jim Cassidy

SInce the last update of thios news we also had a nice Stakes winner up North with MAID FOR MUSIC  winning a Stakes race at Golden Gate for Deron Pearson. She then ran a little disappointingly at Hollywood but was found to have an infection soon after and hopefully that explains the run and I hope that she will be back training soon.

The Breeze Up Sale produced two purchases. A nice ROyal Applause colt which is being trained by Bob Hess for the Schroeders and Partners and a fily by Noverre ( half sister to Embossed) who is now part owned by Deron PEasron and in training with Cassidy.

Strangely enough my biggest thrill in the past 6 weeks or so has been Gypsy Baby. When I bought her for Bob Hess I really thought she would be a star and it has been so frustrating to see her fail to fulfill that promise. However all has now been evealed and it seems she was suffering from a vet problem which has now been ironed out and she has raced since with great enthousiasm. So far not a win, but two places ( and on the last start she should have won but for being blocked)

By the time anyone reads this I will probably have started my annual summer pilgromage tothe USA>  This year I will be visiting Saratoga as well as making the trip to Del Mar.

Slowly but surely there are some horses coming on the market which I am keen on and I hope to persuade some of my clients to buy now before th Horses in Training Sale

Once again I promise to keep this site more updated ( where have you heard that before??)

Once again, I have to apologise for not keeping this site updated. It is not that much effort to do, it's just that I do not believe anybody actually read it and the last six months have been a bit of a rollercoaster.

My trip to Del Mar last August was extremely enjoyable, very expensive and from a Racing point of view it was a tad low key. We had some nice winners, but not that many runners.

The Horses in TRaining sale was a disappointment this yea. I think we bought some decent horses but I could not persuade a lot of clients to come over in 2008 . Again this year the runners have been somewhat slow to come to hand and many of them have yet to see the racetrack.

One the private sale front I bought two lovely colts for Team VAlor ( Golden MExico, who on his first US start last week beat a very highly regarded {Pletcher horse0. The Arlington meet now looks like his target. Also for tEam Valor I bought a nice colt called Gitano Hernando. He too won his first start for us. Unfortunately he did not make the cut for the KY Derby race but won impressively at Doncaster. He now heads for Chesetr and the Dee Stakes and then ( if all goes well ) for the Belmont in JUne.

In December I managed to buy a lovely 2yo filly by Danehill Dancer which I have called Born a Dancer, She will not be ready that early but she looks the part and I hope to sell her to thne USA once she has won her maiden.

This week I will be in NEwmarket at the Breeze Up Sales. I hope to buy one or two for US interests. The catalogue looks good and I believe it will be a buyer's market./ Report to come later.

THere are some nice horses which I bought privately waiting to shine ( or run). Included in this bunch are a couple of fillies ( Minute Limit , America's Dreaming and a colt called Hula King. The trainer is being very conservative with him, but I believe he is a Stakes horse in the making

Whilst I was in California last month I was pleased to be present when APRIL PRIDE whom I have always thought was a very good filly duly won her first Stakes race in very good style. She wuns next at Keenland.

Well that more or less brings me up to date. However my greatest concern is the perilous state ( as I see it ) of Racing in California and indeed in much of the USA. I will try to put on paper the thoughts that have been bubbling around my brain for a while now, but it is probably best to do this as a seperate item.

Watch this space.

Please let me know if you have read this as I would love some feedback

Also, finally, please check out the Horses For Salre section of the website as I will be adding some horses to it sopon and I think they are well worth a look

It was only a maiden claiming, but I think VIOLET SKY's win yesterday at Del Mar will greatly boost her confidence and she will step up on this effort.

Congratulations to Class Racing, Tom Arndt and David Hoffmans

 Two winners from three runners in three days is not a bad strike rate and I hope to see more of our runners out in the next few days

As Miss Singhsix crossed the wire on Saturady the choir sang Halelujah, well in fact I did.

After her lacklustre first start in the USA ( where she had not looked right) and a few niggling foot problems, the daughter of Singspiel finally showed what I knew I had seen when I inspected her in Ireland last December

It was very pleasing to see her win against good company in such style, and I am told she got a very decent Beyer number for this effort.

The plan now is to go for a Stakes race in late August and it will be fascinating to see whether she can step up in class and assert

Is she another Singhalese I wonder? Well only time will tell. Anyway I will keep the choir practising in the hope that they will be needed again on August 31st

MONZANTE BRINGS UP THE 50

When Monzante crossed the wire to win the Grade 1 Eddie Read ten days ago, it marked a milestone in the Gordian Troeller's history. He became the 50th Stakes winner which I have sold in the last nine years. During that time the horses we have sold have scored

8 Grade/group 1 wins: 

12 Grade/Group 2 wins:

17 Grade/Group 3 wins

17 Other Stakes Races

An amazing total of 50 individual Stakes winners most of them in California. On the assumption that I have bought 350 racehorses for the US in this period ( it is probably fewer than this)  I have a 14% Stakes winner to horses ratio. A good record So what is the secret?

I put it down to arduous research, accurate form analysis,  good contacts in the industry and the gift of 'feeling' right about a horse. I also keep abreast of the racing scene in the US so I can judge the horses we will compete against and determine what level a horse needs to achieve to be a success.

I consult very closely with my clients and do my utmost to suggest horses which fit their criteria and come in on budget.

In a nutshell I offer my clients Dedication, Reliability, Integrity and SUCCESS.  I am

I will be at Del Mar from August 9th to 24th and would be delighted to meet with you to discuss how I can assist in increasing the success rate of your stable. Call anytime on 626 215 0845

Well, last year we bought MONZANTE at this and he has fully justified the expectations I had of him ( more of this above)

This year the  catalogue was a good deal weaker, but amongst the cast offs we found a nice three year old called AUTOCUE who will now race in California for the Bob  Hess Jnr stable. Privately we managed to acquire a really nice Street Cry colt called ART CURRENCY who will race for the Monzante connections.

I also bought a really nice 3yo filly called RINTERVAL. Had lost her form a llittle this year but I believe she can improve in new surroundings. I also bought a couple of other fillies who will go straight to the breeding shed.

All in all a busy and successful week and my purchases will hopefully all win soon

Over here in England we have 'in running ' betting where you can bet on a horse during a race and get odds according to what other bettors think of the horse's place in a race. What price would MONZANTE have been turning into the stretch in the Eddie Read Handicap.

When Rafael Bejerano asked him to go, the grey son of Maria's Mon just changed gears, put on the afterburners and took noff. He did the last furlong in an amazing 10.93 seconds and duly won beaten hot favourite Whatsthescript and some other very good horses.

Huge congratulations to all the connections of MONZANTE , Jay and Gretchen Manoogian, Mike Mitchell and Rafael Bejerano. I believe the Breesers Cup is now firmly on the agenda and I look forward to that greatly. The only sad part of it all was that I was not on hand to witness this great victory first hand, and was therefore not able to congratulate the owners and trainer in person..

We only paid just over $ 200,000 for MONZANTE and he has now recouped this many times over,. I bought him in association with Jamie Lloyd who had the luck to be there yesterday .Hopefully the start of another successful partnership

MONZANTE now joins the list of our Grade 1 winners which include  TICKER TAPE; SINGHALESE: BECRUX: IPI TOMBE: CRIMSON PALACE etc...

I am really looking forward to seeing this horse run in the Breeders Cup

Over here in England we have 'in running ' betting where you can bet on a horse during a race and get odds according to what other bettors think of the horse's place in a race. What price would MONZANTE have been turning into the stretch in the Eddie Read Handicap.

When Rafael Bejerano asked him to go, the grey son of Maria's Mon just changed gears, put on the afterburners and took off. He did the last furlong in an amazing 10.93 seconds and duly won beating hot favourite Whatsthescript and some other very good horses.

Huge congratulations to all the connections of MONZANTE , Jay and Gretchen Manoogian, Mike Mitchell and Rafael Bejerano. I believe the Breeders Cup is now firmly on the agenda . The only sad part of it all was that I was not on hand to witness this great victory first hand, and was therefore not able to congratulate the owners and trainer in person..

We only paid just over $ 200,000 for MONZANTE and he has now recouped this many times over,. I bought him in association with Jamie Lloyd who had the luck to be there yesterday .Hopefully the start of another successful partnership

MONZANTE now joins the list of our Grade 1 winners which include  TICKER TAPE; SINGHALESE: BECRUX: IPI TOMBE: CRIMSON PALACE etc...

I am really looking forward to seeing this horse run in the Breeders Cup. His turn of foot is just amazing and it is a real joy to watch him run. Makes the job really worthwhile

I watched the Osunitas Handicap on Saturday with some trepidation. BAHAMA MAMA who had been controversially disqualified from winning a Group 3 at Santa Anita and had then won a Listed race since, both over 6 1/2 furlongs was running at 1 mile 1/16th for the first time. Could she show some stamina to be competitive at this distance.

Well I need not6 have worried. Given an enterprising ride by David Flores, she led to the 1/16th pole and then fought back tobe beaten a neck for 2nd. On this showing she should be able to win Satkes races at 1 mile and this of course means there are a lot more opportunities for her which is great news

PASSIFIED owned by Forgin Oaks and trained by Jim Cassidy went further along the comeback trail when she won the Redondo Beach Stakes on Saturday, beating hot favourite Wake Up Maggie in the process,. Sent off inexplicably at 13 to 1, the daughter of Compton Place sat handy through out and forged to the lead in the stretch and held on gamely. I do hope Cassidy will let her take her chance in the Cash Call Million even though he does have Diamond Diva as well.

MONZANTE ran the race of his life and failed by a neck to win the Shoemaker. He must have made up over 20 lengths in the last 3/8ths mile. Surely a big one is within his grasp. Congratulations to the Mitchell team and the Manoogians. THis horse is so versatile as he can run on both turf and polytrack.

The JULY SALES catalogue will be out in the next few days and I hope that there will be another MONZANTE in there. I will be trawling through the book as soon as I get it. The dates this year are July 7th to 11th.

I have been trying to buy a ecent three year old filly for California and cannot believe the ridiculous prices that people are asking,. It is like they all expect Godolphin to come knocking at the door. Hopefully in the next few months sense will prevail and the prices will come back down to earth a little.

Finally, Bob Hess took delivery of a nice two year olf El Corredor filly who has now been names FANTASY DANCER . She has been working well and hopefully will step up to the plate.  Some other horses who have not raced for a while have been breezing nicely and I look forward to a good few weeks ahead. Roll on Del Mar where I think we will have a very strong hand

The last two weeks have been quite eventful and a bit of a rollercoaster.

At the Newmarket Guineas Breeze Up Sale I bought two nice colts for clients. A Rahy colt who had breezed impressively and a very green and backward son of Verglas who has something about him. BOth were bought cheaply and time will tell how good they will be

It started with very disappointing Friday/Saturday at Churchill where GYPSY BABY ran a strange race to finish a fast closing5th after hating the 'monsoon like conditions' GOLDEN BALLS ran no sort of race in the Woodford and in fact was then found to have injured himself during the race and will spend more time on the sidelines. He is an immensely talented horse but one who keeps having bad luck. Then there was the Eight Bells tragedy of which more later ( or maybe not at all). My sympathy to all connected with that brave filly who not only have lost a really good horse, but have had to endure the sometimes mindless attacks of the media and self proclaimed activists.

Monday at Kempton Park was the vidtory of AUSTINTATIOUS a Distorted Humour colt bought for Team Valor and Gary Barber who broke his maiden in good style. Frankie Dettori was beaming from ear to ear after that win. The colt will  probably stay here in the UK for one more race and then be shipped to the East Coast

Things continued on an upward path on Fruday and Saturday this week  starting with BAHAMA MAMA who won the Lawndale Stakes in very decent fashion, in the process somewhat making up for her harsh disqualification at Santa Anita. On Staurday old boy ON THE ACORN managed a unique feat in winning back to back runnings of the Jim Murray Memorial ( Grade 2),. He showed guts and determination to beat the hot favourite Chaps Elysees. It was an increbibly game pefrfromance and he was ridden to perfection by Brice Blanc. It was nice to see a Californian based jockey really ' ride the horse' in a finish. I don't mean using the whip, it's pumping the horse with the body and arms and encouraging it and pushing it forward in that very European way. It pays dividends. Congratulations to the Indizguys STables and Mike Mitchell.

The today ( sunday) it all went pear-shaped again when heavily favoured MISS SINGHSIX put in a very disappointing display in the allowance race which she wa expected to win in a canter. I had been getting such god reports on this filly that it was really a blow to see her finish 4th. Hopefully she will come on for this race and get back to winning ways.

Overall this weekend has got me scratching my head. Either a lot of the trainers in California are geniuses or the standard of turf racing ( particularly amongst the 3yo fillies) is very bad. Not taking anything away from Magical Fantasy who finsihed a really good 2nd in the Senorita Stakes, but for pete's sake here is  a filly who was rated 74 or thereabouts in the UK and whose form over here has not worked out at all. Now I have bought fillies like this in the past and had success with them, but right now I just get the feeling that this division ( and to a certain extent the colts as well) just do not amount to very much. I hope there will be strong overseas competition for the American Oaks in July as that will settle the argument one way or the other

Forgin Oaks Farms' BAHAMA MAMA ( which I bought at the December Sales) won the La Cienega Handicap in game frontrunning fashion today ( Sunday) She ducked out when crossing the dirt part of the course, but she won on merit. The Steward's decision was harsh, but then I am looking at it from an English point of vue. Over here the following questions have to be ascertained to disqualify

1) Did it affect the result. NO I don't think it did as Bahama was going away again at the finish and one could argue that she lost as much ground as the runner up

2)Was the interference accidental or deliberate> IT was definitely accidental as she ducked out when she saw a large white piece of paper or metal piece which had been left on the ground after the 8th race. David Flores corrected her immediately

3) Was the rider guilty of irresponsible, careless or dangerous riding. NO

4) Did she improve her position . NO

So I believe that in Europe she would have kept the race.

IT is a great shame that a gutsy victory such as hers was taken away in the Steward's room, but I am sure she will come back and win a nice Graded Stakes race for her owners and trainer.
Still that's racing and on has to accept these apparently harsh decisions from time to time.

I just returned from a very enjoyable week long stay in Los Angeles. It was great to see my clients again and to witness the physical progress that a lot of my purchases have made. Quite a few really took the eye and I hope they look as good when they next race. In particular I liked the look of Gypsy Baby, Leopoldine, Ten Meropa, Violet Sky, Miss Singhsix, Ghetto, and of course Golden Balls.

Racing

The weekend got off to a nice start when VICTORIAN PRINCE a colt I bought at the Tattersalls July Sales in 2006 won a $ 75,000 allowance race. Then GOLDEN BALLS ran a great 3rd in the  Arcadia Handicap, closing with purpose. A great effort on a track that has favoured speed and a good performance after a ten month lay off. I expect him to be a lot closer next time . The disappointment came on the Sunday when Dajolie blotted her copybook again, seeming reluctant to race once in the stretch. What a mystery. The action then moved to Keenland today ( Wednesday 9) when GYPSY BABY just failed to win a good allowance race , coming with a late run and just missing by a neck. I think this filly is detined for good things.

A new operating procedure

As from tomorrow ( April `10) all horses I have for sale will be offered through this website in a dedicated member's section. Except for specific client orders, any horses which I can offer, will be listed in this section and can be accessed by using a special log in and password. All 'registered' clients will be advised by E Mail when a new horse becomes available. If you wish to be included on the list ( resiter) please send me an E Mail and I will ensure you are added to the E Mail group and I will send you your log in and password.

Sales

Next week sees the two day Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale at Newmarket. There a few nicely bred horses catalogued and I will be gpoing up on the day of the 'previews' to cast my eye over some of the offerings. You can view the catalogue at www.tattersalls.com . If  anything looks of interest to you just let me know.

Well I think that is it for this interim edition. Do not forget to 'register' if you would like details of horses which are for sale.

An unusually prompt update today, as things have finally started moving this month. Here is a brief recap of March so far and a look forward tothe next few weeks

RACING

March started in great fashion with two Stakes winners in TEN MEROPA and MONZANTE ( see last entry). A double in the sapce of six days was most welcome and a source of great pleasure.

Then TENT, who I had always believed in, but had been dogged by bad luck and some inconistency, finally put his best foot forward and under a well judged ride from David Flores, won the feature race at Santa Anita today Friday 21st. I hope he can build on this win and now he has regained his confidence go on to better things

This weekend is intriguing. I have three Stakes runners at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows. ON THE ACORN gets going again and must have a good chance in the San Luis Rey marathon. Then on Sunday, PERSIAN EXPRESS tries graded Stakes company in the Santa Ana. I think it's a big ask, but I know trainer and owner have great hopes for this filly. The up North, at Bay Meadows, STRTAHM runs in a Stakes race. He has had his ups and downs since he won the Will Rogers, but I hope he can recapture that form again soon.

VISIT

I am planning to make a week long visit to Los Angeles from the 1st to the 7th April. Although I will primarily be based in Arcadia ( Santa Anita) I will be making at least two trips to Hollywood Park during that time. Whilst I am there, I hope to see some winers, most notably on April 5th when all being well, TEN MEROPA will take his chance in the Santa Anita Derby, GOLDEN BALLS looks like he might compete in the Arcadia Handicap amd I am sure one of the fillies will run in the Providencia Stakes on the same day.

Whilst I am in town I will be bringing over details on three or four horses which I believe in and which I will try and find clients for. They are all 3yo colts or gedlings, which have decent form and would fit the osuthern Californian racing circuit at a decent level in my opinion.

If you would like to meet me whilst I am there, you can contact me in the UK before I leave ( 011 44 1635 869370) or you can call me on my USA cell phone from April 1 on 626 215 0845

Congratulations to Jay and Gretchen Manoogian, whose horse MONZANTE, won the Santana Mile yesterday at Santa Anita in eye-catching fashion. I purchased this horse for them in conjunction with Jamie LLoyd at The Tattersalls July sale last year.  He did it in grest style. Coming around the final bend, I must admit I was worried as he seemed boxed in with nowehere to, but, at the top of the stretch he finally saw daylight , lengthened and quickened and won in authoritative fashion

It will be interesting to see where Mike Mitchell decides to run him nex. I hope the long term aim will be the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, but that's a long way off. So for the moment it's time just to savour yesterday's victory

This win was our horses' second Stakes win in six days. Looks like things have turned the corner and the horses are starting to run well.

Interesting news on TEN MEROPA, who won the BAldwin Stakes last Sundayl Seems the owners are considering a tilt at the Santa Anita Derby on April 5th. If they do run him there I will have to fly over as last time one of my horses won the rae ( THE DEPUTY), I did not manage to make the trip.

So, exciting times ahead but for now many many congratulations to Jay and Gretchen Manoogian , Jamie Lloyd and of course Mike Mitchell for a great result

PS: Look out of Persian Express running Sunday in an allowance. If she goes off at a good price, I might just have a small bet. always a slight uncertainty about how they will run on their first US start, but I know the trainer likes her a lot.

All the problems which have plagued Santa Anita over the past months have put a dampener on the start to 2008. I just do not understand how they have managed to get themselves into this mess. Also it is beyond me how an issue with the surface of a racetrack can be used as a political football. But more of that later.

 Although the disruption of training and racing have given us less runners and some strange results there are still some some successes, some disappointments and some news to chronicle.

SALES AND PURCHASES

The December Sales at Tattersalls were a success. I managed to buy three nice race fillies, including Bahama Mama who had been placed in Graded Stakes races both in the UK and in Germany. I also bought an exciting 4yo filly Persian Express and a lightly raced 3yo from Juddmonte called Change Tack. We will have to wait and see how they perform on the track.

I also privately bought a majority share of a 3yo colt with great potential called AUSTINTATIOUS. He is still a maiden, but I expect him to be very competitive at Stakes level later this year. I bought him for Team Valor and he is going to stay in the UK for a race or two before shipping  to the East coast of the USA.

ON THE RACETRACK

Honours undoubtedly go to TEN MEROPAwho scorched up the stretch to win the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes last weekend . It was an even better performance when you consider that he missed the start by a good 3 lengths and reallyu ate up the ground in the final quarter.  I hope this colt wil continue to improve and look forward to seeing him try a longer distance in the next few weeks. I was delighted for Joe Masino and Tom Arndt.

GHETTO continues to be frustrating. But he has not yet been given the right ride. This is a horse who needs pushing all the way. He is a bit of a playboy and loves to take it easy. He needs a rider who will make his mind up for him and remind him why he is running. So far this has not happened. I still hope that he will discover his ability and win races.

VIOLET SKY ran a decent race on her US debut. She was nearly brought down at the top of the lane, so I am sure she can make amends with a better trip and win her share of races. OCHOA also ran a reasonable race for her first start in North America, as did CHANGE TACK. I don't think they are world beaters, but they should pay their way.

CARNIVAL QUEEN ( which I helped Jamie Lloyd to buy) ran a blinder in the China Doll Stakes, with a string late run which so nearly gave her victory. I think she will be very tiough over slightly further next time out

There have also been three disappointments, horses which I really think should be doing better, but have shown very little. I do not think it right to name them

IN TRAINING

MISS SINGHSIX, the filly I bought for Team Valor is training very well for Paddy Gallager and I am greatly looking forward to her US start. I think she could be a bit special

Others which have been training well are LEOPOLDINE, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, GYPSY BABY, PERSIAN EXPRESS,ERNIE OWL and MONZANTE

Unfortunately there are also a few injuries, chipped knees, colic surgery and other issue which are keeping some horses on the sidelines

FOR SALE

Firstly I own myself a lovely 2yo filly by Arch who is in full training and who the trainer really likes. As yet un-named, she is going very well and I have her for sale at US$ 50,000. Contact me if you want further details, as I find the 'for sale' section of this site impossible to use. I will see if I can attach horse details in another way

Also a trainer from whom I have bouht some very god horses ( Singhalese, Ticker Tape, Ten Meropa etc...) has a few horses he has offered me, three of which I think would do very well in the USA<> These are LITTLE WING ( two time winner by Hawk Wing), TEN DOWN( sprinter by Royal Applause) and CEE BARGARA ( multiple winner whose last win in France was very impressive).

Again, contact me if you would like details on these horses

AND FINALLY

I am planning to come out to visit clients old and new sometime in the next few weeks, and look forward to seeing them and hopefully having some Stakes winners whilst I am out there.

I will hopefully post further views on the Santa Anita Cushion Track disaster and some other issues in the next few days. Watch this space.

Gordian Troeller March 5th 2008

We have recently bought two new fillies for Californian clients.

The first is RAIDING PARTY a yo ( of 2008) fillly by Orpen who won two races on the poytrack in the UK. She made her North American debut in the Blue Norther Stakes, and ran disappointingly. Maybe she had a rough trip over. I hope she does fulfill expectations.

Also we have recently acquired MISS SINGHSIX a winning daughter of Singspiel. She won in Ireland on their new polytrack surface and is a gorgeous filly to look at . She should make her journer to California next week and will be trained by Paddy Gallagher.

The December Sales were quite active. I bought three fillies for clients of Jim Cassidy. BAHAMA MAMA who is a dual Satkes winner and Group placed, a promising 2yo  from Juddmonte farms and PERSIAN EXPRESS a multiple winning older filly who looks promising. It will be interestuing to see how these pan out

GHETTO ran a respectable race in the Eddie Logan Stakes on his first US start. He was not helped by a rough trip and could possibly have been more vigorously ridden ( he needs this)

I am looking forwardc to the first starts of many of the Horses in Training sale horses, as well as the reported first Graded Stakes start for MONZANTE.

I currently have my eye on a filly in Italy who in my mind would be top class for the USA> Only problem is that the owners want a large amount of money for her. I think she is worth it but it is hard to persuade potential clients,. There are also a few other horses in the UK which could be very interesting and which I am keeping tabs on

So that;'s it for this update. Hopefully more News in the not too distant future

Apologies of the slow updates this quarter, but I have  been incredibly busy with sales and purchases. Anyway, here comes the news as it's fit to print

HORSES IN TRAINING SALE

The marathon was truly that this year, with more horses thn ever catalogued, making it hard to get to see the ones whih on paper looked interesting. Luckily, brilliantly assisted by Jane, Harriet and Kate (my 'angels' as someone called them), we managed to get most seen.

My clients this year were Jim Cassidy ( accompanied by Deron Pearson) , Bob and Amy Hess (with their owners Paul and Cathy Schroeder) and Jeff Mtz, representing the Class Racing team and Tom Arndt. I also assisted Jamie Lloyd with his purchases

Alltogether we managed to buy 13 horses ( and another three for Jamie) and I am delighted with all our purchases. I was also underbidder on the sale topper, a magnificent colt by Rock of Gibraltar, but the price just got too high. Typically some days after the sale, I thought of all the arguments I could have put to Bob Hess to try and get a couple of more bids.I was underbidder on a couple of other colts which I would have loved to have bought ( Meer Kat, Sporting Art and one other) but that's life.                      Still, overall, the sale was both profitable and a great deal of hard work mixed in with laughter and fun

I ended up being the 2nd top buyer at the sale and that was very pleasing.

The next few months will tell us how wisely we bought.

RACE RESULTS

It was a great thrill to see MONZANTE ( a 3yo colt I bought with Jamie Lloyd at the July Sales) win his first US start in  vey impressive fashion. There was a real buzz around the track a few days after the race. I think he can hold his own in stronger company next time.

TEN A PENNY is proving slightly one-dimensional. I think he is capable of winning a Graded stakes race, but he needs a fast pace to run at and did not get it in the Hollywood Der by. He is still maturing and I expect him to have things fall in place for him pretty soon

It was equally pleasing to see DEADSHOT KEEN win a race in emphatic style. Even though it was only a claimer, it showed that the horse has recovered his form, and I expect him to sep up on this effort next time

TURKUS QUERCUS won another race and unfortunately was claimed. The way she is working another success should be on the cards.

Overall in the past few months we have not had that many runners, so though the winners are slotting in, the excitment level is lower than usual. Hopefullly by Santa anita, things will have picked up.

KEENLAND MARE SALE

The success spory of the past month was at the Keenland sale where SINGHALESE ( whom I bought for the Gould family for under $ 500,000) made a whopping $ 1,900,000 in foal to Rahy.

What a great return on the family's investment. I was thrilled for them, and hope they will invest again.

AND FINALLY

The Tattersalls mares and fillies sale starts Monday and I hope that I will be quite active there. I have some orders for fillies to race and a couple of mare orders to fill as well.

I have two fillies for sale which I will attach details of on this site before I go to Newmarket. Both nice fillies with potential. Have a look at the 'for sale section'

Well that's it for now. If I have any further News or Views in the coming weeks, I will be sure to post them on the site for your readiing pleasure.

I just returned from my annual pilgrimage to Del Mar . It was a little earlier than usual this year as I had promised a client to be there for opening day. My son Alexander accompanied me .

Our ten day stay was most enjoyable and most pleasing on the racecourse itself.

On opening day TEN A PENNY a recent purchase for Tom  and Class Racing won the first division of the Oceanside Stakes in very pleasing fashion. I think this coilt will improve further and should be very competitivge in the La Jolla Handicap and the Del Mar Derby. I know the connections would love to see him head for the Breeders' Cup.. This colt was beautifully conditioned by Craig Dollase and I hope he fulfills the high expectations expected of him

BECRUX duly won the Wickker Hanbdicap for the 2nd year running. He cam with a late surge and was most tenacious. I bleieve he will run again either in the Del Mar Mile or the Pacific Classic. Would be interesting to see him on polytrack but I feel that the Turf is probably the safer option.

On our final day PASSIFIED won the Grade 2 San Clemente.l Once again she vindicated my theory that she would be a better filly if she sat just off the pace rather than try and make all.. Beuatifully ridden by Mike Smith and trained to, perfection by Jim Cassidy it was her biggest payday and has done a lot to increase her value at stud.Hopefully she can get the extra distance and beat Valbenny and others in the Del Mar Oaks

It was a great meeting for our purchases and I hope the rest of the Del Mar meet gives us some more Stakes winners.

The weekend before last saw the reappearance of both COSMOPOLITAN LADY and GOLDEN BALLS.

COSMOPOLITAN wentr up north to Pleasanton in search of some black typoe and duly obliged. She managed to fisnish 2nd in a Stakes race there over a shorter distance of 5 1/2 furlongs. This was an astute placing by Jim Cassidy as she has now increased her paddock valuel.  THis filly still has her quirks but she hopefully can now win back down in allowance or optional claiming company./ Maybe I can be on hand to see her win at Del Mar

GOLDEN BALLS finished a respectable 2nd in The Cinema Handicap. Held a little too far back he made his usual late run but just had a little too much to do. Having not raced for over 2 months it was not a bad effort and I expect to see him improve to be a serious challenger in his next chose start

The weekend before last saw the reappearance of both COSMOPOLITAN LADY and GOLDEN BALLS.

COSMOPOLITAN wentr up north to Pleasanton in search of some black typoe and duly obliged. She managed to fisnish 2nd in a Stakes race there over a shorter distance of 5 1/2 furlongs. This was an astute placing by Jim Cassidy as she has now increased her paddock valuel.  THis filly still has her quirks but she hopefully can now win back down in allowance or optional claiming company./ Maybe I can be on hand to see her win at Del Mar

GOLDEN BALLS finished a respectable 2nd in The Cinema Handicap. Held a little too far back he made his usual late run but just had a little too much to do. Having not raced for over 2 months it was not a bad effort and I expect to see him improve to be a serious challenger in his next chose start

Due to the untimely and unfortuante death of  owner Frank McKoy all three horses which I had bought for him and Vladimir Cerin at the Tattersalls Horses in Training sale last year had to go under the hammer at the recent Barretts June sale.

Botttom of the pile was Bodes Galaxy, a nice cot by Marju who had unfortunately been sidelined by a farcture of a slint bone and therefore was not an immdiate racing prospect.

Next came GILDED, the Group 2 winning daughter of Redback who had not raced since her purchase in October. Irrespective of this lack of raceourse action she made $ 420,000 which is nearly exactly what I paid for her last year.

Last but certainly not least was LADDIES POKER. A maiden when I bought him last year for around $ 125,000 he had since won his only start in NOrth America and was so impressive in that race that Doug O'Neill went up tto a whopping US$ 525m000 to acquire this colt.

Overall a profitable excercise for Frank's executors. I am just sad that Vladimir Cerin who worked so hard with me at the sales and who had trained Laddies poker to perfection was not able to benefit from this success story

Trainer Mike Mitchell has really excelled with ON THE ACORN> Just three weeks after winning the San Juan Capistrano the 6yo lined up for the Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park. There was no pace in the race, but Espinoza had the gelding beautifully positioned. Entering the stretch, he fould a gap and the old boy went through it like lightning and won, going away to register his 2nd Grade 2 win in  less than a month.

On the same card, PASSIFIED took her chance in the Senorita Stakes. Taking the field along from the front she gave way in the straight and finished a decent third. Her cause was not helped by her being taken on by anither horse down the backstretch, but in all honesty I don't think it made much difference. It would be interesting to see how she fared if she was allowed to sit at the back and come with a late run

On the UK front, the More TRhan Ready two year old ( now called PIRMED AND POISED) had her first start. She was very green and did not show that much, She has however come on a tom fo that experience and should be sharper next time out. The Buddah colt ( name changed to STRAIGHT AND LEVEL) also had his first start and ran a respectable 4th on his debut running on at the end. He should win next time.

An interesting weekend coming up with LADDIES POKER trying to give me a 2nd straight win in the Will Rogers ( Stratham won it last year) . I hope he does well for Vladimir Cerin. Bob Hess' filly Turkus QUerkus is also scheduled to run. This filly is an enigma. She has lots of talent but may just be a little reluctant to show it in a race. Hopefully Bob Hess will have found the key to her and turned it in the lock

It was heart in the mouth stuff. SHINESE DRAGON, after over a year off the track was at the back of the field in the Grade 2 San Francisco Mile. Would he stay sound?. Would he still have his customary kick/ Well the answer was a resounding yes. Brilliantly ridden by Mike smith the patiece which Bob Hess had shown with the colt paid off and he came with his usual rattle to win by a nose, then galloping out strongly.

The Shoemaker mile at the end of May now looks on the cards and he will hopefully have come on for the run and be very competitive in that event.

Another Garded Stakes winner for me and a good win for the horse as this now gives him value as a breeding prospect once his racing days are over.

He made it twoo Grade 2 races for our horses in the space of 8 days. Things are going well

What else to report. ALLISON'S ART a first time starter in the USA for Jim Cassidy ran a very good race to be 2nd in a msw at Hollywood Park. Just given normal improvement she looks certain to win next time.

I am looking forward to seeing PASSIFIED run in the Senorita Stakes this wekend ( though the race seems to have come up rather tough) and LADDIES POKER will contest the WIll Rogers ( which Stratham won for us last year) the following Saturday

The only disappointing side has been the number of horses sidelined with minor injuries. Hopefully they will all come back in time for Del Mar

After the recent Stakes victories of GOLDEN BALLS, PASSIFIED and PART TIMER it was  Stakes winner Number 4 this year for me when ON THE ACORN mowed down the field to win going away in the San Juan Capistrano Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita's final day. I bought this horse for clients at the 2yo in Training sale in England in the spring of 2003 for just around $ 30,000. Not bad for a horse who has now won over $ 200,000. All credit to his present owner and trainer for having seen the potential and claimed him last year. I believe the horse now holds an invitation for the Melbourne Cup in November. It will be interesting to see whether he takes up this invitation

Eaarlier in the week it was pleasing to see MUSICAL HIGH come back and win an allowance race in good fashion. She had not so far fulfilled the expectations I had when I bought her, but I am sure this race will boost her confidence and that there is more to come./

An exciting week coming up with the Stateside debut of GREY ROVER for Jim Cassidy and the long awaited return of CHINESE DRAGON in the San Francisco mile at Golden Gates In fact I will be double handed in that race as BECRUX alsop makes a comeback after a layoff.

On the UK front PRIMED ( The More Than Ready filly I had offered on this site) is now syndicated and is not far off her first run. HOLDING PATTERN ( the Buddah colt) did not find favour with the clients and I still own him. He is also due to run shortly

Well that's about it for the updates at this time

In a move reminiscent of Ticker Tape in her heyday, GOLDEN BALLS a smashing colt by Danehill Dancer which I selected at the 2006 Horses in Training sale for Jim Cassidy and owners Martin Kistler and Deron Pearson, came bursting through in the stretch and won by a long nose from the favorirte

It was an electrifying performance from a horse which I had absolutely loved at the sales. WIth 3/8th of a mile to go it was looking like he would get well beaten, but one Brice Blanc pulled him out he hit another gear and just mowed them down. The time was an excellent 1m 34 and 3/5ths just 3 spots off the Stakes record.

THis was a very exciting and promising debut from a colt who will stretch out further and looks to be potentially a high class horse.

I will be  very interested to see where Jim decides to run him next. The Will Rogers looks a possibility or maybe wait for the Cinema later in the Hollywood meet ( though that is not till the middle of June) .

Congratulations to Jim Cassidy and Golden Balls' owners . Martin Kistler will now have to fulfiull his promise that he would invite David Beckam ( after whom this colt was named) to come to the races when he next runs and also to cast the horse's balls in gold.

Well here is another update to keep things current

RACING

Quite a good  last few weeks. PART TIMER, a colt I bought privately for Class Racing duly won a Stakes race in Arizona. Probably not a world beating field, but he did it really well and I am sure there is more to come from this colt. Congratulations to Joe MAssino and Jeff Metz.

PASSIFIED ran another blinder finishing a good 2nd in the Providencia Stakes. She is very consistent this filly and it is just a shem that she might be slightly ,imited as regards distance. Still she seemed to battle on towards the end of the race, so maybe she can win a Graded Stakes over 1 mile later in the year

Last Sunday LADDIES POKER  a colt I bought for Vladimir Cerin at the horses in  TRaining sale last year won a Miaden Special at Santa Anita by three lengths. The time was only 1/5th second slower than theGrade 2 for elders the previous day so I think this colt could be failry useful

The disappointment of the last few days was PRINCESS IRIS who faded tamely in the Providencia. Not given the most clever of rides, but it was still disappointing. I believe Team Valor have now moved her to a different trainer.

As regards future racing, I believe GOLDEN BALLS will run soon, as will GREY ROVER,/. MUSICAL HIGH and IN REALITY go head to head in an allowance tomorrow ( Wedbesday) and hopefully there will be more runners later in the week or at least before the end of the Santa Anita meetig.

PARTNERSHIP

There was a very disappointing response to te concept of the PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP. I was surprised at the lack of enthousiasm. Still, the More Than Ready filly and the Royal Applause filly look like they are sold ( fingers crossed) and I have decided to keep the Buddah colt and run him myself. He is provisionally called AWINGANDAPRAYER./

He is still  available for sale as are 20% of the Royal Applause and the More Than Ready, so if you want to participate the opportunity  is still there.

BREEDING  NEWS

My client's mares keep foaling away and we have mostly fillies on the ground this year. There has only been one blip with a dead foal, otherwise things are moving along nicely. SINGHALESE has been bred to Rahy and will be sold in the fall.

PRIVATE SALES

We have two offers in on a couple of three year old colts and are waiting for the owners to make up their minds. It is getting harder and harder to get people to sell at any reasonable money. They are think their horses are worth fortunes, ( a trend which is not helped by the purchase of horses like Medici Code for which the US buyers completely overpaid). It impacts on everyone as the seller and the buyers decided to make the purchase price public, thereby inflating the market. At the end of the day this is not good for anyone: sellers, buyers and of course agents

PUBLIC SALES

The Newmarket Breeze Up Sales are nearly upon us. I am thinking of giving the Craven one a miss this year as the prices will tend to be astronomical,. Consignors have paid large amounts for the yearlings anmd the whole thing is  spiralling out of control. Hopefully the new Guineas Breeze Up will be more sensible and I will  be able to pcik up some nice horses there.

AND FINALLY

There is so much to say but unfortunately it would not be wise to use this news blog as a forum for these thoughts., It would upset too many people. Suffice to say that sitting here 6000 miles away from the CAlifornia racing circus, the actions ( or  non action) of various individuals and regulatory bodies make my hair stand on end. It is as if these people not only have blinkers on, but hoods as well.

 THE PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Gordian Troeller is proud to announce the launch of the PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP., an exciting and innovative venture which he hopes will provide both entertainment and profit for the investors. It is based on the same concept as that which resulted in the success of SOOTHSAY in 2005/6

The Partnership will own three two year olds to be trained over the summer of  2007 in the UK by John Hills in Lambourn, Berkshire

The horses I have selected are

1) A filly by More Than Ready out of a good family who is showing up nicely on the gallops Has a lot of quality. 

2) A  colt by Buddah , a half brother to US Stakes winners. Bought prvately a couple of weeks ago, this colt shows a willing attitude and his regular rider refers to him as a 'good horse'

3) A Filly by Royal Applause out of a Black type dam. HAs been showing a nice action and great promise on the home gallops

The horses will race in the name of the partnership and will probably each have between 4 and 6 races between now and the end of October.

In mid  to late September, the partnership will export the horses to the USA with a view to training them towards the fall/early winter Stakes races in Southern California A trainer or trainers will be selected and the horses will either run 'off the plane' or be allowed to acclimatise before running on the West Coast.

The day to day running of the partnership will be undertaken by a reputable agent who will work closely with Gordian Troeller and the partners.

.

If a large offer should be made for any of the horses prior to their exportation then the partners will be polled on whether to accept the offer. The wish of a simple majority will prevail

As a measure of good faith, Gordian will keep a 20% interest in each of the horses .

and he will not charge a management fee to the Partnership. He will however be entitled to a 5% commission should the horses make a profit when sold

Interests ( in multiples of 10%) up to a maximum of 80% are available and the estimated total cost up to the 31^st October is US$ 280,000 (plus sales tax at 17.5%) for all three horses. So 10% would be $ 28,000, 20% , $ 56,000 etc…

This figure covers purchase price of the three horses, all training bills, estimated transport costs, vet fees, farrier, jockey fees etc…Full accounts will be kept and statements issued quarterly.

If you would be interested in learning more about this exciting new venture, please let me know and I will send you the full details, pedigrees and photos of the three horses  and an application form  for you to consider

I hope that this new venture will excite you and that you will consider joining the forward looking partnership

Please E mail Gordian at horsedeal@aol.com if you would like the full information and application pack to be sent to you

Yours sincerely

Gordian Troeller

 Telephone: 011 44 1635 869370

Just came back from a short hop to Los Angeles. It was an enlightning experience. I saw all the horses we bought in October and met with clients and owners. The five days seemed to flash past and I wish I had ahd a little more time to spend there.

RACING

Whilst I was at Santa Anita we had one good winner in PASSIFIED who held on bravey to win the China Doll Stakes. I think the mile sapped her stamina a bit and she might do better brought back a bit in distance. The same day MILK IT MICK ran a great race in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile. It is just a shame that the trainer was not allowed to give him a prep race. I am covinced that he would have won if he had just had that bit of added race fitness.    The next day PRINCESS IRIS ran a gallant 4th in the La habra Stakes. She got taken too far back and though she came with a storming late run, she was just given too much to do. Watch out for her over 1 mile and further this summer.    

Over in Engalnd three purchases I made for Jerry Jamgotchian at Newmarket all won their starts for their new trainer John Hills. It is mission accomplished for these fillies as they were all maidens and have increaded their values with their wins

TWO YEAR OLDS FOR SALE

I bought two two year olds 'on spec' on which you can find details under the 'Horses for Sale ' section.One is a really nice filly by MORE THAN READY from a decent family who is cantering very nicely and looks above average., Yesterday at the first ever Polytrack breeze Up Sale at Kempton, I bought a lovely BUDDAH colt who really took my eye. He looks athletic and quite sharp.          

  PRIVATE SALES

Not a good few months., We had a lovely filly in Italy bought and she failed the vet. Another lovely colt in the UK was supposedly bought only for the english owner to change his mind about selling hm. So all in all it's been frustrating. Added to which some US owners have started paying some ridiculous prices for just above average polytrack winners.

MARES

Well the breeding season is truly upon us and a lot of the mares under our guidance have given birth . Some maidens are being covered and everything continues apace. There are a lot of mares to keep up with

GENERAL

The turf season starts here in just over 2 weeks and it will be great to see how some of the two year olds of last year have trained on and see some of the precocious 2yo of 2007 make their mark at this early stage. Then come mid April it gets serious with the Group races leading to the classics.    There is another big weekend coming up next week when I expect to see quite a few of our purchases running at Santa Anita.

SALES

Well, it's nearly 4 weeks since the circus descended on Tattersalls in Newmarket for the annual Horses in Training sale. It has taken me quite a while to recover from that Marathon. The preperation is really exhausting, analysing the form of so many horses and making the picks, then producing the booklet and the videos . I could go on and on, but enough for now

Jim Cassidy ( with owners Deron Pearson and Martin Kistler) , Vladimir Cerin, Bob Hess jnr and Peter Eurton all came over and I had various other clients on the end of the telephone. Ably assisted by Kate, Jane, Oliver and Sara,and the star of the show, my son Alexander  we traipsed around the shedrows and selected a nice bunch of horses.

Although I have my favourites this is not the place to name them. I think we bought a nice bunch of all shapes, sizes and ability and time will tell whether we made the right decisions.

All in all I bought 15 horses and came 2nd in the buyer's table with a spend figure in excess of US$ 2 million. So it was a successful sale.

There were a couple of horses  who 'got away' ( which we failed to buy) and it is those that stick in the throat. I just wish I had been more forceful with one of the clients for the 3yo colt Golden Arrow,  who had an entry in the Hollywood Derby. One more bid and we would have got him I think. I still think about him and a couple of others which slipped through our net.

The horses we bought were

Golden Balls ( Cassidy): Deadshot Keen ( eurton) : Gilded ( Cerin): Leonide ( Hess) Passified ( Cassidy) : Cosmopolitan LAdy ( CAssidy): Turkus Querkus ( hess) : Bodes Galaxy ( Cerin): Grey Rover ( Cassidy): Laddies Poker ( Cerin): Princeton ( Cassidy): Quiddity ( eurton) : Alison's Art ( Cassidy) Marmaida ( Eurton) and one broodmare prospect whose name I now forget,.

We'll see how we did in about 6 to 8 months' time

Private Sales

We have bought two nice horses for a client in California . HOLDIN FOLDIN and PART TIMER.
The former did not run very well in the Generous yesterday, but I think he needs some time off to be taught to relax . The other colt is also a sprinter type who I hope will stretch out

More Sales

Monday sees the start opf the Decemebr Mares and Fillies sale, and I hope to be quite active here as well. We are probably ( subject to inspection and vet) be bidding on one of the top fillies in training. There are also quite a few 'lesser lights' which have taken my eye and for which I hope to bid. Once gaian the plague of late withdrawals is upon us.

RACING

Not much to report here really. MOTH BALL Just ran another good race in the Turf Express, finishing 3rd. The turf track at Hollywod does not seem to let horses close. The speed is holding up., Still he ran very honourably again and I am pleased with  this run

Well, I thinm that's enough from me for the time being

Check out  THE HORSES FOR SALE section of the site in a few days as I have two yyearlings I am keen to sell which will feature in this section

After two  years of frustration and disappoinment the cobwebs were finally swept aside and MOTH BALL ( or MOTH as he is now known) finally showed the talent that originally persuaded me to buy him for Jim Cassidy and Deron Pearson.

Not too keen to enter the gate he took up a perfect stalking position down the hill and powered into the lead. He was hard pressed all the way and for once did not shirk the issue. He held on grimly and determindly and looked eager for the fight. It was a revelation.

Mind you I would  not put money on his repeating the feat, but the fractions looked impressive and I would not be suprised if it were a Stakes record

Lots more news to bring you in later editioons, but in the meantiome CONGRATULATIONS to all involved. It made the owners and I hoarse shouting this often wayward son of Royal Applause home'

ANother update, which I am trying to keep more regular.

STAKES RACES

Back on the Stakes winning trail again when PLACE COWBOY scooted home in the new Listed Stakes race at Oak Tree last week. It was very nice to watch the son of Compton Place win in determined fashion, as it has been a frustrating year for Margie Gould and her sons, with injuries keeping most of their horses under wraps. Let's hope it's the start of a roll again for those most sporting owners

The assist was DARK ISLANDER who won the Oak Tree Derby this afternoon. After I had ( unsuccesfully) tried to sell him during my visit to Del Mar, I persuaded John Hills that the colt would have every chance in this race..and he duly obliged. I do wish after all this time that people would listen to me when I tell them about a horse. When it comes to those Stakes performers I am more frequently right than wrong

Anyway the less said about MAXXI ARTE's run in the QE2 race at Keenland the better. . Needless to say she was not up to the task. A strange race...not because she did not hit the board..just a strange race.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) SOL MI FA runs inthe Harold Remser race at Santa Anita. I hope she puts the poor run in the Del Mar Oaks behind her and shows her true form again.

SOOTHSAY is slated to run next weekend in a Grade 3 in Kentucky after which she will go to the Keenland sales.

OTHER RACES

A 2yo colt I bought in July at Newmarket Sales duly won first time out. Named VICTORIAN PRiNCE, I am now trying to sell him to the USA, but typically the reaction is slow or non existent. OK he is not cheap but he won by 3 and in my view he has the making of a horse that would win the Generous at Hollywood in November.

It was heartbreaking to see pooor TEN DOWNING STREET get beaten again this evening. The fractions he posted were just unbelievable. He just does not seem to be able to hang on long enough to stay in front. Still on the same card an old friend CAMMIE'S FUTURE won a cheap claiming race, but it was nice to see him assert in the stretch that way., Surely more races can be won with him.

 SALES

For the past tow weeks I have been working night and day on the Horses in TRaininng Sale at Newmarket which is now only 10 days away. There are some nice horses in there . The obvious ones are easy to find and will, probably ( as has unfortunately become the norm) be sold privately before the sale. The secret is to find the jewels in the sand. I think I have unearthed quite a few. I just hope we have the ammunition to buy them.A few clients are making the trip over and the next ten days will be very busy and full of excitment and occasionally disappointment. There are a few I really do not want to miss out on.

BREEDING STOCK

AT the end of NOvember I will be overseeing the sale of a hwole bunch of mares and fillies belonging to a client. There are a few mares in foal to sensation GALILEO and some other good stallions inlcuidng Green Desert., I hope they sell well for him

WELL that's about it for this edition of the warts and all story of the Team Troeller. I hope the Stakes winners keep on coming.

WHAT A FANTASTIC WEEKEND

Two runners and two winners..but what wins they were

BECRUX finally got his act well and truly together when  winning the $ 1,000,000 Grade 1 Woodbine Mile . He dug deep and just would not let his rival go by. There is more to come from this son of Glen Jordan.

PRINCESS IRIS also fulfilled the Promise I knew she had. She won the Grade 3 Firth of Clyde Stakes at Ayr yesterday by an increasing 1 1/4 lengths

Both horses were bought privately for Team Valor after they had come to my notice, Becrux in Italy and Princess Iris over here in the UK.

Congratulations to Team Valor and their partners and to Neil Drysdale and Eoghan O'Neill

My son Alexander and I just came back from our annual trip to Del Mar and it was a pleasure seeing all my clients and friends in Southern California. The weather helped our mood.The sunshine state lived up to it's name. . IT was an eventful two weeks

RACING

A few of our horses ran whilst we were visiting

MAXXI ARTE won the Stakes race on Pacific Classic day in fantastic style, really quickening and winning by just under 6 lengths. She deserves her place in Graded Stakes company now.  SOOTHSAY  ran a really eyecatching race in the Del Mar Oaks finishing third. She was bumped up from fourth on a disqualification. The only sad thing is that in my view had she not been interfered with a bumped all over the place she would have been second. But take nothing away from the winner Arravale. The chat is that SOOTHSAY might now go for the Pucker Up Stakes at ARlington Park in September. Wherever she goes she hopefully will win a Graded Stakes.     IN REALITY  ran a really hoest race in an allowance and finished a good second. She just could not hold off the late challenge of one of her rivals. There is more to come from this filly.  The disappointment of the week was SOL  MI FAwho chased the pacesetter in the Del Mar Oaks and then faded in the strecth,. Hard to know what to make of this run. I hope that back at a mile she will progress again.

In England we had a couple opf placed horses for our US clients, but nothing that exciting. On Sunday this week a filly I bought for Team Valor should make her next start in the Grade 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood., I just hope it will not rain too much as she likes firm turf.

Whilst in Del Mar I visited a few of my purchases which have been sidelined through injury  SINGHALESE  and CHINESE DRAGON looked fantastic. I hope it is not too long before they make it back to the track

BREEDING

Not a lot of news to report on this front. Since my return I have just been finalising all the sales entries for  the mares and weanlings. These sales close really early. I hope it will be a productive few months for the clients.

That's about all the news for now. We have a couple of new purchases in the pipeline of which more news at a later date I hope.

Well, I've gone and done it again. HAving promised to keep the site updated, I have let it go months without adding any news. That might mean there is none, but there is plenty. It has been an interesting few months

RACING

Our purchases have continued to shine at Stakes and Graded Stakes level both in California and elsewhere.  STRATHAM as I predicted won the Grade 3 Will Rogers. Unfortunately he has now been sidelined through minor surgery but I am sure he will take up the mantle again. SOOTHSAY a cheap filly I bought as a yearling won her Stakes race at Golden Gates, was then 2nd in the Bay Meadow Oaks and ran a cracker finishing 2nd in the Flawlessly and 3rd in the San Clemente (Gr 2). Another recent import SOL MI FAwon the Bay MEadow Oaks, was  a little below par in the American Oaks and bounded back with a good 2nd in the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar.  GALILEO'S STAR finished best of the CAlifornian horses in the American Oaks. Unfortunately her career is uncertain as she sustained an injury whilst working on the Del Mar track. TEN DOWNING STREET  another cheap purchase managed to be 3rd in a Stakes race, before twice being beaten a tiny nose in his next races. He tehn ran a decent 4th in the Oceanside, ( possibly a distance a little far for him) His time will come.  BECRUX  finally got his act together again when winning the Whicker Handicap. Hoepfully he can pck up a Graded Stakes race. Gelding him has been the secret to this talented but wayward horse.

I have also had a bunch on non Stakes winners over these months. It was great to See MULTIPLE  win two races ( she did get claimed) . IN REALITY previaled undera great ride, PAST TENDER  won the other day only to be disqualified in rather strange circumstances ( Espinoza should get an Oscar for his performance on the 3rd). MAXXI ARTE also broke her maiden in good style

As regards fiuture plans for the horses, I do not have much information at present. I hope that SOOTHSAY and SOL MI FA will go for the Del Mar Oaks. I am waiting with anticipation for the comebacks of RIGHT AGAIN and CHINESE DRAGON in the not too distant future.  The DRAGON really deserves to win a Graded race now. Unfortunately Del Mar will probably be too early to see the returns of HUNTER STREET, SINGHALESE and TENT. We'll probbaly have to wait for Oak Tree.

BROODMARES AND BREEDING PROSPECTS

The Broodmare band which Jerry Jamgotchian has assembled with my help is still growing. We added some nice types to the roster from the July Sales at Newmarket.  There are mares in foal to GALILEO, ONE COOL CAT; GREEN DESERT, FANTASTIC LIGHT amongst others. A lot of these mares will be sold in the Tattersalls December Sales.

The same client has now got 15 horses in training in England with Eoghan O'Neill. This trainer did a superb job with MARACHI BAND  a daughter of Dixieland Band. Apart from managing to win with her twice he also got some small Black Type which has improved her value. It's a shame that the Lancashire Oaks was just a 'step too far'; There are some nice two year olds ( which I purchased at the yearling sales and the  Breeze Up Sales) which are worth looking out for amongst which QUEEN NOVERRE: QUIDDITY: MONTJEU'S MELODY

FORTHCOMING SALES

The yearling sales season is nearly upon us. I intend to attend the Doncaster Sales , Goffs in Ireland and then the Octoiber part 1 sale at Newmarket. I hope to find some nice fillies.  Immediately after this there is the marathin HORSES IN TRAINING SALE which takes up much of October ( preparation) I do hope that this year the sale will not be plagued by the number of outs which usually occur. I think there should be some nice horses catalogues this year.

ENGLISH RACING

The most frustrating thing right now is the near impossibility of buyingh horses in training privately.

A combination of the very weak dollar, greedy owners who ask too much and the stronger Hong Kong market make buying a reasonable horse very difficult. It's a question of trying to find some unexposed gems like Ticker Tape .

WELL, I think that about covers everything. My apologies if I have missed out anyone's horses or any pertinent results. As usual I will promise to keep this site updated better, but I do tend to forget. It would be nice to get some feedback

It has been a bad months for some of our horses. First  HUNTER STREET  and, now TENT have had serious injuries. There are other less seirous injuries as well. All in all not a great month.

On top of that the possibly excessive caution of the Santa Anita track executive has severely curtailed turf racing resulting in less opportunties than normal for the turf horses in general. In a way that has resulted in some of the injuries...more work on the dirt rather than racing on turf.

It seems strange that races are taken off turf at the first sign of a drop of rain. I accept that there is a problem with the 6 1/2 downhill turf races as they have to cross the main track, but surely it is not outside the realms of possibility to install a grass surface whcih can stand horses racing on it when it is 'good' or ' yielding' going.  I can't wait for the installation of polytrack main tracks in Southern CAlifornia ( I do hope it happens) as this will give trainers the opportunity to run their horses on the ' dirt' when races are called off the turf and will dramatically lower the incidence of injuries both amongst the turf and the dirt horses.

Anyway, all was not lost as STRATHAM made a huge move and proved by far the best in the La Puente Stakes on Saturday night. A good ride by David Cohen and a great training performnace by Tim Yakteen. I am hopeful that he will be able to move up successfully to Graded Stakes level, now...something like the Will Rogers at Hollywoood would seem within his grasp. I bought this colt last year for owner Jerry Jamgotchian at the July Slaes at Newmarket He was a relatively cheap buy at just under $ 70,000.

Another pleaseing race was MOTH BALL's effort down the hill. He just got caught in the last 1/16th but looked like he was coming bcak to his best.Look out too for SOOTHSAY and MAXII ARTE in their next starts

So lots more to look forward to in the coming months. Let's hope Hollywood's new turf track is the business

Does anyone read the stream of consciousness which I publish here every so often? Most likely not...but just in case there are a few readers out there I have to apologise once again for the lateness and sporadic nature of the updates to the News section ( and all other sections for that matter)

The first three months of 2006 have started well. MILK IT MICK ( I did not buy the horse but suggested he be shipped over) won the Kilroe Mile in game fashion. He is probably currently the best turf horse in the USA. Great job on everyone's part. Particularly pleasing in that race was CHINESE DRAGON who ended up 3rd. I am still convinced he would have won in another few strides. Great to see him back to his best for Bob Hess and the Chinese Hat owners ( did you see them at the races?? )

I visited Califonia and Kentucky and saw a lot of old acquaintances.  Some want horses but there is not much around at the moment. Our turf season should have started this week, but it's still mostly Polytrack racing. Hopefully the real thing will start in a few weeks' time. It was great to be there for the Kilroe Mile.

PLACE COWBOY won his comeback race after a long lay off which was very promising for the future. I would not be suprised if Jim Cassidy upped him to Graded Stakes company next time out.

This weekend is a busy one. We have Irridescence in Dubai ( only a vague association) Soothsay, In Reality and Maxi Arte and Ticker Tape and Katdogawn in California and a horse which I have been trying to sell and like a lot Silent Times runs in the Lane's End Stakes in an attempt to book his spot for the KY Derby/.

Oh and TENT ran a blinding race in the Providencia last weekend. I thought he had it won, but he just got a little tired. Reports are that he blew quite a lot after the race so hopefully he will be fully tuned up next time

So there we are ...the updates.... OUr next sale is the Breeze Ups in the middle of April and I hope to be busy there buying some superior two year olds

I will try and update more regularly...I have no excuses really

Half way down the stretch one might have been tempted to start walking to the Parimutuel ticket to pick up the check. But it was not to be. MULTIPLE , on her first start in the USA since we bought her at Newmarket in October, had kicked away from the field, but unfortunately she got a little tired and another Irish bred import Kitty Hawk managed to wear her dwon in the last strides.

Still it was an encouraging devut for the daughter of Mull of Kintyre and hopefull she will build on this and make the grade.

Look out for TEN DOWNING STREET. Reports are that he has put on a whole bunch of weight and is training very forwardly/.

Hopefully this reasonabl;y auspicious start to the New Year will be built on and will result in 2006 being a classic year for our purchases

Many times during 2005, I had wondered if the new owners should retire TICKER TAPE> She seemed to have lost the appetite for racing and was being beaten by horses who really she should have just 'blown away'. The famous 'kick' which had won her the American Oaks in such good style just did not seem to be there any more.

So it was with great joy that I watched her run a superb race in the San Gorgonio yesterday when she came with her late burst and almost held on to claim her first Group victory for over a year, It was not to be however as Silver Cup caught her on the line, but the daughter of Royal Applause showed enough again to suggest that she can win another major Stakes before the year is out.  It will take all of Kent Desormaux talent to achieve this as the famous 'burst' seems more thna ever to have to be times just right. But all credit to all those involved in yesterday's superb run. It's not often that coming second gives me such pleasure

Also yesterdfay we had a small Stakes winner in Arizona when FORTUNATELY managed to come with a late run to win the feature race on the card. It will be intersting to see whether the owners and trainer can find a Graded Stakes race over 5 furlongs so she can go out on a High before being bred.

Reflecting on 2005 has brought out somewhat mixed feelings. It was not a classic year in any sense. The highlight was definitely SINGHALESE winning the Del Mar Oaks as well as the revelation of CHINESE DRAGON as a top turf horse. Congratulations to both Jim Cassidy and Bob Hess Jnr in their training of these two superior runners.  It was also the year of the Hollywood Turf debacle, an episode which reflected poorly on all involved.  But I have mentioned this enough elsewhere.

Sure there were other Stakes winners along the line, FORTUNATELY and STRATHAM are just two that spring to mind . both for Jerry Jamgotchian. Good honest horses, and it is such a shame that the Hill Rise was taken off the turf last week.

But on the whole 2005 was a year which I will remember for the wrong reasons. A hell of a lot of nice horses sustained injuries and have not so far been able to reveal their true potential, and, as with all injuries, one just does not know if they will come back, and if they do if they will have retianed thei will to win/.  still I suppose time will tell. It was also a year in which some clients revealed their true colours and it was not a pretty sight. Still as they say it's a learning curve. The main sales were also a disappointment. A large number of nice horses were sold privately after the catalogue had been publshed and that made it all the harder to pick up decent horses at a reasonable price. I am very happy with the ones we did manage to buy, but the numbers were down.

Still, now that we have turned into the New Year, hopefully there will be some big races to be won. I hope that the likes of MOTH BALL, SINGHALESE, TENT, PLACE COWBOY will come back from their lay offs and perform well., It will also be exciting to see how RIGHT AGAIN, HUNTER STREET and the other new purchases pan out.  I myself will try and continue to pick carefully and provide my clients with the best horse their money can buy. It is not about numbers, but about some sort of quality. It is just such a shame that the attrition rate is so great.

Here's to a great 2006 for all my clients. owners and trainers alike and a hope that a few of the other agents act a little more responsibly in their dealings with people.

In an unprecedented move, Hollywood Park today announced that it had cancelled all turf racing for it's autumn meeting citing 'dissatisfaction with it's newly renovated turf course'. Amongst the casualties of this astonishing statement is the 'Turf Festival' a three day event slated for November 25 to 27, which includes three Group 1 races as well as numerous other Graded Stakes races.

Although I am astounded by the fact that the track seems to have been incapable of laying a satisfactory grass course in the time available, I have neither the knowledge or the expertise to comment in depth. It did make me smile though when I heard that yesterday, in a last ditch attempt to solve the problem they resorted to trying to GLUE the grass to the dirt undersurface. Talk about comical!!

What I do find inexplicable and unforgivable is that no attempt seems to have been made to save those Grade 1 races and the supporting card. Surely some attempt should have been made to have moved the Turf Festival to another Californian track. Was it not possible to persuade Santa Anita, Del Mar, Bay Meadows or even Golden Gates to stage those races? Was this even considered or were the executives so embarassed at their shortcomings that they just shrugged their shoulders and made their inadequate announcement?

Gentlemen a few questions: 

1) It is fairly common knowledge that the negotiations for Bay Meadows Land Co's purchase of Hollywood Park dragged on longer than expected and that consequently the new turf course was going to have less time to take root and settle. Would it not therefore have been better to leave the old one in and wait till the end of the fall meeting to start the renovation.

2) You excitedly announce that the purses from the lost races will be redistributed to dirt races throughout the meeting and your inference is that this is a good thing. Where exactly are you going to find all these horses to fill the dirt races that will take the place of the lost turf contests? We are already used to small fields in California due to the dwindling owner base and the high injury rate. Could Del Mar ( for example) not have been used as a base to run the scheduled ordinary turf races and have them simulcast to the patrons at Hollywood. 

3) DId you actually approach any of the other Californian tracks to see if they would stage the Turf Festival? If they refused...it says little for inter-track cooperation. If you did not try, it shows total lack of foresight and a complete disregard for the owners, trainers and followers of turf racing in California and indeed throughout North America and even  further afield.

4) You have a lot of questions to answer but the gist of your Press release summarised in layman's terms was : - We screwed up---we don't give a toss---apologise? not us..hey some nonentity of an overnight Stake on the dirt will get some  more prize money...hey thank us-------we lose three Grade 1s a few Grade 2s and some Grade 3s...do we care??? 

5) Are you going to compensate the owners trainers of turf horses? Of course not. They are just going to have to kick their heels for 7 weeks, pay training fees, vets' bills without even the chance of earning some prize money.

Not only is this a sad day for Turf Racing, but also for the general health of racing in California. It will do nothing to restore the owner base and tempt back the trainers who have already left the Golden State due to the often lacadaisical approach to drug testing in the past.

I know what I would do if I were the CEO of Bay Meadows Land Co...........

Well, the Newmarket Horses in Training Sale 2005 has been and gone. It was a generally unsatisfactory affair. A high number of scratches limited the choice available and this was reflected in high prices throughout the week. The most annoying aspect of the withdrawals were the number of decent two and three year olds who were sold privately in the weeks leading up to the sale. Ironically the same agents who had negotiated these sales were the ones who were bemoaning the fact that there was not much left to buy for their clients at the sale. Well you can't have your cake and eat it boys.

In light of these withdrawals I have proposed a number of far reaching changes to Tattersalls in the hope that by next year things will improve. 

Bob Hess and Chris Paasch attended the sale with me and I was on the phone to various owners in California. We ended up buying just six horses which is a pretty small number. I was underbidder of the top 2yo colt Kilworth for Bob HEss and on the Grade 2 winner Always Hopeful for Chris Paasch. In the end we bought the Group 3 winner Hunter Street and the progressive colt Right Again.

We also made a very exciting purchase privately in TENT who in my opinion is a very underrated colt. He was bought for the Gould Family Trust ( who own Singhalese) and he is due to make his Stateside debut in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes on November 27th.

As regards racing results 2005 is a year which I would rather put behind me. Apart from the High profile wins of Singhalese etc...so many horses have had injury problems that I hope all will come back in 2006 and give us a truly bumper year,.  It was nice however to end Oak Tree with a Stakes win with STRATHAM a colt I bought at the July Sales for Jerry Jamgotchian and who won the overnight Stake very easily. Hopefully there is more to come from this colt.

Finally apologies for the increasingly sporadic nature of the updates on this site. I have come to the conclusion that no one reads this stuff anyway......so the earlier enthousiasm has waned somewhat.  Still I will try and re-energise my writing talents and hope that there are some readers out there after all. Your feedback would be appreciated.

In a move reminiscent of TICKER TAPE's surge in the 2004 American Oaks, SINGHALESE, snother filly I had bought privately from English trainer Jamie OSborne, came swooping around the home turn and won the Del MAr Oaks last night in exhilarating fashion. . Settled at the back of a strong field under Jockey Mike Smith, the chensut daughter of Singspiel made her move entering the far turn and just powered away. She was always the best though Three Degrees did close somewhat at the end. Still SINGHALESE held all the aces. The time was only just off the track record

I recommended SINGHALESE this spring, after she had won a nursery at Doncaster in eyecatching fashion. It was the way she won her race and her presence which convinced me at the time that she would prove to be a superior filly in the USA.

Pleasingly SINGHALESE Stretched out really well again in the same way as she had three weeks ago when she won the prep race for trainer Jim Cassidy.  . In SINGHALESE he has a filly with enormous potential. Who knows...maybe I can dream of a Champion filly this year after Ticker Tape's eclipse by Ouija Board in the voting last year..  Talk is now of the Queen Elizabeth at Keenland, but personally I hope they give that race a miss and concentrate instead on the Breeders Cup race..

.Congratulations to Margie Gould whose faith in SINGHALESE was fully repaid today. I wish her every success for the future.

The pressure is now on to find the Grade 1 winner for next year...I already have some ideas.....

Following a few disappointing runs and some throat surgery, BECRUX a colt we bought in Italy last year finally came good with a convincing win in the second division of the Oceanside Stakes on the opening day of the Del Mar 2005 meeting. Settled in a easy lead, the son of Glen Jordan just kept quickening and when given his head just stretched away for a most impressive win. Bought last fall for Team Valor the dark good looking bay nearly broke the track record.  But for a scare with an ankle in the days following the race BECRUX ( who has now joined Neil Drysdale) will be back for the Del Mar Derby and if he on song again he should be difficult to beat.

MY son Alexander and I visited Del Mar in late July for our annual pathetic atempt to play golf.. Of course that was not the real purpose of the visit which was to see some clients old and new. It was a productive few days and it was nice to be there to see FORTUNATELY win her first US Stakes race. Bought by us for Jerry Jamgotchian the duaghter of Forzando is really fast and won easily. Trained by Tim Yakteen, I am not sure what her next target is going to be. We also saw a nice winner in the shape of SINGHALESE who came off her 3rd in the AmericanOaks at Hollywood Park to anihilate the field in an allowance race for the Gould family and trainer Jim Cassidy. This was supposed to be a confidence builder for her ahead of the Del Mar Oaks at the end of August. The ,ost pleasing thing was the fact that for the fisrt time since she got to the USA the daughter of Singspiel realy stretched out andused herself.   Dissapointment of the time  we were there was SALSA BRAVA who folded tamely., Whether  she just isn't as good as her moringworks.,does not stay the mile or has other problems is yet to be  worked out. She did meet sever interference in the stretch but that cannot be the sole reason for such a lacklustre performance.

Just after we left TICKER TAPE ran an OK race in an overnight Stake,. Sadly I think we have seeen the best of this filly. The break which she had in Texas seems to have had a negative effect. SHe reportedly goes for the Palomar next, but it is going to be tough against the like of Intercontinental and KATDOGAWN

Things are still rather quiet on the purvhase front. We have plenty of clients looking for horses, but the quality is low and the prices are too high. At some point there will be a readjustment in the marketplace...I just hope it is soon. We went to see a filly in Italy winner of a Listed race....she looked great and then failed the vet.... Still something will come oout of the woodwork ,,,it usually does

Ridiculous as it sounds I am starting to gear up for the big event of the year the Horses in Training Sale in late October. I am already spotting some horses that might be of interest and getting all the logistical side of things organised.

Apologies for such a long gap between updates.

It's not that things have been quiet, or lack of enthousiasm.....nor laziness....maybe the combination of disappointments and successes....

Anyway...last year's Horses in Training sale has delivered one jewel. CHINESE DRAGON has won all four of his starts in the USA , including three Stakes races. Unfortunately he seems to have developed a splint in the last week, which will force him to miss the big races he was nominated for. However he will hopefully be back for Del Mar BRAG and GODSEND have both won, the fornre going next for the Lone Star Oaks on   July 2nd.  Sadly the horses bought for Jim Cassidy have either been injured ( three) or proved to be mad ( one),. MOTH BALL is such a disapoointment. He has all the talent in the world, but he is also the quirkiest horse in the universe.  The training routine in the USA just does not seem to suit him. He needs racing racing racing, breezing breezing breezing but the hard surfaces in California do not permit that sort of programme.

It is proving  extremely difficult to buy any horses privately this year. Fisrtly the overall quality of horses is pretty low and most importantly people are asking silly money for their equine assets. Someone actually asked me for US$ 1 million for a 2yo colt who had just boken his maiden....insane. I cannot recommend that sort of deal to my clients/ Then the ones that can be bought fail the vet.

Finally, for the rest of the Summer, I intend to update the site weekly in the news section so look out ofr more infomation and  stories from the GTB winner department

It has been a strange three months. Sort of like the end of one chapter and the start of a new.

TICKER TAPE as feared  finished runer up in the Eclipse awards to Ouija Board. I don't want to re-open old  wounds, but it still perplexes me that a horse can become North American champion on one run...the sooner they replace the voting system with a points system the better. Immediately after the voting closed TICKER TAPE was sold  to a new owner in Kentucky. Reportedly she will be returning to the Cassidy barn later in the spring. Let's hope she has retained her amazing talent.

In the aftermath of the sale, Cassdiy's barn lost one of its principal owners when Jim Ford changed his game plan and moved the horses he owned himself to Wally Dollase. A strange move and a big disappointment. Needless to say none of his horses have run since. Sometimes people make decisions for the strangest reasons and spit in the face of reason

For all this it has been a busy few months. I have been buying broodmare prospects for a client who intends to put them in foal and sell them on at either the Keenland November Sale or Tattersalls December. It will be interesting to see if this idea works. It is risky but could well bring bid rewards. I certainly bought him some solid stock so fingers crossed.

On the racing front it has been a bit quiet. The big successes have been for Team VAlor. WARNING ZONE whom I bought In South Africa last year, duly won her Stateside debut in a Stakes race at the Fair Grounds. BECRUX the champion 2yo colt in Itlay who I bought in the fall, won a serious allowance race in Dubai and now goes for the UAE Derby on World Cup Day next week. We expect a bold show. It would be fantastic  if he could emulate the  great Ipi Tombe and give us another Group winner on that day. I will be there in the middle of a family holiday to cheer him on.

As regards purchases we have bought a nice colt from Jamie Osborne for clients of Jim CAssiy's. RAISE A TUNE leaves today and will be aimed initially at an allowance race of some sort.  We are currently in negotiations to buy a major filly for an established owner but I cannot reveal any more a this stage.Hopefully it will be concluded in the next few days. More to follow What I do hope however is that the next few months will see a decline in the ludicrous sums of money which are  being asked by owners. The whole market has gone crazy. I suppose it is fueled by the big prices seen at major auctions both in the UK and North America. Sure the numbers look impressive until you look closely and see that a larger than usual percentage of the horses catalogued do not make their reserve. That makes less salutory reading and it   is a better indictaion of the real market. At some point the bubble will burst and these same owners who are now holding out for 'telephone numbers' for their horses will be begging us agents to shift them.  They should not be surprised if I and other agents give them the cold shoulder . It is not a one way street or put another way it takes two to tango.

Well that's about it for this update. We have the Breeze Up Sales at Newmarket to look forward to in the middle of April and I hope to have two or three clients make the trip over to pick up some choice two year olds. The catalogue looks promising...the only gripe is the low number of horses on offer.

I hope that in between sunning myself on the shores of the Indian Ocean BECRUX will win the UAE Derby and add another Graded Stakes race to our roster.

Oh I nearly forgot. I have shares available in a nice Mujadil two year old filly called SOOTHSAY. She will stay in training in England with John Hills and will then be exported to the USA at the end of the year, If you would like more information have a look at the FOR SALE section of the Website .                                                                                                                                     

Finally some good news!!!

TICKER TAPE has been chosen as one of the three finalists in the Fillies and Mares Turf division of the 34th Eclipse Awards.  Even though she is highly unlikely to win, it is a reflection of her class and her tremendous achievement that she has made the final three.

The  sad thing is that she will not win the award as it seems to be a shoe in for Ouija Board, but enough has been penned here  about that... It is interesting though that of the three finalists two, Ouija Board and Intercontinental won their solitary grade 1 races towards the end of the year. It seems that the voters might favour horses that have achieved their wins relatigely recently.

Still I am proud yet again to have been associated with TICKER TAPE and I hope to be at the Beverley Wiltshore on January 24th to support the cause

Firstly let me say that I believe the distaff turf award should be spilt and there should be a three year old division. There is enough top level turf racing in North America now to warrant this extension

I know that we are all semi-resigned to TICKER TAPE not winning the Eclipse Award.

I keep wondering about this and pondering what will make her miss out .

THE CASE AGAINST TICKER TAPE

1) There seems to be a distinct bias in most of these awards to favouring horses that have won a Breeders Cup race. Yet at the end of the day the Breeders cup races are just Grade 1s like many others so why should these winners be favoured ,especially this year in which there was a lack of depth to the international challenge due to the venue. TICKER TAPE did not compete in the Breeders Cup....STRIKE ONE

2) There is a bias towards the older division in this award ( as mentioned above the only award in which three year olds have to compete against the elders).  A small part of this is probably due to the fact that most years there just is no outstanding three year old grass filly running in the USA, but the major factor seems to be that it is seen as the swansong for many of the elders ( retirements looming etc...) . As one  turf writer told me the other day ' Well there's always next year'. STRIKE TWO

3) TICKER TAPE is not owned or trained by the Elite. Oh I am sure that in the egalitarian USA I will be told that this is an irrelevancy , and maybe it is. However I can't help feeling that subconsciously or unconsciously the 'high profile owner/trainer factor' plays a part in the selection process. .  STRIKE TWO AND A HALF

4) For some reason both TICKER TAPE's Grade 1 wins have been downplayed by the Racing Industry. It's as if these Grade 1s 'did not count' or were sub standard races.  STRIKE3???????                                                                                                              

THE REBUTTAL/ THE CASE FOR TICKER TAPE

1) The way the Stakes programme is scheduled it is  unrealistic and just too tough to expect a filly to run her heart out and win the Queen Elizabeth and then to go on to the Breeders Cup. Just 13 days separate the two events. Also this year the Fillies and Mares turf was run over an extra furlong, taking it out of the reach of many fillies. So no, TICKER TAPE did not run in the Breeders Cup, but that takes nothing away from her achievements. Let's not forget that going in to the Breeders Cup TICKER TAPE had the most 'points' of any filly/mare on the list. 28 I believe. That tells it's own story

2) IF you take OUJA BOARD out of the equation ( only one win in the USA) then would someone please tell me which 3yo or elder filly this year surpassed  TICKER TAPE's record. Ticker Tape earned nearly 1,200,000 dollars. She is ranked 11th Top horse by the Bloodhorse and is  I believe the Top filly/mare in the list

Of course it's not all about money and earnings. It's also about consistency. Since July TICKER TAPE has won two Grade 1 races, one Grade 3 race, placed 2nd ( beaten a nose) in a Grade 1 race and finished 3rd ( beaten a nostril for 2nd) in another Grade 1. What other filly or mare of 2004 can boast that sort of record? And as for 'waiting for next year' there are two points. Firstly if she was ( as I believe ) the best turf filly/mare of 2004 then recognise the fact in 2004 and give her the award. Secondly racing is full of uncertainties and injury can strike at any time so why wait?

3) I have no rebuttal for this point as I do not believe the status of the horse's connections should be part of the selection process.

4)   In the American Oaks she beat a full international  field ( by the way including 'older' fillies from the Southern Hemisphere)'. She beat a bona fide Japanese Group 1 winner and all the world could throw at her that day. In the Queen Elizabeth she beat the top 3yo fillies in the country. In the more modest Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes she beat SPOTLIGHT ( one of the very few fillies to have beaten OUIJA BOARD) . Even in her two Grade 1 defeats she showed class , extraordinary talent and courage . She would most probably have won the Del Mar Oaks but for having been sent on too soon and being slightly eased near the line by an overconfident rider. She did not get a good trip in the Matriarch....but hey who needs excuses when you have achieved what TICKER TAPE has. 

CONCLUSION

 I just do not see any other filly/mare who has started more than once in the USA this year who deserves the award more than TICKER TAPE. As far as I know no US based filly or mare has won more than 1 Grade 1 this year and certainly no other filly/mare figures is in the Top 11 horses ( see above). The only possible contender is OUIJA BOARD. But she has only run once in the USA and if you eliminate the Breeders Cup bias, she has won one Grade 1.

My heart has always said TICKER TAPE should get the Eclipse award. Now, having analysed the data and written this piece, my head says so too

After all the hours and hours of research, the logistical problems and the endless updates, this year's sale of Horses in Training at Tattersalls  Newmarket was a bit of an anticlimax. Right from the day the catalogue came out it was apparent that there was less depth than usual amongst the two year olds. Add to that the usual large percentage of outs, and one was left with a slightly unsatisfactory selection from which to choose next year's stars.

Nonetheless my clients and I spent four days looking at horses, viewing videos speaking to vets and generally assessing the fare on offer., As a result we bought a total of 19 horses. Eight were for Jim CAssidy and the Ticker Tape gang of Deron Pearson, Jack Sweesy and Jim Ford,  One was for owners of Bob Hess jnr , one for Class Racing Stables and nine will head for the barn of Tim Yakteen after being bought by Jerry Jamgotchian.

At this stage it is hard to pick out the stars with any certainty but my favorites were MOTH BALL , MISS CASSIA: LADY LE QUESNE: CAMMIES FUTURE: . and one or two others. The biggest disappointment of the week was  not buying EMBOSSED a really nice two year old colt of Richard Hannon's, but he just made too much.

Only time will tell how well we shopped, but I think we chose some of the nicer horses from a below par selection                                                                                                                              

It could have been the crowning weekend of 2004, but a combination of God ( rain) , riders having left theur brains in the Thanksgiving turkey and just plain bad luck rained on the parade and we were left to rue what ' might have been'. The Turf Festival at Hollywood Park is always a weekend of top racing and it was with anticipation that I was looking forward to the North American debuts of LADY LE QUESNE and MOTH BALL , the reintroduction of PLACE COWBOY after his gallant run in the Del Mar Derby and TICKER TAPE taking on her elsders in the Matriarch.  Well what to make of it all???????????????

TICKER TAPE probably should have won. Undoubtedly she should have been 2nd. I suppose I was never all that confident after hearing that Desormaux had elected to rise Musiacl Chimes ( talk about the handicap of not being a big stable), but I was still not prepared for what Mr Espinoza did. His instructions were to keep her reasonably close to the pace and on no account go up the inside. So he lets her trail and then comes up the inside. But worse was to come. Having got her in full stride and closing fast, he decides to change his whip hand. At that point I really thought I was watching a 16 year old apprentice around some gaff track in England. The changeover was about as smooth as a piece of sandpaper. It cost Ticker Tape impetus and deprived her of 2nd place for sure. If he had followed Cassidy's instructions who knows, she might have won...I think she would have had she been able to launch her challenge from the same position as in the American Oaks.

MOTH BALL: Nothing wrong with the jockewy here, Just the horse, In a race which he would probably have won, the Ball bounced up and down in the gate and then, decided to be a pinball and flip over. As a result he was scratched and we shall never know what he could have done. If he was mine he would now be called MOTH and have lost his Ball(s). I hope that the Master Horseman Cassidy can cure this talented colt's aversion to the gate,

LADY LE QUESNE. In a race which also saw the US debut of an Italian import of ours MAC RHAPSODY both fillies ran a brave race in the Miesque Stakes. They finished 5th and 4th respectively . LADY LE QUESNE who had not travelled as well as the others tired after showing a lot of talent and MAC RHAPSODY showed some inexperience though she did run on well for 4th, I am sure there is a lot of improvement to come from these fillies. Watch out for 2005.

PLACE COWBOY was due a win and though the competition was quite tough I fancied him to prevail, In the closest of close photos he was nosed out of it and finished s gallant 2nd. The softish ground also did him no favours as he relishes a fast surface. Another colt who's talent will shine through on another day.

Still that's racing ...sometimes the chips just don't fall in the right place. Having said that I am still apologising to my wife for waking her by screaming at Mr Espinoza on TT in the Matriarch. I think I woke the whole street.

It could have been the crowning weekend of 2004, but a combination of God ( rain) , riders having left their brains in the Thanksgiving turkey and just plain bad luck rained on the parade and we were left to rue what ' might have been'. The Turf Festival at Hollywood Park is always a weekend of top racing and it was with anticipation that I was looking forward to the North American debuts of LADY LE QUESNE and MOTH BALL , the reintroduction of PLACE COWBOY after his gallant run in the Del Mar Derby and TICKER TAPE taking on her elsders in the Matriarch.  Well what to make of it all???????????????

TICKER TAPE probably should have won. Undoubtedly she should have been 2nd. I suppose I was never all that confident after hearing that Desormaux had elected to rise Muscal Chimes ( talk about the handicap of not being a big stable), but I was still not prepared for what Mr Espinoza did. His instructions were to keep her reasonably close to the pace and on no account go up the inside. So he lets her trail and then comes up the inside. But worse was to come. Having got her in full stride and closing fast, he decides to change his whip hand. At that point I really thought I was watching a 16 year old apprentice around some gaff track in England. The changeover was about as smooth as a piece of sandpaper. It cost Ticker Tape impetus and deprived her of 2nd place for sure. If he had followed Cassidy's instructions who knows, she might have won...I think she would have had she been able to launch her challenge from the same position as in the American Oaks.

MOTH BALL: Nothing wrong with the jockey here, Just the horse, In a race which he would probably have won, the Ball bounced up and down in the gate and then, decided to be a pinball and flip over. As a result he was scratched and we shall never know what he could have done. If he was mine he would now be called MOTH and have lost his Ball(s). I hope that the Master Horseman Cassidy can cure this talented colt's aversion to the gate,

LADY LE QUESNE. In a race which also saw the US debut of an Italian import of ours MAC RHAPSODY both fillies ran a brave race in the Miesque Stakes. They finished 5th and 4th respectively . LADY LE QUESNE who had not travelled as well as the others tired after showing a lot of talent and MAC RHAPSODY showed some inexperience though she did run on well for 4th, I am sure there is a lot of improvement to come from these fillies. Watch out for 2005.

PLACE COWBOY was due a win and though the competition was quite tough I fancied him to prevail, In the closest of close photos he was nosed out of it and finished s gallant 2nd. The softish ground also did him no favours as he relishes a fast surface. Another colt who's talent will shine through on another day.

Still that's racing ...sometimes the chips just don't fall in the right place. Having said that I am still apologising to my wife for waking her by screaming at Mr Espinoza on TT in the Matriarch. I think I woke the whole street

All week, Barry Irwin of Team Valor was ringing me up telling me that the rains were lashing the Keenland turf. This was good news for RIVER BELLE a filly I had bought for him last year in England, but it looked less promising for TICKER TAPE whose wins had all come on good ground or better. Going into the rac e I thought that TICKER TAPE would have to be a very special filly to win in these conditions. I also thought the probable slow early pace and stretch sprint would favour Barancella as it would suit her style and the going would also be to her liking

TICKER TAPE's victory was just stunning. Given a perfect ride by Kent Desormaux and a masterful training regimen by Jim Cassidy, she bided her time and when asked she just exploded. Kent kept her up to her work to win by a 1/2 length from the closing Barancella and a game RIVER BELLE who had tried to make all.

I was delighted for Barry Irwin and Team Valor whose decision to run here was vindicated, and even more delighted for Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and Jack Sweesy all of whom were on hand to watch TT  win her 2nd Grade 1. It could so nearly have been three but for the unfortunate nose defeat in the Del Mar Oaks.

I am left here tonight raising a glass to what must surely now be the top US based three year old turf filly. If it were not for the inclusion of older fillies and mares, surely the eclipse award would be hers to claim

The Matriarch is mooted as her final start as a three year old and on all evidence it will take a very good filly to beat her in that race

Well done to my owners and trainers and a special thank you to TICKER TAPE>  A one three in a Grade 1 does not happen very often

There was a sense of justice last night when I watched TICKER TAPE stroll home and win the PUCKER UP STAKES at Arlington Park. In beating the top Eastern trained filly Spotlight, TT erased all the memories of the unlucky defeat in the Del Mar Oaks and regained her position as one of the very best 3yo turf fillies in the USA.

Beautifully settled by Kent Desormaux, TT made her move just before the final turn and quickened away from the opposition under virtually a hand ride. Kent rode another masterful race.

What was so impressive was the ease with which she dusted her rivals. Had Spotlight not been in the race, cynics could have argued that it was a step down in class. But Spotlight had won both her US starts prior to the Pucker Up and had recorded an easy victory in a Grade 2 at Saratoga. Indeed TT's owners, the triumvirate comprising Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and Jack Sweesy , and Jim Cassidy the master trainer had worried beforehand . But the worrries were groundless such was TT's superiority,.             

As Rene Douglas ( Spotlight's rider)  graciously commented :I had a good trip,”  “I was just on the second best horse. I followed the other filly around and then when I tried to move against her she just drew away from me. That’s why she’s the best.”

So the QUeen Elizabeth Challenge looms next for this wonderful talented filly . It is so exciting for  her connections to be in this position that I might even be tempted to get on a plane to hopefully see TT crown herself . Unfortunately the race is a little close to the Horses in Training sale for which I need to do a whole lot of work .....still I'm thinking about it.

But the plaudits must go to this amazing tough filly , her astute and talented trainer Jim Cassidy and her owners,. Of course I will pat myself on the back as well.

Now all I need to do is find next year's version at the sales in a months'

Firstly my apologies for not keeping the site up to date.

MY son Alexander and I went to Del Mar, hoping to see THE KAT and TICKER TAPE win the John Mabee and the Del Mar Oaks . But it was not to be. It is just so frustrating to be beaten a nose....I mean it begs so many questions

Ticker Tape just failed by a nose to build on her success in the Grade 1 American Oaks and The Kat ran a gallant second. Take nothing away from TT, she ran her heart out but both she and maybe her rider were just not quite awake to the late surge of Amorama. THE KAT ran her heart out but in my opinion she just needs a little further these days. Hopefully compensation will come in the Yellow Ribbon back at Santa Anita. TICKER TAPE will probably head for the Grade 1 Garden City Handicap at Belmont. The Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington is also under consideration.

We did however have a nice winner at the meet when ON THE ACORN unfancied in the betting won his allowance race in really nice style .

The other pleasing run was by our new purchase PLACE COWBOY. A recent import from Jamie Osbornes' stable (Ticker Tape) and now owned by the Gould Family Trust he ran the best race of his career when finishing only 7th in the Del Mar Derby. What made the run so pleasing was that he was beaten just under 3 lerngths by the Meeting's sensation Blackdoun; One would hope that there is a lot better to come from this son of Compton Place

Anyway I am looking forward to the Oak Tree Meeting at Santa Anita where we whould have some good results for all our clients.

It was like in the fairy stories one read as a child.....the weanling no one wanted...the cheap yearling...and ultimately the success in one of North America's most prestigious races.

TICKER TAPE HAS ARRIVED

The stage was set back in July last year when  TT won a lowly maiden at Warwick in England. Agent Gordian Troeller immediately felt there was sumething special about her and this was confirmed to him when he went to inspect the filly at Jamie Osborne's Lambourn barn. Throughout the rest of the summer I tried unsuccefully to persuade clients in California to buy the filly. Jim Cassidy was the only person who saw what I saw and by then the catalogue for the October Hosres in Training Sale has been published and we decided to buy her there when her porspective owners Jim Ford and Deron Pearson would also be in attendance.

The rest as they say is now history and this super filly kicked clear of a top class International field in the Oaks last Staurday to win her and Jim Cassidy's first Grade 1. I must hold up my hnd and say that I originally had misgivings about the venture as I was not sure she would stay the 10 furlongs, but I am delighted to have been poved wrong. Not only did she stay, but she showed an incredible turn of foot.

Given a superb ride by Kent Desormaux she stalked the leaders and coming off the bottom turn she kicked accelerated and waved goodbye to her pursuers. The Japanese filly Dance in the Mood tried to close in the last 16th but she did not have enough.

A huge congratulations to Jim Cassidy and his team ( assistant Jamie Lloyd, exercise riders Georgie and Nick Elser and foreman Rudi) . A massive 'well done' to her great owners Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and Jack Sweesy.

Not only did TICKER TAPE set the whole of Holywood talking, she also received a whole lot of plaudits from the English press and the whole Uk bloodtsock industry.

It's lovely when a story has a happy ending/

Jim Cassidy was in bed with flu....he could hardly speak and was feeling dreadful. SO it was left to his able deputy Jamie Llloyd to travel to Hollywood to sadlle two fillies in the mile allowance race on Thursday. FORTUNATELY who had already been Stakes placed in the La Habra was sent off the odds on favourite, but it was the other Cassidy filly KURLICUE who took the spoils.

The two stable mates contested the running for much of the race, but it was KURLICUE who stayed on the stronger and prevailed willingly at the line. Bought for the Ford/Pearson/Sweesy partnership at the Tattersalls Horses in training for just about $ 30,000, KURLICUE was having her first US start. There are surely brighter and better things to come from this daughter of Imperial Ballet and it will be interesting to see where Cassidy decides to run her next. Another great training perormnace by Jim Cassidy, assistant Jamie Lloyd and the team.

One must not forget to mention FORTUNATELY who ran a solid race over  a distance which is proving just too long for her. Hopefully this outing will have put her spot on for the Manhattan Beach Stakes on the 31st May.                                                                  

In what was nearly an arrogant display of superiority TICKER TAPE won her 2nd Stakes race in a row when dusting the field in the $ 100,000 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita today.

Not only did the daughter of Royal Applause win, she won as she liked. Coming into the home stretch Kent DEsormaux looked left and right, shook the reins and TICKER TAPE just flew.
She won by some 3 lengths easing down at the wire

I am especially delighted for Jim CAssidy who had spent some sleepless nights worrying about the filly as she had tied up after a work last week.But his faith was jujstified and Jim and the owners must look forward to Hollywood and beyond that to Del Mar with a filly who arguably is now the Queen of the 3yo turf fillies in the West of the USA and possibly the whole country.

AT nearly $ 180,000 she was the most expensive sales purchase we had made for Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and new partner Jack Sweesy, but she has repaid the faith I had in this filly since I saw her win a lowly maiden at Warwick last spring. There will be some red faces around other Californian horsemen to whom I had repeatedly offered the filly throughout the summer and who had turned her down.

 The day belongs To TICKER TAPE, a filly who I believe will still improve and who has yet to meet her match now that she has settled in to the Californian training and racing program.

The Parade might just get more raucous, longer and better

The eyes of the world were centred on the Desert heat of Dubai where Sheik Mohammed's yearly carnival reached it's climax.

Meanwhile back on earth, seven top class three year old fillies battled for the honours in the Santa Ana Stakes a Grade 2 event at Santa Anita. The whispers were for  Megahertz who with her Group 1 status started heavily favoured. And it was Bobby Frakel's charge who passed the wire first, just under a length in front of of a closing KATDOGAWN.  However, in making her move the filly crossed and interfered with nearly the whole field and was duly taken down by the stewards.\

Benefiting from Megahertz' misdemeaner was THE KAT, still a real force to be reckoned with in these Graded Stakes races. THE KAT had not had that much luck in running, having to wait for an opening on the rail. However once the gap appeared she was  through it like a cat and sarted to power home closing in on the leader the whole time. It was another extremely game performnce by KATDOGAWN, THE KAT. She  must now rate in the top ten fillies nationwide .

Connections were delighted to be awarded the race and it was not long before the champagne flowed again. This was the third straight Stakes win at Santa Anita for trainer Jim Cassidy who had previously won both the China Doll ( TICKER TAPE) and the Academy Road ( UNRIVALLED)

This keeps up a tremendous strike rate for our purchases for the Ford , Pearson and Sweesy stable, one which I hope we can add to in the weeks to come.

Congratulations to all involved,........don't forget we seem to be The Source of a Good Horse

The Media, the bettors everyone was talking about dancing....well not quite...the buzz in the air was Mambo Slew the filly who most people think ( thought) was potentially the best 3yo grass filly in the USA. Well as they say the bubble truly burst yesterday when TICKER TAPE rained on Mambo Slew's parade

Always in a handy postion, Kent Desormaux didn't want to let Mambo Slew poach too much of an early lead. Sitting a couple of lengths back, he gave TICKER TAPE A few reminders and she lengthened well and won by just under a length with a bit in hand. I have always believed that there wer good things to come from TICKER TAPE and yesterday she justified that faith in no uncertain fashion

It was a second straight Stakes win for my purchases and for trainer Jim CAssidy and owners Jim Ford, Deron PEarson and Jack Sweesy coming the day after UNRIVALLED had taken the Pasadena STakes

Mention must also be made of two other fillies I bought which ran in the race: FORTUNATELY who ran a cracking game race and led to the 1/8th pole only to weaken in the final yards ( beaten less than a length for 3rd) as well as Bobby Frankel's  GRACEFULLY who seemingly well outclassed came flying at the end to finish 5th.

SO far a great week at Santa Anita....let's hope the final few weeks of the meet provide us with a few more winners and I have especially high hopes for KATDOGAWN who runs in the Santa Ana Stakes .

Just a few months back, Jim Cassidy and I 'fell in love' with a handsome bay colt selling at Tattersalls Newmarket.: his name was UNRIVALLED and he had won his maiden just a couple of days before the sale. When we looked over all our purchases it was this colt and Ticker Tape who stood out as 'class

Then when  he got to California the problems started: 'He won't go to the track in the mornings' a perplexed Cassidy told me  ';I've gelded the son of a bitch' a few weeks later:  'The ................. won't train'. And so it went on. A relatively pricey colt looked like he was turning in to a costly mistake.

But in a brilliant feat of training Jim Cassidy turned that horse around. Today, under a well judged ride from Emile Ramsammy, UNRIVALLED won the Pasadena Stakes (Listed) and paid an amazing 44 to 1.

I am so delighted for Cassidy, the  owners Jim Ford , Deron Pearson and Jack Sweesy, Assistant trainer Jamie Lloyd and yard foreman Rudi. It was a wonderful way to start the horse's career. Maybe his Triple Crown entry is looking less forelorn.

It took weeks of planning, but a lot of frequent flyer miles later the plan came to fruition.

Just as everyone else had abandoned hope of exporting horses from South Africa due to an outbreak of African Horse Sickness, we went in and snapped up three proven and one promising fillies. They will make the trip to the USA on a special charter plane and will do a 60 day spell at Newburgh Quarantine Station.

The four fillies are:

TARAS TOUCH: Champion 3yo sprinter of 2002/3. Multiple Graded Stakes winner . WARNING ZONE: Champion 2yo filly of 2002/3. Multiple Graded Stakes winner: ... SECRET HEART : Listed winner and Graded Stakes placed. Half sister to potential champion Promisefrommyheart.       JACARANDA JANE: Unbeaten two year old filly. Blue sky and bags of potential.   

All excpet Warning Zone will be exported to the USA very soon on a special charter flight and should be ready to run in North America in the fall. WARNING ZONE will stay in South Africa for a tilt at the fillies Triple Crown.

It will be intersting to see how these fillies adjust to racing in the USA, but there could be an IPI TOMBE in there...that would make the last few weeks well worthwhile

The daring and at times covert operation to secure these fillies at the right price was undertaken on behalf of our clients TEAM VALOR who once again showed the forsight acumen and courage to tread boldly and take advantage of new opportunities.

The day after ON THE ACORN had won his maiden, a filly purchased for Jerry Jamgotchian ran in the La Habra Stakes at Santa Anita.

FORTUNATELY had been off the track for six months,yet belied her 'rustiness' to run a cracking race in the La Habra. Always up with the pace, the Forzando filly battled on well in the stretch but could not quite get to the winner. She was beaten less than a length. Watching the head on replay it appears that she was slightly intimidated all the way up the straight which makes her effort all the more laudible.

This is a filly with a future who will win some nice prizes for owner Jerry Jamgotchian and trainer Jim Cassidy.

I was at Santa ANita when ON THE ACORN ran his first race , a pleasing 6th. He ran a good race that day and I was sure he would win next time out.

And so it came to pass yesterday at the same track when he ran away with the maiden special weight. He was always in command and under a positive and well judged ride from Emile Ramsammy, he came up the rail to win going away.

It is too early to get overexcited about the future, but on the evidence of yesterday there is every hope that ON THE ACORN will grow into a mighty Oak and be able to take on the best. I myself would be very interested to see whether he will run as well on the dirt. If he does it could open a whole range of options for him

Very well done to owners CAssidy, Jim Ford and Deron Pearson. TRained to the minute by Cassidy.

It is also worth mentioning FIRST NOTE a gelding who has been training temperamentaly and who we had sort of lost hope over. In his first stateside race, he ran a much better race than expected and on this evidence whoulc win a minor contest for owner Jerry Jamgotchian

For the whole week prior to the Buena Vista, trainer Jim Cassidy had been walking his stall. He had a tough decision to make. THE KAT ( As Katdogawn is know to her many admirers) had been giving the odd cough...she had a sinus infection and her blood counts were OK but not spectacular. To run or not to run that was the question. The possibility of soft turf was another worry. No surprise then that Cassidy either lost a few hairs or had a few more turn grey.

In the end he decided to run and this decision was vindicated when THE KAT ran a game race to finish a good 2nd. Another Graded Stakes race placing for this admirably consistent and tough filly.

THE KAT was settled at the back of the field by Mike Smith and coming into the home turn she went after the leaders, In her usual fashion she reeled them all in with a finishing kick, but she could not quite get to the leader. She seemed a little at sea in the wet and was not grabbing hold of the track.

She has come out of the race well, Cassidy has relaxed back into his usual jovial and convivial self and THE KAT will be aimed at another Grade 2 at the end of MArch.,

As long as the weather does not play havoc with the card, Cassidy will have a strong European presence this weekend with MOULIN DE MOUGINS tackling the Baldwin Stakes, FOTUNATELY and LUCAYAN BEAUTY contesting the La HAbra. Heir Today, First Note, Betty's Tribute are all also slated to run....keep those rain clouds away

J Paul Reddam's TANGLE bought by  us in conjunction with  agent Laura Stone came very close to winning the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita today.

Vindicating trainer Craig Dollase's faith in putting her on the dirt, the daughter of Bob Back was always in the front rank. When the pressure was turned on she battled gamely and came again to be denied by a long neck . She galloped out strongly to suggest that at 1 1/4 miles, she will be very hard to beat in similar ( if not higher) grade.
It was really pleasing to see that she adapted to the dirt so well, as it opens up wider options for her.

Tangle was bred in Ireland and is another top class filly sourced by us in the Emerald Isle.

CRIMSON PALACE the filly we bought for Team Valor and partners just under a year ago was sold this week To Sheik Rashid, son of Sheik Mohammed a figure reported to be in excess of 1.5 Million US$. This was after she had won her latest start ( the first since we bought her) in an allowance race at Nad El Sheba, lowering the course record set last year by Ipi Tombe.

Explaining the decision to sell the filly, Barry Irwin , the charismatic President of Team Valor said " This is another mare who could become a star and earn a lot of money, but it’s not a guarantee, and this offer was good enough that our clients are making out pretty well from the original investments,"

It is believed that Sheik Rashid has passed the filly on to Godolphin and that she will be trained for her next starts by Saeed Bin Suroor. The goal is still the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup day.

This sale has highlighted once again our ability to find and buy horses for clients which can return a good profit on the original purchase price, either through their racecourse earnings or by being sold .

CRIMSON PALACE, a filly sourced and bought for Team Valor and Partners in South Africa last year, made her first start for her new owners in Dubai. Much was expected of this South African Grace 1 winner as she had been training forwardly and Mike de Kock had been comparing her to our other South African purchase IPI TOMBE

With such a build up, it was always possible that we were heading for a fall, but CRIMSON PALACE bucked the trend . She won the 1 mile 1/16th conditions contest against males in scintillating fashion, bursting through a small gap and exploding in deep stretch to win by nearly five lengths.

Whilst just the win, in itself was a great result, it was not till the time of the race was posted that the significance of the win became cler. Not only had CRIMSON PALACE beaten Group winning colts ( amongst them Gateman rated 116 Timeform) but she had also broken the track record set last year by no other than IPI TOMBE. Sh shaved just over 1/5th second off that time.

It is patently too early to speak of this filly in the same breath as the great Ipi Tombe, but assuming all goes well with her training and no ill effects from Thursday's race, it is possible that CRIMSON PALACE will follow Ipi Tombe's route and win a couple of Stakes races on her way to running in the Dubai Duty Free race.\

There is an awful lot to look forward to with this filly

J Paul Reddam's filly TANGLE which we bought for him back in the winter of 2002, came back from a long spell on the sidelines to take the allowance race at Santa Anita last night in good style.

Always pressing the pace, the daughter of Bob Back came cruising through and won going away. The win was admittedly not overly impressive - workmanlike- but allowing for the fact that it was her first race in many many months she gave notice that there is a lot more to come

It will be nice to see her compete again in Stakes races. Assuming she stays injury free she should be competitive at the highest level

Congratulations to Laura STone ( the agent in the USA with whom I bought the filly) Paul Reddam and Craig Dollase

In her second US start TICKER TAPE put up another good display and served notice that when she is just that little bit 'tighter' she will be a filly to contend with in the Graded Stakes races on the Turf this spring and summer.

It is an indictment of Santa Anita's racing programme that the only options for fillies' Stakes races going long during the whole winter/spring meet are the Blue Norther, The Sweet Sensation and the Providencia ( none of which have graded Status) It is this more than anything else which forced Jim Cassidy to run Ticker Tape in the Blue Norther. In his own words she was only 85% tight ( she had not done much work since her brave 2nd in the Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park).

As such she put up a very good display. Ridden from the back by Kent Desormaux ( replacing the injured Julie Krone) she weaved her way through the pack, was forced 4 or 5 wide on the home turn and finished in the style of a good filly. But the leader had gone and try as she might TICKER TAPE could not quite close in time.

It is too early to be too bullish but it looks like TICKER TAPE will get her share of victory parades in good races during the rest of this year.

Another good filly for Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and Jack Seezy and lots to look forward to this summer.

KATDOGAWN the filly which we bought cheaply last year at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sales went a step closer to becoming our own 'Legend' when she battled tenaciously to beat Personal Legend by a head in the Grade 2 Dahlia Handicap oin the Turf at Hollywood Park./

Settled in rear by Mike Smith, she made her own running room turning into the stretch and powered away to repel the late challenge of Personal Legend by a head.  This was the first time that she had taken on older horses and she gave her all to prevail.

She added another Graded Stakes success for her owners Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and John Cushna, and was brilliantly prepared for the race by her trainer Jim Cassidy.

THE KAT runs so hard and so gamely that Jim Cassidy has learned that he must give her extra time between her races as she has her 'head on the floor' after game efforts like this and needs to be freshened up between each race. This lack of time was probably the cause of her defeat in the Del MAr Oaks (which came too soon after her victory in the San Clemente)

Another sterling effort by THE KAT and one which has taken her earnings to well over US$ 350,000.

WE can only hope that we have another one like her in the batch which we bought at the Horses in Training Sale this year.

Meanwhile, hats of the 'THE KAT' and many many congratulations to Jim Cassidy and the owners.

It was the first experiment which Jim Cassidy had undertaken with horses purchased with us at the October Horses in Training Sale...running two fillies in  the Miesque right off the plane. I had put the idea to him conversationally at dinner one night and Jim took up the challenge.

A deal was struck with Jamie Osborne ( her old trainer) and the filly moved back to familiar surroundings to be prepped for the Miesque. She boarded a plane in Amsterdam on the Monday, spent Tuesday and Wednesday in quarantine and ran on Friday.

Last ( by some 35 lengths) coming down the backstretch, she suddenly decided this was her time, and finding an incredible turn of foot she had closed to 1 length off the winner at the wire. She really laid her body down and ran awesomely. It was a very pleasing poerformance and one that bodes well for her future in the USA.

The other filly LETSIMPRESS had had the same sort of preparation ( but had stayed in Newmarket to be trained). She ran very well until the distance just found her out and she finished tired. She should hold her own dropped in distance.

I was delighted that the plan hatched that night  so nearly hit the jackpot, and had, at least added more Black Type to TICKER TAPE's name.

TICKER TAPE is a filly who looks like measuring up to the high expectations we have of her.

The catalogue looked weak in the two year old division, the weather was turning nasty, some of last year's players had decided not to travel over...all in all it did not look promising.

However after an awful lot of work researching race records and pedigrees and inspecting horses, we were able to find a fair few horses that look like they will make the grade in Southern CAlifornia during 2004.

As usual the Jim Cassidy team ( Jim plus his owners Deron Pearson and Jim Ford) arrived in good spirits and anxious to try and emulate last year's success when we found them Katdogawn, Star Vega and Steelaninch.

All in all I bought 12 horses ( 10 for Cassidy). Amongst them was TICKER TAPE a progressive and exciting two year old filly. She might run off the plane in the Miesque Stakes.

Another lovely horse was UNRIVALLED a reject from the John Gosden barn, who really looks the part.

Another few months and we will know how well we selected our horses, but at this stage most of them have arrived in California and look well.

The future as they say is looking rosy

We have recently bought a very exciting two year old colt for Team Valor and Partners who will be aimed at the Triple Crown of 2004. MALINa well made colt by one of the leading first crop sires Cape Cross will follow the route that THE DEPUTY took a few years back.

MALIN had won two of his three starts when we bought him. Timeform rated in the low 100s his rating was esepcially encouraging as it had been achieved without the colt ever having competed in Pattern races.

MALIN has joined the barn of Jenine Sahadi in California and should be ready to make his US debut early in the NEw Year.

We hope he will be as useful as THE DEPUTY and that he might even carry the form all the way through to Victory in the Run for the Roses

In a deal which took several days to negotiate, Gordian Troeller, has just purchased RIVER BELLE the impressive winner of the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot for TEAM VALOR.As part of the agreement, RIVER BELLE will stay in training in England until at least the end of the year, and probably right up to the 1000 Guineas in May 2004.

RIVER BELLE is  unbeaten in her two starts to date, a maiden and the Group 3. Keiren Fallon , the UK's champion jockey was very impressed with this filly. 'She has lots of gears, is very laid back, and has got  an amazing turn of foot.' he said after the comfortable win

The plan is for RIVER BELLE to have two more races as a juvenile. The first will either be the Prestige Stakes Gr 3 over 7/8ths at Goodwood on July 24th or alternatively the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes at the Curragh on August 31st. Following this the plan takes her next either to the Meon Valley Fillies Mile Gr 1 at Ascot or the Rockfel Stakes Gr 2 at Newmarket. She will then be put away for the winter and brought back for the Guineas

A tall, attractive, correct filly RIVER BELLE is currently one of the top fillies in England and will hopefully be up to running with credit in the classic next spring

As  the horses came into the top turn in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes , Saturday at Del Mar. Jamie Lloyds assistant trainer to Jim Cassidy turned to his girlfriend and said ' Well it;s all down to STAR VEGA now, KATDOGWAN is too close to the pace'. Indeed Julie Krone had the diminutive Bahhare filly just tracking the leasers on the rail. Then explosively, as they entered the stretch, Krone gave THE KAT two cracking backhanders, shook the reins, angled off the rail and the little filly just took off, with her characteristic turn of foot. At the wire she was an easy 2 length winner from the hot favorite Atlantic Ocean,.

This was the first Graded Stakes win for THE KAT and also the first Grade 2 win for her trainer Jim Cassidy. It was the manner of her vistory which impressed. She was trapped on the rail, could have been in trouble was it not for her instant response to her rider's urgings. But THE KAT has that quality which marks the top horses, a will top win and an instant change of gear and acceleration which can just dust off the opposition.

The San Clemente win was particularly poignant for owners Jim Ford and John Cushna as it was on Home Turf, both being natives of the San Diego area. The other partner in the triumvirate, Deron Pearson was aslo on hand to see the filly win.

THE KAT cost just $ 17,000 at the Octobver Horses in training sale at Tattersalls last year.

Another Graded Stakes winner for our purchases, THE KAT has been handled and trained with his usual patience and skill by Jim Cassidy ably assisted by Jamie Lloyd and is a tribute to the acumen of her owners.

What next for THE KAT?. Well  there's the Barona Stakes or maybe the Del Mar Oaks, if she will go that extra 1/8th mile.

Also don't forget STAR VEGA, who did nothing wrong in the San Clemente, ending up a fast finishing 4th beaten a head bob for 3rd

All in all a very pleasing result which we were on hand to watch ( the are pictures to prove it) and another great succes for EUROPEAN HORSES. We can beat the best the US can throw at us when these horses are trained with knowledge, patience and understanding by their US handler.

FLAWLESS: without blemish or shortcomings : Oxford English Dictionary

KATDOGAWN squeezed at the start of the Flawlessly Stakes, recovered her balance and gave chase to the pack. As the field entered the back stretch THE KAT lengthened her stride, put her head down and started stalking. Out in front Just Too Too was setting fast fractions and was unchallenged. On reaching the stretch KATDOGWAN hesitated momentarily as if sizing up the oppostion and then pounced as she normally dopes, lengthening her stride and reeling the field in. One by one they fell to her , but unfortnately the winner was just too too far in the lead. THE KAT still managed to get within 3/4 length of the unbeaten filly.

This was a very pleasing performance for trainer James Casidy and owners Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and John Cushna as it showed them that KATDOGWAN can be effectice over the mile. Stamina does not seem to be a problem for the daughter of Bahhare and it is on the cards that she will next reappear in the San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar on August 2nd.

In a masterful piece of horsemanship, jockey Pat Day allowed IPI TOMBE to have no more than an exercise gallop when winning her first US start in the Grade 3 :ocust Grove HAndicap at Churchill Downs. The super mare, bought and sourced by us in South Africa last year, missed the break, caught up with the runners down the back stretch and then eased to the front to win by an easy 1/2 length under hand riding. She had her ears pricked as she went past the field and looked to be enjoying herself.

Day, Elliot Walden, Barry Irwin of Team Valor and even the connections of the 2nd and 3rd horses were full of priase for the daughter of Manshood who has now won 13 of her 15 starts.

The plan seems to be for  IPI TOMBE to go for the Diana  Handicap at Saratoga next followed by either the Arlington Million or the Beverly D Stakes .

ANOTHER STAKES WINNER FROM THE FOREMOST AGENT

SHARPBILL , trained by Vladimir Cerin for owners DAvid and Holly Wilson ran a very good race in the Honeymoon Breeders Cup race  June 9th when finishing a close up 3rd in the Grade 2 contest. Bought from Price Khalid Abdullah at the Horses in Training sale, this is the first Graded stakes placing for the daughter of Eagle Eyed.

Connections are now hoping that the filly will get invited to the American Oaks to be run July 5th, where the distance should suit her style of running/.  Watching the race it was possible to argue that SHARPBILL would have been better suited by a more enterprising ride, but she lost nothing in defeat and should be very competitive in the 3yo fillies Satkes races this summer and this fall.

Just before sunset little Jimmy and his pa James were sitting on Manhattan Beach looking out at the ocean when the sand swirled arund and blocked their view. Something came around the corner and sped past them very fast. Cat? asked little Jimmy  Pa shrugged his shoulders    Dog? asked little Jimmy. Pa shrugged his shoulders again and sucked his pipe. After a short while he said Gawn very fast anyhows.

And so it was at Hollywood Park on Sunday afternoon when KATDOGAWN smoked her rival is the $ 75000 Manhattan Beach Stakes. Held up in rear and meeting a little trouble just before the turn, Mike Smith angled the daughter of Bahhare out in the stretch and finding her usual electrifying turn of foot she swept past the others to record a two length win in just over 1m 02 for the 5 1/2 furlongs. Trained by Jim Cassidy and owned by the trio of Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and John Cushna, KATDOGAWN was purchased at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in England.  It is the second striaght win for this filly at Hollywood this meeting .

Trainer Cassidy will probably have to look out of state for this filly's net start as there do not at first glance seem to be any suitable Stakes races for her during the rest of the Hollywood meet or even at Del Mar.

J Paul Reddam's TANGLE< trained by Craig Dolasse ran a great race in the $ 100,000 Appalachian Stakes finishing a close up 2nd, 6 1/2 lengths ahead ofthe third horse

Waited with under Cory NAkatani, TANGLE move up on the inside entering the final turn, but was forced to come 4 wide off the bend and chased Ocean Terrace gaining on this rival with every stride. In the end the post came just too son and she was beaten 3/4 length. Many racegoers feeling was that she lost more ground by coming wide than she was beaten by. The yielding turf also made it harder for her to close.

There is definitely a Stakes race or two to be won with the daughter of Bob Back and I would love to see her at 1 1/4 miles

STAR VEGA concluded what was an amazing weekend for our purchases when winning the Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita in game fashion. Following on Steelanicnh's success in the La Puente yesterday, STAR VEGA made it a double Stakes victory for trainer Jim Cassidy and his owners Jim Ford and Deron Pearson. John Cushna a new owner for the yard also owns a share in Star Vega

Sent of the 9/5 2nd choice ( with stablemate KATDOGAWN) STAR VEGA settled in at the back of the field. Coming into the final turn she moved up, saw a gap open up on the rail, shot through it and won in game fashion under Mike Smith. In winning the Providencia, the filly overturned the Some Sensation Stakes form with Major Idea. Once again STAR VEGA showed a great turn of foot and gets the 1mile 1/8th distance well.

Purchased for the present owners at the Tattersalls October Horses in Training sale for just under $ 60,000, STAR VEGA earned $ 90,000 for her win today. She will go on to better things and a Graded Stakes at Hollywood Park looks very much the likely target

KATDOGWAN should not be forgotten either as she got slammed by another horse in the stretch and also found the distance too far., She will win her share of races when dropped back in trip.

ALTOGETHER AN AMAZING WEEKEND FOR OUR PURCHASES WITH THE STAR VEGA-STEELANINCH STAKES DOUBLE

A MIGHTY CONGRATULATION TO TRAINER JIM  CASSIDY ON A WONDERFUL DOUBLE

STEELANINCH lived up to his name in the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday when he prevailed over Singletary by an inch or two. It was a cl;ose run thing and after the photo verdict he had to survive a rather ambitious objection by David Flores the rider of the runner up. Rightly the stewards decided to let the placings remain unaltered.

STEELANINCH was another Stakes winner purchased by us at the Tattersalls Horses in training sale for Jim Casssidy's patrons J.D. Ford and Deron Pearson.

Watching the race at home, it appeared to be a really good contest. After fast fractions had been set by the pacesetters (including Love is Blind an entry for Cassidy) STEELANINCH and Singletary joined in a thrilling battle in the last 2 furlongs...a real horserace. Just as it appeared that STEELANINCH might run out of stamina, he found a little more and under urging from Victor Espinoza he won the bob. The final time was fast and there is surely more to come from this game son of Inchinor.

Congratulations to Jim Cassidy on a superb training performance and to Jim Ford and Deron Pearson for a brave purchase.

Tomorrow ( Sunday) the same trio of owners and trainer saddle two runners in the Providencia Stakes and I hope to be writing about their success on this page.

Until IPI TOMBE came from a seemingly impossible position to win the Dubai Duty Free (GR 1) at NAd El Sheba on Saturday night, the atmosphere of the world cup had been somewhat subdued. But as IPI TOMBE walked into the winner's enclosure, the crowd went wild, cheering and clapping in unison to welcome back a filly who must now rank  as the world's best.

The race itself was a heartsopping experience, with IPI TOMBE getting boxed in and jopstled by many of the other runners. When Kevin Shea finally managed to get out the filly seemed to have a mountain to climb.However in her usual style she quickened, accelerated lengthened and launched her challenge with a devastataing turn of foot, to win goihng away by three lengths.

Apart from the joy of seeing one of our purchases win this most prestigious race, it was alsio a vindication of my belief in the South African form. Congratulations to Team Valor who had the foresight and vision to buy this filly

IPI TOMBE will now be rested and shipped to America where she will join the barn of Elliot Walden and probably be aimed at the Arlington Million

During a short visit to California, I had the pleasure of watching five of my purchases at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale make their Stateside debuts.

It was a very pleasing couple of days, which started in style as BIT OF LUCK bought for David and Holly Wilson and trained by Vladimir Cerin won his first US start. ALways in the front rank, he held on gamely to win in good style/ Considering that he was thought to be only three parts ready to fulfill his potential, this was a good effort. He is sure to win again

The same day, three fillies bought at the same sale went to post in the $ 75,000 SOme Sensation Stakes for 3yo fillies. La Campanella , for the Jim Cassidy barn and owned by Jim Ford, Deron Pearson and John Cushna, made showed good speed but faded in the stretch,. Of the two others, FAVOLA, tarined and owned by the same connections as Bit of Luck, ran a sound race  to finish a decent 3rd. However it was the Jim Cassidy trained STAR VEGA in the same ownership as La Campanella, who ran a superb race, closing from way off the pace with a terrific turn  of foot to get to within half a length of the Thoroughbred Corp's hotshot favorite. Three more strides and she would have won. Both she and Favola have a lot of potential and should reappear in the La Providncia Stakes on April 14th.

On Friday two colts went to post in the $ 75,000 Academy Road Stakes. TEMERITAS trained by Simon Bray for KM Stables looked great in the paddock but faded and weakened to finish a dissapointing last, however the Jim Cassidy trained STEELANINCH ran superbly to finish 2nd. All week the turf course had had the rail at 24 feet which gave a distinct advantage to the front runners, and with the winner burning off and maintining really fast fractions, STEELANINCH who was slow breaking from the gate looked to have too  much to do. However tturning for home he came three or four wide and produced a really good burst of speed to close on the winner and finish a gallant 2nd. He ended the race quite tired and there a surely some decent races to be won with this colt.

ALl in all a very satisfying couple of days at Santa Anita PArk

In the evening warmth of Dubai, IPI TOMBE stood in the winner's circle flanks rising, surveying what is fast becoming 'her kingdom'. She had just won the Group 3 Jebbel Hatta outclassing everything the powerful Godolphin stable could throw at her

With this victory, IPI TOMBE has now won both her prep races in DUbai and will be aimed at the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free race on World Cup day, a race for which she is fast becoming an overwheming favorite. Indeed it is hard to see what is going to beat her,.

IPI TOMBE was sourced and bought privately by Gordian Troeller for Team Valor and partners, who sportingly agreed to continue with the Dubai campaign to which Mike de Kock the brilliant trainer had committed. Already a Champion in South Africa, this filly is so good on turf that one could arguably postulate that she is the best 9 furlong turf filly in the world right now.

Settled in off the lead by regular jockey Kevin Shea, IPI TOMBE just exploded at the 3/8th pole, showing her usual devastating acceleration to win by 3 3/4 lengths. In so doing she beat colts (giving them weight) amongst which were a few European Group winners.

Given her class and her raw talent, it is extremely exciting to be associated with such a brilliant filly and one can only wait eagerly, proudly and somewhat nervously for March 29th, the day she will take on the world's best in the desert.

In a brilliant stretch run KATDOGAWN a filly I -purchased cheaply for Jim Cassidy at the Tattersalls Horses in Training sale, nearly upset the odds on LUVAH GIRL a filly I bought privately for Team Valor and Gary Barber last year.

Settled in behinmd the leaders and off a bit slow, LUVAH GIRL rallied well in the stretch to record her second straight victory ( after the Rockfel Stakes Gr 2 in england). Having seen off the rest of the field she was suddenly nearly caught by the electrifying final burst of KATDOGAWN who came within a head of snatching victory.

Both fillies came out of the race with honor. LUVAH GIRL ( Off since her last British win) was still green, looking at the stands and did not seem fully wound up. In my opionin she would alsohave been better suited running up with the pace from the start, as she is very hard to pass once in front. Plans for the daughter of Alzao are fluid at this time but Keenland has been mentioned as a possible next step.

KATDOGAWN ran her best ever race and came from last to first with a remarkable turn of foot. Her future will largely depend on what Cassidy feels her optimum distance will be. On Friday's evidence she should stretch out to a mile with no problems.

This race was another example of the value for money to be found when buying horses through Gordian Troeller

IPI TOMBE a filly that I purchased from South Africa last year for a partnership of Team Valor and  Winstar Farm ran out the comfortable winner of the Listed AL FAHIDI FORT STAKES at the Nad Al Sheba racecourse in Dubai earlier this evening.

Settled behind the leaders by her usual South African jockey Kevin Shea, IPI TOMBE made her move 3/16th from the wire and cruised to a comfortable 2 1/4 length success in the 1 mile contest on turf. What made the performnace all the more impressive was that the filly carried highweight of nearly 128 pounds against colts who themselves had solid international form.

This win means that IPI TOMBE will now be invited for the Dubai Duty Free race at the World Cup meet at the end of March. This has been her target all along and as long as the International political situation allows it she will have one more prep race at the beginning of March.

The previous owners of IPI TOMBE, Sunmark Partners had retained a small share in her and quite a few of them were on hand today to see her win.

CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM VALOR, WINSTAR FARMS and the SUNMARK PARTNERS FROM ALL AT GORDIAN TROELLER BLOODSTOCK

PINA COLADA, the diminutive filly owned by Team VAlor and Gary Barber and trained by Jenine Sahadi absolutely anihilated the field in the CHANDLER STAKES at Turf paradise last weekend. Sent of the 1/9 favorite for the featured contest PINA COLADA stalked the pace and then came through with a devastating run under ALeida to win going away by three lengths.

This win has added to her value as a broodmare prospect and heralds well for the new year when she will contest further Stakes event at the main Santa Anita meeting

In a momentous and exhausting week at the Tattersalls Newmarket Horses in Training Sale, GORDIAN TROELLER ended up as leading buyer at the sale.

Spending just over $ 1,373,000 we purchased a total of 24 horses for Califonian trainers including Jim Cassidy, Vladimir Cerin, Simon Bray and Paul Aguirre.

Amongst the top lots purchased were the 108 Timeform rated 2yo colt STEELANINCH for Cassidy, Stakes placed winner CHOIR MASTER for Vladimir Cerin and the impressive miaden winner TEMERITAS for Simon Bray. Most of the purchases were two year olds who will race on the SOuthern Californian Circuit.

Most of the Cassidy horses were  bought for the partnership of Jim Ford Inc and Deron Pearson, whilst the Cerin purchases were for one of his principal owners David and Holly Wilson.. The horse bought for Simon Bray will race for the KM Stable of Kelly Mikules.

There was a lot of competition across the board for the horses, the most powerful of which was that provided by other Californian trainers and agents.

We were delighted with the scope and variety of the horses he bought. Only rarely did we get beaten if the clients wanted a particular horse.

Hopefully the new acquisistions will be successful for the new owners. The horses should arrive in California towards the middle to end of November

Last Saturday, the good ground at Newmarket was drying out all the time and LUVAH GIRL off the course for nearly three months was getting ready for her comeback race. On the way down to the start the AT the RAces commentator said she appeared to have 'gone in her coat'. Be that as it may, this filly has class.

Allowed to run the race as she liked by top jockey Kevin Darley, she took up the running after just 1/16th of a mile, came up the stands rail and was never headed. A striking well made filly by Alzao, LUVAH GIRL won by just over 1 length from Casaul Look with the Aiden O'Brien trained Yesterday back in third place

LUVAH GIRL will now be shipped to California where she will be campaigned in Graded Stakes company throughout the winter.

Following the valiant efforts of MOMENTUM ( Now sadly sidelined thru injury) and other horses in California it was a delight to see LUVAH GIRL fulfill the promise that I always felt she had

Last weekend, two of our horses made the frame in Graded STakes races across the Nortn American continent.

In Canada, GRAND a new purchase for Team VAlor finished 3rd in the Grey Breeders Cup Stakes for 2yo colts. He ran well considering he had had a slightly interrupted preparation for the race. Emile Ramsammay the jockey reported that the colt was unsuited by the surface and was never really happy on it

In California MOMENTUM ran another game races finishing 2nd in the Grade 2 race on Sunday's card. He seemed ( once again) ill at ease on the Santa Anita surface, and hopefully will now still take his chance in the Breeders Cup Classic.

All in all it was a decent weekend for our gradutaes, and we hope there is more to come in the next few wekks at Oak Tree

In the meantime, all my attention is being focused on the forthcoming Horses In Training Sale at Tattersalls at Newmarket, where quite a few North American clients will be coming over to buy winners.

Last Sunday MOMENTUM, just failed by 3/4 length to win the Pacific Classic. IN the opinion of many racegoers he  would have won the Grade 1 contest had he not got boxed in just entering the home stretch.

Yesterday, also at Del Mar DELTA FORM, a South African import purchased just over a year ago for Team Valor won the Garde 2 Del Mar Handicap in good style coming through the pack to head the leader near the post and win by a neck.

Encouraging news also this week on OCEAN SOUND the multi graded Stakes placed Jim Cassidy trainee. Following an injury sustained in the Kentucky Derby the Mujadil colt breezed 1/2 mile this morning and is on course for a return to the track at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita.

We are now entering the preliminary phase of the planning for the Horses in Training Sale to be held at Newmarket on October 28th thru 31st. A number of clients will be making the trip to buy horses and it looks like being an active and very busy period.

It has been two weeks of utmost frustration...in fact the whole summer has been a question of 'so close' Following OCEAN SOUND's solid run up to the Kentucky Derby, he ran somewhat disappointingly in the race, but was subsequently found to have a hairline fracture which has kept him on the sidelines since. Still he is on the way back

The last two weeks though have proved the most frustratin. Oh winners there have been at lower levels ( with cheap horses) however the two big one just escaped us. Two weeks ago, MOMENTUM  just failed by a nose to capture the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup ( what a race) and yesterday PINA COLADA came within the same distance of winning the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar. She is such a talented filly and waas bought for Team VAlor at a very reasonable price.

Looking forward the weeekend of the 24th August could be most interesting with LA MARTINA  ( and hopefully PINA COLADA) in line for the Del Mar Oaks and on the same day MOMENTUM puts his neck on the line in the Pacific Classic.

Check this space after that weekend and hopefully I will be able to report at least one major winner.

The last week has been a decent one for our purchases

On Wednesday, SIBLA purchased cheaply at the 2000 Newmarket Sales won a race at Golden Gates for trainer Jim Cassidy

Following up on Saturday , OCEAN SOUND, once again purchased for Jim Cassidy, was placed 2nd in the $ 100,000 Grade 3 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. This was a very good effort. Cassidy is till undecided whether to run him back at Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby or go for another Grade 3 over 1 mile.

Finally on Sunday we had three runners in the optional claimer allowance race at Santa Anita.   Following up on her impressive win in lower Grade last time out, EC LADY once again won with a  lot in hand under a masterful front running ride by Eddie Delahousse. Partytime, another purchase for the Cassidy Barn ran on well to finsih third. The disappoiintment of the race ws MAGICAL NATURE who refused to settle and fought the jockey most of the way

A quietish week ahead with Road to Justice running on Wednesday at Santa Anita and after that some more runners at the weekend

At Santa Anita on Sunday, Love Lane, sold originally to Eddie Truman, won the 2nd race on the card with a game 5 lengths win for trainer Bill Spawr and jockey Laffite Pincay.

Smartly out of the gates, the son of Mujtahid raced on the pace for the whole race and gamely stretched out to win going away.

Yet another win for one of our cheap purchases

EC LADY made an immediate profit for her owners when winning the first race on the card at Santa Anita on Friday 3/8. Taken to the front by Victor Espinoza, she breezed through slow fractions before quickening away again in the stretch to score by some 3 lengths

Bought at the Tattersalls Horses in Training sale for trainer Jim Cassidy, the Dilum filly cost just $ 20,000.
She should win again on the evidence of yesterday's success

THIS WIN ended a frustrating ten days for our purchases. RED BRIAR was an unlucky second in the Baldwin Stakes Grade 3, AYZAL ran really well to finish 3rd in the La Habra Stakes and OCEAN SOUND ran a decent 4th in the Grade 2 Saint Rafael Stakes.

LA MARTINA, a 3yo filly purchased by us for Team Valor and Gary Barber last summer won her 2nd US Stakes race when she snatched victory in the Califonia Oks at Golden Gates last weekend

Comin from the back, she won despite the runner up's jockey striking her with his whip. It is possible that this move by Baze galvanized the filly into one last effort.

La Martina has now won two stakes races since she was purchased in England. By the little known sire Atraf, she had won a maiden in Italy and run 3rd in a Listed race in England before catching my eye

This weekend sees three 3yo colts running for us in the Baldwin Stakes including Red Briar, Road to Justice and Irish Vale. Hopefully they will run well, but the biggest danger will likely be Wally Dollase's horse Doc Holiday who was a good class colt in England

We are launching our first syndication today.

We are offering 1/10th shares in an unraced 2yo colt by Pursuit of Love, who will stay in training in England for most of 2002 and then ship to California for the rest of his career.

To view further details, please link up to the FOR SALE section of the site

This Sunday at Santa Anita SECRET INDEX (IRE) won the $ 50,000 claimer for trainer Jim Cassidy by 4 lengths in good style. This was her 2nd consecutive win at the Winter/Spring Santa Anita meet. She was claimed by trainer Martin Keene for $50,000

SECRET INDEX was selected and bought by us at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in October 2000 for a bargain price of around   US$ 20,000.She has now won over US$ 110,000 in the USA since her arrival, making a good profit for her owners Jim Ford, Pearson and KM Stables.

This filly is another example of the value for money and Return on investment that regularly happens when one buys a horse through Gordian Troeller.

MAGICAL NATURE (IRE) won her first US start for JPF Investments and trainer Paul Aguirre, when she trounced a decent field in the Maiden Special Weight race on turf on 01/11 at Santa Anita.

Settled at the back of the field by Goncalino Almeida, she came with a great turn of foot round the home turn to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths

Sourced in England by Gordian Troeller ( who had also bought her at the 2yo in training sale at Doncaster in the spring) she was sold to her present owner with the aid of Californian agent Laura Stone.

MAGICAL NATURE is by Petardia sire of THE DEPUTY , who was also bought twice by Troeller, once as a yearling for UK trainer John Hills and then as a 2yo to Team Valor. The rest as they say is history. Whilst it is doubtful that Magical Nature will end up as good as the Santa Anita Derby winner she should progress from here and maybe an overnight stake would be within her grasp                          

On Wednesday, Team Valor and Gary Barber's LA MARTINA finished a creditable 3rd in the Blue Northr Stakes at Santa Anita, beaten just over 2 lengths. She ran a decent race under the conditions and hopefully she might be able to win another Stakes race during the course of the meeting.

LA MARTINA was purchased privately in the summer of 2001 from an Italian owner after she has won her first start in Italy and then placed in a Listed race in the UK. On her North American Debut LA MARTINA won the Hidden Lights Stakes.

At Santa Anita on 01/06 BELLA BELLA BELLA purchased by us for Team Valor won the Grade 3  Santa Ysabel Stakes  under an inspired ride from Chis McCarron. Settled in 2nd place for most of the 1 mile 1/16th contest, the filly responded well to McCarron's urgings to get up and win a shade cosily by  a neck.

BELLA BELLA BELLA is now unbeaten in three starts and will reportedly be aimed at the Santa Anita Oaks later in the spring.

On just the 2nd day we had our first winner of the SANTA ANITA winter/spring meet, when SECRET INDEX (IRE) sprinted clear and won by 3 1/2 lengths in a $ 62,500 claimer for trainer Jim Cassidy and owners Jim Form, Daron Pearson and KM Stables.

Purchased at last year's Horses in Training  Sale SECRET INDEX Is still improving and can hopefully make her mark in slightly better company over the next few months.

The next couple of weeks are going to be exciting for us as we have BELLA BELLA BELLA running in the Santa Ysabel Stakes and MOMENTUM is lsted to make his 4yo debut in the San Fernando Handicap as a stepping stone to the Strub.

With the closing of the Hollywood Park fall programme, the media voted the top performers of the meet.

MOMENTUM purchased  for John Paul Reddam by Gordian Troeller and Laura Stone was voted TOP HANDICAP HORSE . This followed his win in the Native Diver Handicap GR 3, in which he beat favourite Euchre by a good length

This last weekend ( December 8 and 9) provided us with two further Stakes winners in Southern California

MOMENTUM won the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap beating favourite Euchre , and BELLA BELLA BELLA won the Golden Ballet Stakes in the style of a really nice filly

MOMENTUM was sourced by us and sold to J Paul Reddam through agent Laura Stone in California. He had previously won a Listed race in the UK and on his North American debut had been 2nd in the Bien Bien Stakes. We believe he will now be aimed for the Strub series as a 4yo

BELLA BELLA BELLA was aquired through us for Team Valor from her previous trainer Jim Cassidy. She had won her only previous start, a maiden race at Hollywood. Chris McCarron really rates this filly and she could be a live contender for Classic races next year

It was a great weekend for horses sourced and purchased by us and I hope that we can finish the year with a flourish.

Once again we were very busy at the annual Horses in Training Sale at Newmarket, buying 13 horses for Californian trainers Jim Cassidy and Simon Bray. I was very pleased with all our purchases. We managed to buy most of those I had targeted. Hopefully they will be successful on the southern Californian circuit in 2002.

Those I particularly liked were IRISH VALE, a Stakes winning two year old,  OCEAN SOUND and the filly PARTYTIME.

Next stop on the sales circuit is the FILLIES IN TRAINING sale which starts in Newmarket on the 3rd December. The choice is fairly limited but there are some already proven and also some potential top class performers in the catalogue