Gorgeaus Ginger Punch!

Uh huh, Namaste!

Breaking News! Nashoba's Key Euthanized!

I am sad to report that the 5 year-old filly, born the same month and year as my dear Violet, Nashoba's Key was euthanized yesterday at the Hollywood Park backtrack. At 5:30am, she was in her outdoor pen, being readied for a gallop, when she kicked out so forcefully that she broke the tibia in her left hock. She is the daughter of Silver Hawk out of Nashoba by Caerleon, and she didn't start until her fourth year, when she won her first 7 starts. This year, she came in second in the Sunshine Millions in January, and won the Santa Margarita Handicap in March. She was coming off a rest break before being trained to shoot for the Fall Classic races. Her final record was 10: 8-1-0. Last year, she was, not surprisingly, a finalist for the Eclipse Older Female Award, placing second behind Ginger Punch. Rest in peace, powerful girl.

Helena Handbasket and My Girls!

Here's a photo of a lovely 2006 filly named Helena Handbasket. She is a half-sister of Ginger Punch, both sharing the same dam, Nappelon by Bold Revenue. Helena Handbasket's dad is Red Bullet who won 4 of his 5 starts, including winning the Preakness Stakes over Fusaichi Pegasus who won the Kentucky Derby!

HH was put up for syndication last October, after her sister won the Breeders Cup and set herself up for the Eclipse Award for Champion Older female (at age 4). I could put myself in a lottery for a share in her and pay the privilege of $7,500 to own 2 1/2 percent of her. She's pretty, I'll grant you. Pretty as a picture! You can read more about her conformation and her history (imagine having a history and you're not even 2!) at the following link:
http://www.teamvalor.com/news/102907/
or
http://www.teamvalor.com/news/092407/

Ginger Punch and My Girls!

Ginger Punch was born on April 23, 2003, just a month after my own girl, Violet. She is owned by Frank Stronach, the magnate who owns Adena Springs. Her parents are Awesome Again and Nappelen by Bold Revenue. She is 4 years old and just this past month won an Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female! Then on January 26th, a few days later, she won the Sunshine Millions Distaff by 6 3/4ths lengths! Last fall, she won the 2007 Breeders' Cup Distaff by wading through the mud, mud, mud at top speeds!

Among her other major wins were the First Flight Handicap, Go For Wand Handicap, and Ruffian Handicap! Her current record is 15: 8-5-1 with total earnings of $2,176,679. The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for 3 year old and up mares and fillies ranks her at #7 in the world, and our gal Rags to Riches is #1!

She's got a little One Countin her background, but here's the super cool thing -- she and Violet both have Blushing Groom in their heritage! In fact, he is the great-grandpa on both their sire's side! I think that shows just how super Violet is -- Blushing Groom and then Cherokee Run's nearest and dearest relatives on her sire's side! Just wonderful! I hope Ginger Punch has a great year!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Punch

Breaking News! Ginger Punch and the Sunshine Millions

On Saturday, they ran the Sunshine Millions set of races in Santa Anita which is pretty amazing given that they were concerned about the track. They put in a new poly track and it's supposed to be 8 inches of poly over asphalt. Well, the top layers were very very fine product because of the heat in California, but they weren't expecting 8 1/2 inches of rain over 3 days this week. The track became warped, turned into a sealed, wet surface with tiny pellets and hard cement-like stones. They couldn't get it to drain, so they had to scrape the surface which meant that not only was the track fast because it was harder (2 inches less padding between horse and asphalt), but that it was pretty dangerous with the flying poly stones.

I thought it sucked that they had to run, but here's how the day turned out! Bob Black Jack set a world track record for six furlongs, running in 1:06:53 in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash. Winsome Charmer and Afleet Ruler placed and showed. Dearest Trickski won the $300,000 Filly and Mare Sprint, Quite a Bride beat the 2007 Eclipse Award winner Nashoba's Key in the $500,000 Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Turf, Benny the Bull won the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, and Go Between with 2007 Eclipse Jockey Garret Gomez won the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic!

And best of all, sweet Ginger Punch won the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff by 6 3/4 lengths! She's in the photo! Her dad is Frank Stronach of Violet's Adena Springs Farm, and her trainer Bobby Frankel said, "She ran her race. That's the way she likes to run, stalking the leader, and she did what she had to do!"