Nashoba's Key and My Girls!

Here is a photo of Nashoba's Key ridden to victory by Garrett Gomez, March 9, 2008, in the Santa Margarita Handicap. It's an AP Photo by Benoit. In the other photo, she is resting in her stall at Del Mar. This mare was born on March 26, 2003, the same month as Violet, but she didn't begin her racing career until she was four years old because her owner and trainer thought she needed the time to grow into her big old self. They knew she would be special.

So, when she first raced in January 2007, she proved their wisdom. She won 7 of her first 7 starts. She won really important California graded stakes under a 17 year old jockey, Joseph Talamo. After terrific wins, she came in 4th in the Breeders Cup when she got trapped on the rail in 6-inch deep wet turf and then in January 2008, she came in second to Quite a Bride in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf. Since then, she was returned to Garrett Gomez to ride and that's when she just polished off the competition in the Santa Margarita Handicap earlier in March. She now has a record of 10: 8-1-0. Last year, she lost the Female Turf Eclipse Award to Lahudood, but she pulled a hat trick, by winning the California-Bred Champion Turf Horse, Older Female, and Horse of the Year! She's great on synthetic and turf tracks!

They've decided to give her a small vacation to give her a rest for her second chance at the Breeders Cup. Her trainer, Carla Gaines, says, "She hasn't had a day off the track since her first start on January 13, 2007. Any horse that's doing well, it's tempting to keep going and going, but I want to have a horse that has had some time off and is ready to strike at the Breeders' Cup. The NTRA notes of her that she has "determination to match talent."

And that determination must be a part of her larger personality. In an interview with Larry Stumes for the San Francisco Chronicle, Carla Gaines noted, "She's not really crazy about us. She could do without humans except at feed time. She's just a viper. She's reached out and grabbed a few people and tried to remove one of their appendages. I think a lot of really good filies have the same attitude. She's got a ton of class, loves what she does, and is very, very competitive."

Her parents are Silver Hawk out of Nashoba by Caerleon. Her dad is turning out to be a tremendous sire of turf ladies! And her mom only raced 5 times, but won 4 -- so mother and daughter are true champions at ending up out front! In her pedigree, she has Nijinsky, Nashua, Round Table, and Northern Dancer. My girls are most immediately related to her through Hail To Reason, so they share many relatives, including Nasrullah, Princequillo, and Nearctic.

You can read more about this resting, but getting ready girl at the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashoba's_Key

Kentucky 2007: Claiborne's Pulpit!

Here is a photo of Pulpit, a 1994 stallion standing at stud at Claiborne Farms and right in this photo showing off in Secretariat's old pasture!! Can you believe it? He was so fun to watch. He was standing way far up on a hill under a tree, but when we ladies stepped out of the stallion barn, he cantered playfully down to his water trough and splashed around like the stallion he is! He walked along the fence line to greet us. What was funny is that he seemed so friendly, but when a lady in our group was charmed by him and stepped forward to pet him, he stepped forward so aggressively that everyone could just *tell* that he was waiting to get his licks in! Such a stud! Such a nasty old sexy stud!!!

Anyway, to look at this pot-bellied sex kitten, you would never know that he is truly a living tapestry of good breeding. His relatives are truly the stars in the firmament of the equine world. Here are some of his A-List relatives: his own dad, A.P. Indy by Seattle Slew. He also has Secretariat, Blenheim, Buckpasser, Hail to Reason, Mr. Prospector, Honest Pleasure, Nijinsky, Knight's Daughter (bred by His Royal Majesty and the mom of Round Table, yet another horse in Pulpit's background). And he even has a dash of Busher, lucky ole sexy bastard! So, of course, my own girls are related to this specially bred Claiborne Farms fella. Some of their shared relatives include Princequillo, Count Fleet, Nasrullah, War Admiral, Baby League, Equipoise, Blue Larkspur, and Discovery. His total record was 6: 4-1-0 and $712,200. But his career ended early.

Kentucky 2007: Silent Classic and My Girls!

Barbie and Tom take care of thoroughbreds who need special care, either for injuries or senior care, for example. And they also engage in rescuing thoroughbreds too. In this photo, you see Silent Classic, a very important mare who travelled from Florida to live at Valentine Hall Farm. She was born in 1986, the year I graduated from college. Her sire is Danzig by Northern Dancer and her dam is Sweetest Chant by Mr. Leader.

She was a winner at 2 and 3, and earned $78,100. She has 11 registered foals, 9 raced, and 6 are winners. Her children include A Man of Class, Classic Boom, Creative Control, Jamies Silent Bid, Lang Pup, One Special Lady, Song of Songs, Very Classy Lady, and the filly in this photo the 2005 Silent Western. Silent Classic has had children in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and then 2005. She's been a productive hard-working racer and mother. Of course, she's related to my girls, in many ways, but here are a few: Nearctic, Nearco, Turn-To, Hail to Reason, Eight Thirty, Man 'O War, Whisk Broom, Blenheim, Gay Crusader, and Teddy! Doesn't she look elegant standing all relaxed and royal in her pasture with her other gal pals?!