Happy Mothers Day - With Chincoteague Pony Foals

At the moment, it looks as if there will be ten entries in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, 18 May.  I'll blog all the important information once post positions are drawn...  Of course there is no chance of a Triple Crown winner this year, with both Maximum Security and Country House out of the running.

All of the Chincoteague Ponies in Virginia were rounded up Friday and Saturday for their second in a series of vaccinations against equine pythiosis, also known as "swamp cancer."  Everyone was present and accounted for, except Jigsaw, who was missing from the Spring Round-Up, as well.
   The islands have been having wind and rain, so there haven't been any reports from hikers (like Steve and Darcy Cole of DSC Photography) or from Captain Dan's Around the Island Tours or from Daisey's Island Cruises.  So, no new foals to report at the moment....  But I do have a couple of photos of Marguerite's new bay colt, as well as up-dated photos from the vaccination gatherings.  Unless otherwise noted, all of the photos were taken by Gina Aguilera, who operates the Chincoteague Pony Names: Smartphone App - it has a page on Facebook, and a down-loadable application for your phone.

Foal # 29:  bay colt out of Marguerite of Chincotegue, sired by Maverick

(first photo provided by Denise Bowden of the CVFC)

The herd was running; this little guy slipped and fell and was left behind.

He got a ride in a truck back to his family at the corral.

With Momma, after vaccinations

***************    Older Foals , Updated Photos     ***************

Foal # 1 - colt, out of Catwalk Chaos, by Prince

 Foal # 2  -  filly, out of Danny's Girl Splash, by Hoppy

 Foal # 3  -  colt, out of JABATAA, by Chief

Foal # 6  -  colt, out of Destiny Feathered Spirit, by Puzzle

Foal # 12  -  filly, out of Thunderstorm Skies, by Puzzle

Foal # 14  -  filly, out of Tiger Lily (Waterbaby), by Ajax

Foal # 15  -  filly, out of Tunie (Queenie), by Hoppy

Foal # 16  -  out of Baybe, by Prince

Foal # 18  -  out of Checkers, by Prince

Foal # 19   - filly, out of Surfer Princess, by Legacy

Foal # 20  -  colt, out of Poco Latte, by Puzzle or Neptune

Foal # 28  -  colt, out of White Saddle, by Legacy

Happy Mothers Day to all women around the world!

Bits and Pieces

The head and chest cold that hit me Thursday is starting to subside.  My nose runs and my lungs are full of gunk, and I keep coughing stuff up, but I no longer feel as if my head will explode each and every second.  Now the question is when will the sun shine and when will it get warm?  It's been raining for the past week, and the temperature have been running about 20 degrees (F) below normal.  It's 8:20 a.m. MDT, on May 20, and it's 36 degrees outside.  I'm in my apartment wearing a T-shirt, jeans, wool socks (and sneakers), and a cotton sweater - and I'm still chilly.  A large part of this is due to my cold, I know.
  Surfer Dude, my favorite Chincoteague pony stallion, had his death publicized in the New York Times yesterday.  It's odd how the love of millions of people can make a single pony famous - especially in death.  I bet his foals that are born this year bring high prices at the annual Auction of foals during Pony Penning at the end of July this year.
   My local horse track, in Aurora, (Arapahoe Park) will begin live racing on Friday, May 22.  They offer betting on races daily, and the live racing card will feature thoroughbred, Arabian, and Quarter-horse racing.  I just might have to go visit sometime soon.
   All the colts that ran in the Preakness Stakes on 16 May returned sound and in good shape, except Danzig Moon who had heavy coughing spells for 48 hours after the race.  Possible starters in the Belmont Stakes, run over the distance of 1.5 miles, with all three-year-old colts carrying 126 pounds, include:  American Pharoah, making a try for the Triple Crown championship;  three colts trained by Todd Pletcher, Madefromlucky, Carpe Diem, and Materiality; Mubtaahij, the horse with international connections; Tale of Verve, who finished second in the Preakness; and new-comer Conquest Culinate.  We'll see who is actually running as the 6 June running date gets closer.
   And, finally, both of Zenyatta's colts, Cozmic One and Ziconic, are on John Sherriffs shed row at Belmont Park.  Cozmic One ran poorly in his first race - finished last in a field of seven.  I think he was just having a good time, out playing, in the afternoon.  Hopefully he'll develop the need and drive to finish ahead of other horses.  Ziconic has just finished his breaking and training at Mayberry Farms in Florida.   Think the younger can teach the older what racing is all about?

Racing News & Results From Pimlico

The thoroughbred breeding community has lost two stallions recently - Divine Light, a 19-year-old son of Sunday Silence, died in Turkey from a tumor that had wrapped around his intestines.  Dehere, the 2-year-old champion colt in 1993, passed away from a heart attack, also in Turkey.
  Wise Dan, the 7-year-old gelding and two-time Horse of the Year, had emergency colic surgery yesterday at Rood and Riddle Clinic near Lexington, Kentucky.  Wise Dan had his regular morning gallop, and cooled out well.  Then he began showing signs of discomfort, conventional remedies did not ease the chestnut horse, and he was taken to Rood and Riddle.  It was determined that a small section of his bowel had "flipped over itself" and was rapidly losing blood supply. The surgery went quickly, and Wise Dan is recovering nicely at the Equine Hospital.
  At Pimlico, Ben's Cat won the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes for the third time.Due to heavy rain, the Sprint was run on the dirt course and not the turf.  Ben's Cat was bred by King T Leatherbury, and is also trained by that venerable gentleman.  He paid $2.80 on a $2 win bet.
  In the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Stopchargingmaria was the winner by a hard-fought neck. She was followed across the finish line by Vero Amore and then Fortune Pearl.  A $2 win bet on Stopchargingmaria paid $9.60; a $2 place bet on Vero Amore paid $12.80; and a $2 show bet on Fortune Pearl paid $5.80.  The $2 exacta paid $119.80, and the $2 trifecta bet paid $871.40.
  The Pimlico Special  was a heart-stopper for the connections of Revolutionary - at one point in the race, he was more than 30 lengths behind the lead in the race.  However, Revolutionary turned on his after-burners and won the race by a neck fro Prayer For Relief; Cat Burglar ran third.  A $2 win bet on Revolutionary paid $6.40; a $2 place bet on Prayer For Relief paid $7.20; and a $2 show bet on Cat Burglar paid $4.60.  The $2 exacta pay out was $74.00; and the $1 trifecta paid $217.10.
  And this is the day the Preakness will be run for the 139th time at Old Hilltop, Pimlico Race Course.  For more information on the race, and the 10 horses entered, I refer you to The Bloodhorse Magazine website, at  http://www.bloodhorse.com/ .

Black-Eyed Susan, Pimlico Special & the Preakness

Post positions have been drawn for the races at Pimlico this weekend.  The tenth race on the card on Friday is the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, the second race of the Triple Tiara; the distance is 1 and 1/8 miles , and the purse is $500,000.  Nine three-year-old fillies will contest the race; five were bred in Kentucky, two in Florida, and one each in Maryland and Ontario.  In the first gate will be Monuka Honey, with Edgar Prado in the stirrups; second is Lady Banks; Fiftyshadesofhay breaks from the three hole, under Joel Rosario; Petit Trianon starts from gate four; Walkwithapurpose  is next; with Maracuya, ridden by John Velazquez in the sixth spot; Emollient, carrying Mike Smith ,will break from the seven; the chestnuts filly Toasting breaks from the eight; and Marathon Lady completes the field.  I like the pedigrees of Monuka Honey, Marathon Lady, and Maracuya is a daughter of Big Brown.
  The Pimlico Special has seven entries, and will be the 12th race on Friday, run at 1 mile and 3/16, it's the same length as the Preakness, but the purse is $300,000, and it's for horses age 4 and up.  Breaking from position one will be Avenida Paseo, a 5-year-old grey/roan.  Number two is Indian Dance, a bay gelding, born 7 years ago in Maryland. Brimstone Island is number three, a 4-year-old grandson of Tiznow. In four will be Eighttofasttocatch, a 7-year-old chestnut gelding bred in Maryland.  Richard's Kid will be the eldest starting, at age 8, a son of Lemon Drop Kid.  Breaking from post six is Concealed Identity, a 5-year-old bay gelding bred in Maryland, and a son of Smarty Jones.  Last Gunfighter will start from the seven; he's a 4-year-old bay "invader" from Kentucky.  I like the pedigrees of Indian Dance, Richard's Kid and Avenida Paseo.
   Only nine colts will race in the Preakness, compared to the twenty in the Kentucky Derby.  Six of those colts ran in the Derby, and the other three are new-comers to the Triple Crown.  The purse for the Preakness is $1 million, and the distance is 1 and 3/16 miles.  Orb, who won the Kentucky Derby 12 days ago, drew the number one gate; he will be ridden by Joel Rosario, and is trained by Shug McGaughey.  Goldencents will start from the two hole, carrying Kevin Krigger, as he did in the Derby.  Titletown Five is a new colt, trained by D Wayne Lucas and ridden by Julien Leparoux, in three. In the four spot is Departing, a bay gelding, ridden by Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.  Rosie Naparvnik will be riding Mylute, coming out of the five gate.  Gary Stevens riding Oxbow is in number six.  Will Take Charge breaks from seven, under Mike Smith.  Govenor Charlie, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Martin Garcia will be next.  And John Velazquez will break from the outside, nine, on Itsmyluckyday.  Seven of the nine colts are bay, with one chestnut and one grey/roan; and all were bred in Kentucky.  I haven't seen any of the three new guys run; and Orb will be/is the betting favorite.  I have a feeling that Departing or Govenor Charlie will be the winner...

Solar Eclipse; Wildfires; Preakness Wrap

Do NOT look directly at this evenings' solar eclipse; it can and will cause permanent damage to your eyes.  And, having to wear corrective lenses for the past 45 years, i can tell you that it's not fun.  Special eclipse viewing "sun glasses" are available at McGuckin's Hardware here in Boulder - they were the only folks who thought to order, and/or stock up on, these very unusual, and specially-constructed items.  These glasses allow one to look directly at the solar eclipse, and are in great demand, as CU has opened Folsom Field, the football stadium, as a viewing and party area.  The Field makes a perfect viewing spot, as the sun will sink directly opposite the stadium, behind the mountains. - And, speaking of the mountains, while we had rain and drizzle yesterday, the Indian Peaks and Mount Audubon all have fresh new mantles of snow.
   Our wildfire in Poudre Canyon is now about 85% contained, except on the north side...  the fire has burned nearly 8,000 acres.  Yesterday's light rain helped damp the fire down, but as the fires are in areas without roads, it made travel difficult for those fire-fighters hiking in to try to control the fire - mud, slippery slopes, loose stones, etc.  We have had over 600 fire-fighters on the ground, as well as several large tankers dropping water and slurry.  Wildfires also have charred terrain in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah.
*In Nevada, a fire grew to 27 square miles and threatened sage grouse and mule deer habitat. No homes were in danger, and no injuries were reported. The blaze was about 50 percent contained Saturday and remains under investigation.
*In Arizona, slowing winds aided firefighters battling three major blazes. The state's largest fire, the Sunflower Fire, continued to burn about 16,600 acres just north of Mesa. Officials say nearly 600 firefighters helped keep it from spreading. A 10-mph breeze helped 900 firefighters get the Gladiator Fire below 13,000 acres and 10 percent contained. The Bull Flat Fire, which has struck more than 2,000 acres in the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, was about 80 percent contained.
*In New Mexico, crews battled a lightning-caused fire that has scorched 545 acres in the Gila National Forest in the southwestern part of the state. No structures were at risk, and no injuries were reported. About seven trails remained closed in the forest and more than 110 firefighters around the state were helping battle the blaze Saturday.
*In Utah, rain and cooler temperatures helped slow a wildfire that burned nearly 2 square miles in the western part of the state. Firefighters contained the blaze late Friday. No structures were threatened, and no injuries were reported. Authorities say the fire was sparked accidentally Thursday by a passing car.
*In Southern Oregon, crews worked Saturday to extinguish a 462-acre wildfire near the California and Nevada borders. The fire eight miles east of Lakeview, Oregon, near Highway 140 was not immediately threatening people or property, but firefighters said they were concerned hot spots could ignite later in the fire season. The fire is believed to be human-caused and is burning on private land and in the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
  And, going back to the thoroughbreds....  I'll Have Another has come out of the Preakness in fine shape, and will be heading for Belmont Park (and the Belmont Stakes) in New York.  He will try to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, when Florida-bred Affirmed won it, under teenage jockey Steve Cauthen.  Connections for Dullahan, Hansen, and Union Rags have said that they plan to run against the chestnut colt in the Belmont.  ... OK, so I picked I'll Have Another - because I like his looks and his pedigree.  My other three choices finished 6th, 7th, and 8th - so they weren't good bets. The complete order of finish for the Preakness was:  I'll Have Another, Bodemeister, Creative Cause, (4) Zetterholm, (5) Teeth of the Dog, (6) Optimizer, (7) Cozzetti, (8)Tiger Walk, (9) Daddy Nose Best, (10) Went the Day Well, and (11) Pretension.  Attendance at the Preakness was 121,309 (another new record), and, during the 13 races on the card, visitors made $80,463,005.00 in bets.

I'll Have Another Wins Preakness

I'll Have Another (chestnut, on left) wins the Preakness Stakes this afternoon, beating Bodemeister (bay, on right) by a short neck.  Photo by Patrick Smith for Getty Images.

 My pick to win the Preakness did. Bodemeister led all the way again, and Mario Gutierrez sat chilly in the saddle until the top of the stretch.  I'll Have Another began to make up ground with each stride, catching Bodemeister about 100 feet from the finish line. Bodemeister hung tough, but I'll Have Another was a good head in front at the line.  Creative Cause finished third.  I'll have more tomorrow.

  In Lingerie, the filly who won the Black Eyed Susan Stakes (the fillies' equivalent of the Preakness) yesterday, is doing well.  She won the race Friday, but it was noticed that her left fore was bleeding heavily in the winner's circle.  She apparently grabbed a quarter coming out of the gate, and is sound and happy today, according to her trainer.

Preakness Saturday

It's grey and overcast here - the clouds are hugging the foothills, and I can only see the bottom 50 feet of the first Flatiron.   Hopefully, the rain that is falling around the area will manage to help the fire fighters up in Poudre Canyon; that wildfire has spread to almost 8,000 acres, and is about 45% contained.  It turns out that a man was camping there in the Poudre Canyon, and the wind over-turned his alcohol-burning stove.  He tried to put the fire out, then fled.  He has been ticketed, which has a cost of $350.00, but as the state has had to declare an Emergency Disaster, there is talk of holding him responsible for damages done by the fire. 
  The forecast for Pimlico is sunshine, and officials are hoping for a good turnout of fans and revelers.  Coverage will begin at 2:30 on NBC Sports Channel, then switch to NBC at 4:30 (EDT).  I am still  sticking with my picks - I'll Have Another, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, and Optimizer.  I still fear Bodemeister might shoot to the front and slow down, making it difficult for the closers to get into gear.  If Bodemeister can do that, he might be unbeatable today.  But I'm pulling for I'll Have Another.
  The Boulder History Museum opened a new exhibit yesterday - it's called Chief Niwot: Legend and Legacy.  There are no known photographs of our Chief Niwot (which means Left Hand in Arapaho); there are photos in existence that capture the images of his brother Neva, and his sister Snake Woman.  Niwot was an exceptional man - he spoke at least seven Native American languages, as well as English, and Coyote French.  He grew up near trading posts, and knew well the ways of the white settlers.  Niwot and his band of Southern Arapaho lived peacefully in this area, following the buffalo, which formed the basis of their subsistence and played a key role in their culture. When gold was discovered in the mid-19th Century, fortune seekers flooded the area, as did settlers. Niwot, who had learned English from his brother-in-law, a white trader, sought to make peace with the newcomers, hoping to share the land. He was mortally wounded in the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. After that, the Southern Arapaho were sent to Oklahoma, and the Northern Arapaho were moved to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.  If you are interested, I highly recommend going to the exhibit, and the perusal of two books:  Chief Left Hand by Margaret Coel, and Halfbreed: The Remarkable True Story of George Bent written by David F. Halaas and Andrew E. Masich.
   My kits and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Usual Mish-Mash

It started out nice and bright this morning - now clouds are coming in from the west, and some look like thunder storm doozies...  We are expecting thunderstorms this afternoon.  I'm definitely in favor of any precipitation we can get (just, please, not hail).  I've already exercised Rosie and Remy and have returned home; the kits were on the patio until a minute or so ago, when the maintenance man went by on the riding mower - now they're inside, peeking out through the curtains.  The weather folks say we'll hit 90 by the end of the week, and I'm ready for it:  I have my two fans unpacked and ready to go, once the warmth gets to be a little too much.
  I didn't have anything on my hallway door for the past month - yesterday I saw an iridescent metal gecko, and had to have it.  It's now on the front door, with it's tail curled around  the apartment number and name holder. ... The wildfire in Poudre Canyon has grown to be 1000 acres now.  People are still on alert to evacuate at any minute - and these afternoon thunderstorms are supposed to kick up the winds to 40+ mph, which will not be of any help to anyone.  ....  Denver is having a security drill today, with Nighthawk choppers making landings and hovering above public buildings.  And we had three choppers hovering over the CU campus for an hour this morning, doing a very detailed aerial survey.  It's been a little noisy.
   Pretty soon the post positions will be drawn for Saturday's Preakness, and I'll be able to look at names, pedigrees, and posts.  I know that Bodemeister and I'll Have Another, the one-two finishers in the Derby, will both be running.  That means I've got to dig deep for my analysis.   ...  I totally freaked out at the ending of the season finale for NCIS last night.  I like the group as an ensemble cast, but I really watch it just to look at two people - Mark Harmon and David McCallum.  When Duckie collapsed on the beach, with an incoming tide, I was completely horrified.  I even had trouble sleeping last night - and found myself saying,  "Not Duckie!  Anyone but Duckie!",  every time I turned over in bed.  -  Now I'll have to see what's in store for the season finale of Person of Interest on Thursday!

Shackleford Wins Preakness

The bright chestnut Shackleford held off hard-charging Animal Kingdom to win today's Preakness by 3/4 length. Flashpoint, the Florida-bred grey, and Shackleford fought for the lead through the first half-mile. Flashpoint used himself up in the speed duel and finished last, but Shackleford was able to dig a little deeper and hold off the pressing Animal Kingdom. Astrology, a son of A.P. Indy, finished third, with Nick Zito-trained Dialed In in fourth place. Dance City, the Virginia-bred got up for fifth place to take the last of the purse money. My other picks finished in 7th, 10th, and 12th places - not a record to be proud of. The order of finish, after Dance City, was: Mucho Macho Man, King Congie, Mr. Commons, Isn't He Perfect, Concealed Identity, Norman Asbjornson, Sway Away, Midnight Interlude, and Flashpoint. As soon as he appeared on the track for the post parade, I scratched my pick of Sway Away - he was just too nervous and washy. And I have to admit that Shackleford had me worried - but I remembered that he frequently "got hot" before other races.... For a $2 bet, Shackleford paid $27.20 to win; Animal Kingdom paid $4.20 to place; and Astrology paid $8.00 to show. The $2 Exacta paid $114.80; the Trifecta paid $1,401.80; and the Superfecta paid $6,212.60. The 1 mile and 3/16ths was run in 1 minute and 56.47 seconds. Shackleford's sire is Forestry, his grandsires are Storm Cat and Unbridled.
... Nedi caught another young sparrow this morning. He brought it in to me alive and unharmed. I took it back outside, checked it over, and gave it a few minutes to calm down while cupped in my hands. I then released it into an aspen, and after a few seconds, it flew away. I wonder what kind of tale that little bird will tell its' family?

I just woke up...

Sorry for the lateness of this post. I woke up about 10 minutes ago, stretched, looked at the clock and freaked. I guess being back home in my own bed, with the kits in their usual sleeping spaces on me, combined with a cool and cloudy morning, made for a perfect sleep-in day. So I'm writing this blog "blind" today - usually, I've read the local paper, looked at international, national and local news, checked my e-mail, and checked out The Bloodhorse (at this time of year) before I start even thinking about what I'm going to put into this space. Today, you'll get a "cold" blog...

I know that NBC is televising the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico today at 4:30 on the east coast and 2:30 my time. Of course, the actual race won't be started until about 5:55 (EDT) - but the reporters will have a field day talking about Rachel Alexandra and how she's running against the boys, and how Calvin Borel agreed to ride her (one of his usual mounts) and not Mine That Bird. I am surprised that D Wayne Lucas is running Flying Private today, especially with his last-place finish in the Derby... I haven't even looked at the other runners' pedigrees yet... so I have no idea who I'll be rooting for, other than Rachel...

Kathy and Jim returned safe, sound, and pooped but happy, from their trip to see the Atlantis take the last load of equipment up to the Hubble Telescope. Please excuse the pun, but they had a blast! They attended a few Hubble parties and saw the launch and spent two days exploring the Space Museum and visiting Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. They also slept in a day and wandered the beach, and had a very relaxed time. Jim looked refreshed when he returned, but the weather front that moved through yesterday evening knocked Kathy out. I got stuck in a one hour traffic delay due to an accident on the Boulder Turnpike on my way to the airport - and I had just parked the truck and run up to the baggage level, when Kathy and Jim spotted me and waved... they had had a 55 minute delay in flight, flying around a massive storm cell, so things worked out OK. - But it is nice to be home!