A RATHER RUDE AWAKENING
There are 8 million stories in the naked city or so went
the line from the well remembered TV series.
This is not one of them!
But it is a story that breeders can relate to as it is
not the first nor will it be the last time we face the strange
case of the unexpected foal.
Seems like 3-years ago we were racing a filly named Aerobics,
billed to be a very promising member of Muscles Yankee’s
first crop. After all, her dam Incredible Chic was a highly
successful race and broodmare with about $150,000 on her
card and already credited with a quality Mr. Lavec son named
Mr. Incredible who has been known to win at the Open level
at The Meadowlands and Freehold.
Moreover, the filly had trained rather well at Sunshine
Meadows as an early 2-year-old and accordingly was staked
to the hilt. She won a start in 1:59.3 quickly accumulated
over $20,000 in earnings before they concluded she just
wasn’t right. They couldn’t exactly “put
their finger on it” but the filly “tain’t
right” “ best to stop and turn her out”.
No problems there and perhaps 6-8 weeks thereafter it got
kind of noticeable that this Aerobics had added a pound
or two. Sure enough the obligatory check revealed an unplanned
pregnancy.
OOPS!
Some months thereafter Aerobics after a perfectly routine
delivery was indeed the dam of a rather handsome stud colt
by Lord knows what?
Won’t bore you with the details but some diligent
detective work by a loyal caretaker revealed that there
was indeed a barn incident in which several horses got loose
although unlike the famed Evalina Byrd-Adios Larry saga
at Roosevelt this culprit was NOT found in the stall with
the filly the next morning. That and hasty DNA checking
soon revealed that this colt was NOT by some hotblooded
hotshot trotting prospect but rather was by a Big Towner
claiming type named DO NOT DISTURB one of the horses from
a different stable that had gotten loose that night.
So we named the colt RUDE AWAKENING. In that he was no
longer a “Harrisburg prospect” but still a well
made good looking youngster nonetheless, he got registered
and sent to The Blooded Horse Sale in Delaware, Ohio where
he brought $2,000.
And as luck would have it, somebody got a nice horse as
RUDE AWAKENINGS on the pace now won his baby race in 2:02.3h.
While the time may not be earth shattering, the 19 length
margin of victory suggests that more might well be in the
offering.
And in the spirit of planned parenthood, his Enjoy Lavec
sister ENDORPHAN ANNIE sells at Harrisburg this fall.
For the record, Evalina Byrd (Poplar Byrd-Evalina Hanover)
was a class C3 pacing sister to the great Bye Bye Byrd who
after being rudely inseminated by the Class B2 pacer Adios
Larry escalated right up the class ladder to junior free-for-all
before applying for maternal leave. Ironically she was subsequently
bred to assorted top stallions though her inadvertent Adios
Larry product named Larry’s Byrd turned out to be
her most prominent offspring.
Go get ‘em Rude Awakening! We’re rooting for
you!
CROWN ADDENDUM
As an addendum to last week’s Breeder’s Crown
blueprint here are some sentiments expressed in Sports Illustrated’s
Inside Horse Racing column by Tom Leyden.
“Ghostzapper was the best of the best and we were
in then mix for #2. With him out The Classic is the #1 option
for Afleet Alex” so said an owner of the Preakness
and Belmont winner
“The wish list is Saratoga but the ultimate goal
is the Breeder’s Cup Classic” Nick Zito trainer
of Wood Memorial winner and Derby favorite Bellamy Road.
Lost In The Fog unbeaten in seven lifetime sprint starts
is being pointed for the Breeders Cup sprint.
Could there be any food for thought here?
Should be.
Congratulations Barry Goldstein! BLUR (Muscles Yankee-Blue
Ridge Girl) was indeed an “elegant winner”.
Hey Russell Williams imagine all the spinoff names Rock
N Roll Hanover will beget. Great name and so appropriate
that he’s become all he’s become. Terrific call
by Frank Salive in the Cup.
Come to think of it with the demise of CBS FM, Cousin Brucie
is free to assist with some Rock n Roll names.
Anybody out there remember Alan Freed the ole king of the
moondoggies?
Liked the outcross stallion article by Kathy Parker in this
week’s Horseman.
Don’t know if Rich N Elegant is the absolute greatest
broodmare of all time but she’s right there with Romola,
Tarport Cheer, Maggie Counsel and others and may indeed
be better. Suffice to say she’s the best of this era.
Beloved Angel Artsplace-Docomo. And who’s Docomo?
A Matt’s Scooter-Sabella Lobell full sister to Mattaroni!
Mattaroni will consign a Western Ideal colt named DIMATTGIO
to Harrisburg in November.
Whats that? Enflammatory’s 1:52.3 is a new world
record for 4-year-old trotting geldings! Sure is and her
full sister FIRE LANSKY will sell at Harrisburg this fall.
Bob Marks