ISSUES
Heard a proposal got nixed that would allow horses to service mares while racing and retaining Sire Stake eligibility and not so sure we understand the rationale therein.

Say for example locally owned stars like Artistic Fella and Lis Mara were to breed mares obviously from an established and approved location yet return to the races why shouldn’t their get have eligibility assuming of course all other prerequisites has been complied with.

Horses routinely race and breed in Europe and the ability to do likewise here might just persuade some stud bound superstars to actually compete a little longer which benefits everyone.

It’s an idea requiring further study.

Ironically if there were a 3 and up Breeders Crown series this fall, it could have been the stage for some tantalizing match ups like Artistic Fella, Lis Mara and Ponder: Passionate Glide and Peaceful Way: Glidemaster, Chocolatier and Sand Vic etc.

Of course in adherence to the thoroughbred weight for age concept, the 3-year-olds would draw for or be assigned the inside posts.

IT FIGURES
An old adage in the breeding book is “move a horse and immediately upon departure he will have his best year”.

That certainly seems applicable to Artiscape who with major stakes stars like Lady Mattgalane, (Mary Mattgalane), Artzina (Koutzina) and Me And My Baby (My Baby And Me) and Feelin Friskie (Nadias Sister) is enjoying perhaps his finest overall season to date.

After standing here in New Jersey for several years, Artiscape was relocated to Winbak Farms of New York effective the 06 breeding season.

Fortunately we have another exceptional group of Artiscape colts and fillies slated for Harrisburg and The New Jersey Classic. Featured are Harrisburg bound BEACH BOY TOY (Good Vibrations) and GET OUT OF DODGE (Dodge Kitty) and New Jersey Classic bound WHERE THE ART IS (Bringeron Ohm). The latter had an absolutely dynamite video to be posted shortly for your viewing pleasure.

HANDICAPPERS SPECIAL
In many way one of this year’s classics was a real handicapper’s special as the send off price on the winner might have been a tad more generous than perhaps it may have been had it not been visually and perhaps necessarily nursed through it’s elimination which allowed the unsuccessful favorite to be more prohibitively backed than perhaps it should have been.

ENHANCEMENTS
One major problem in this enhanced era has to do with the accurate evaluation of some horses when they hit the breeding shed. Mating decisions are made. Monies change hands and at some point it’s imperative to actually differentiate between the live and the Memorex if you catch the drift…

McARDLES
Good early reports on the first crop McArdles being prepped for the New Jersey Classic. You’ll like #233 McARDLES CHARM (Eternal Sweetheart) the brother to this year’s good Artiscape colt Eternal Revenue

Also #174 BIG McARDLE (Gucci Girl) from the immediate family of Sealed And Delivered (Listening Chris?) Plus #138 McARDLE SISTERS (Triple Harmony) a sister to this year’s winner Joseph Pat

Coupla Artiscape’s to notice could be #165 HAVA TEQUILA (Almahurst Tequilla), the brother to this year’s NJSS colt Mattinez, #110 MOGEN DUVA (Sorelle Duva) from a sister to the well remembered San Gimigano and the video star # 194 WHERE THE ART IS…

More next week

Bob Marks