T1B

Rootbeer wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2025 1:03 am Is it normal for horses to get injured this often? I've never had a seat this close to the process but it seems like your cars are in the shop more than they're on the road, bro.

Key to tracking the prevalence of injuries and the success (or lack of success) of interventions is a comprehensive method to manage racehorse inventory, horse location, and horse movement.

Injuries are relatively common in horse racing, with studies showing that around 20% of horses will sustain an injury in any given year. However, the majority of these injuries are minor and do not require medical attention.

Rootbeer wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2025 1:03 am Is it normal for horses to get injured this often? I've never had a seat this close to the process but it seems like your cars are in the shop more than they're on the road, bro.

Saratoga Warrior Entry Update

Saratoga Warrior is in for next Friday at Aqueduct. He’ll be the #7 in a field of 8 carded as the day’s 6th race. Post time is 3:34 p.m. ET. Note that while this is a starter/optional claimer, Saratoga Warrior is not in for the claiming tag.

Intellectual Entry Update

Intellectual is officially entered for his debut on Friday, Feb. 14 at Aqueduct. He’ll be the #1 as part of a coupled entry with Total Silence (also owned by our partner on Intellectual, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing). Intellectual will break from the six hole in the day’s eighth and final race. Post time is 4:38 p.m. ET. Note that he is in for a $40K claiming tag in this spot, but it would be pretty surprising for him to get claimed.

Left Seater wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:08 pm deer hunt from horseback.

Left Seater wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:08 pm buy into a horse syndicate.

Miss American Pie Post-Race Report

Miss American Pie exited yesterday’s maiden-breaking win in good order, reports the Clement barn. Her Beyer Speed Figure came back a 58—not quite as quick as we might’ve expected, but with a lightly raced horse, figures only mean so much, and we do believe she has further room for improvement.

Saratoga Warrior Scratched

Saratoga Warrior has unfortunately been scratched from his scheduled start at Aqueduct today. Upon arriving to the barn this morning, the Gargan team noticed some inflammation in his leg and, along with the recommendation of the state vet, elected to scratch. Danny thinks that it can be attributed to the salt content in the training track at Belmont Park, and it is more of a nuisance than an actual problem. This is no doubt very frustrating, but all we can do is be patient and make sure he's 100% before getting him back into another race.

Good Luck Intellectual!

Intellectual gets his racing career underway in the finale at the Big A this afternoon. Post time is 4:38 p.m. ET for Race 8, which looks like a wide-open affair with many ways to go. Two major contenders, including Intellectual's coupled entrymate, have been scratched. We admittedly don’t quite know what to expect from Intellectual here, but we’ll learn a lot more about him this afternoon. Best of luck, and click here for the race financials.

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 4:34 pm But Intellectual is still on for his first race.

Dr_Phibes wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 7:19 pm

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 4:34 pm But Intellectual is still on for his first race.

If he loses, he'll give you a really good reason why. Unless it's a psych-out, he's actually really stupid and they're trying to intimidate the other horses.

Donnie Baker's Ghost wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2025 2:37 am
The post-race presser must be a load of fun. He's up there in his Neil Degrasse Tyson voice,

"The straights were quite the scene today, I'd say. Fairweather Friend certainly has an artisinal gait. Like a native New Yorker blithely navigating a sea of mixed tape salesmen and fake rolex dealers without making eye contact. He slipped between second and third like pythagreous making a tetrahedon. Mmmnyugh, mmmnyugh."

Dr_Phibes wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2025 5:12 am 'What happened out there today, Intellectual?'

Intellectual Race Recap

Intellectual did not show much in his debut this afternoon. He broke decently and was up with the pack for a few strides, but then dropped back abruptly while spinning his wheels and was not heard from again after that. He did finish the race, passing one foe late, and was NOT claimed. There’s always been a strong possibility that he was going to prefer turf, and we do feel today’s poor showing was further evidence of that—along with him perhaps wanting more ground, and/or just not having much ability. Grass racing does not start up again in New York until April, so we’ll have to determine what the best course of action will be in the meantime, but we’d like to see him on the grass before drawing any definitive conclusions. We’ll huddle up with the Clement barn in the coming weeks and decide what makes the most sense next.

Roux wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2025 2:39 pm You've got a daughter that is into it? That's great, man. She will have lifelong memories of that, take photos and then take even more photos. All too soon she will grow up. I'd give anything to have my daughters be young again.

Dr_Phibes wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2025 5:12 amcomically fat jockey

HighHard1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2025 1:55 pm ...and/or just not having much ability.

That doesn't bode well.

MyRacehorse landed this striking daughter of Constitution, the sire of the sentational 2020 Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, out of the Fed Biz mare Blip Says Bye for $300,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale. She is headed to West Coast for Hall of Fame trainer and living-legend Bob Baffert.

MyRacehorse fended off multiple other enthusiastic bidders at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale to land hip 1100, a Constitution filly out of the Fed Biz mare Blip Says Bye, for $300,000.

The Apr. 28 foal is a head-turning physical. She’s extremely balanced and athletically built with all the right proportions and a sound mind to match.

The filly is by top young sire Constitution, who is best known as the sire of MG1SW Tiz the Law–the leading freshman sire of 2024 as of this writing–fellow Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution, and nine more highest-level winners in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2024 he has been represented by five individual graded stakes winners, $1.4-million earner Webslinger and top sophomore colt Mindframe.

Constitution’s current crop of 2-year-olds were the first conceived after a major stud fee bump from $40,000 to $85,000 (he commanded the same $85,000 fee in 2022 when Blip Says Bye ‘23 was conceived), and his fee is now all the way up to $110,000, so Constitution undoubtedly has some serious horsepower in the pipeline. Through the September sale, Constitution is seventh among North American sires by yearling average at $362,166, just narrowly behind fellow young sire sensation Justify and ahead of established stalwarts Uncle Mo, Medaglia d’Oro and Quality Road.

This filly’s dam was a speedy sort by Fed Biz, who is in the very early stages of his career as a broodmare sire, but who has a right to be a productive dam sire as a well-bred son of excellent broodmare sire Giant’s Causeway. Fed Biz is the dam sire of a juvenile multiple stakes winner in 2024 by a sire from the same A.P. Indy line as Constitution. The Constitution over Giant’s Causeway cross has been responsible for a trio of graded stakes winners thus far.

Dam Blip Says Bye is a half to Blip n’ the Bye, a romping juvenile debut winner at Keeneland who finished second in the 2016 G2 Eight Belles S. The filly’s third dam was responsible for two juvenile stakes winners, another graded stakes-placed runner and the dam of one graded stakes winner and another stakes winner on the turf. There are plenty more stakes and graded stakes performers further down the page.

Blip Says Bye ‘23 has begun her pre-training at Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables in Ocala, Florida, and will eventually be turned over to none other than Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Expected on track: 2025

Intellectual Update

​Intellectual bounced out of his debut physically in good order. He spiked a fever a few days this past week before his scheduled first work back. The Clement team drew an SAA (essentially a rapid test to see if an infection is present), which came back with elevated levels. As a result, they began administering antibiotics. A second SAA test was performed yesterday, which showed improving levels, but indicate that the infection is still present. Intellectual will have to continue on antibiotics for a few more days. This illness was likely the result of the drastic swings in weather the past few weeks in New York--it seems that many horses stabled at Belmont Park have been dealing with similar illnesses as a result. The team will wait for him to recover from his illness before getting him back into a training pattern and we will discuss plans of a next race target when the Clement team feels that he is ready.

Miss American Pie Update

Miss American Pie worked a half-mile over the Belmont Park training track this morning, covering the distance in :50.36. Jockey Manny Franco was aboard your daughter of Maclean’s Music for the move and was reportedly very happy with how your filly breezed. We remain on target for the Mar. 21 first-level New-York bred allowance race.

Saratoga Warrior Update

We were in touch with trainer Danny Gargan this morning regarding Saratoga Warrior. The results of scanning the inflamed foreleg did not reveal anything substantial. Plans are to ship your son of Volatile to Two Springs Farm in Ocala for a respite to allow him to fully recover. Our team will be down in Florida for the upcoming 2-year-old sales and we will check on Saratoga Warrior while we're down there and come up with a plan moving forward.

Improbable Luck Race Overview

Improbable Luck kicks off his career in the Oaklawn Park opener Saturday from the rail (#1 in Race 1). Post time is 12:30 p.m. CT.

As previously mentioned, Improbable Luck is in for a $100K claiming tag, but we would be extremely surprised if he were to get claimed—particularly with favorites Bye Bye Miles and Max Got Excited likely being the two they would take first if anyone were to reach in for someone in this spot.

These high-dollar maiden claimers very rarely see much claiming action, and they effectively serve as a way for maidens to find mild class relief by avoiding the most expensive/valuable horses, but while not having to run in a spot with a lower claim price that would be more likely to result in a claim.

It is fair to say that Improbable Luck hasn’t necessarily wowed in his morning works, but horses can surprise in either direction when they line up for a first start. He has shown some grit and determination, and perhaps he’ll appreciate the racing environment. If nothing else, it’ll be a chance to get him some experience and further build up his fitness.

Keep in mind, too, that the rail is often a tough spot to debut from; and trainer D. Wayne Lukas rarely has one ready to win right out of the box and prefers to race them into fitness. Let’s look for a productive and positive first outing to build on.

Saratoga Warrior Update

Saratoga Warrior shipped down to Two Springs in Ocala, FL per our previous update. Upon arrival at the farm, additional diagnostics were performed and a small osteochondroma spike (boney outgrowth) was discovered on the back side of his right distal radius (forearm) just above the knee, which was impacting the surrounding soft tissue and explains the inflammation (click here for a diagram).



He underwent successful surgery today at Ocala Equine Hospital to remove the osteochondroma and clean up the surrounding tissue.

His prognosis for returning to 100% soundness is very good.

He will be on stall rest with hand-walking for the next 30 days and at that point will be rechecked with the hopes of graduating to small paddock turnout.

This setback will be a bit longer than previously reported, but a full reset may very well do him some good.

Miss American Pie Race Entry

Miss American Pie was officially entered in Friday’s 4th race at Aqueduct, a NY-bred first-level allowance condition that will be contested going six and one-half furlongs on dirt. Your daughter of Maclean’s Music drew post 7 (of 7) and Manny Franco will return in the irons. The fourth race has a post time of 2:33 p.m. ET.

Improbable Luck Race Recap

Improbable Luck turned in an encouraging first run at Oaklawn Park today, ultimately checking in fifth by a nose. He was NOT claimed.

Your colt broke a bit awkwardly from the fence—which is extremely common, especially for a first timer—and rushed up bravely from there to take over and set the pace through splits of :22.27 and :46.29. He did his best to try and shake off two foes at the top of the stretch, but was clearly tired from his early exertions and was passed by a number of horses in the lane while continuing to try down to the wire.

We were pleased with the speed and determination he showed, and are not surprised at all that he got tired late. As previously mentioned, trainer D. Wayne Lukas is one who likes to race horses into shape, and Improbable Luck is a naturally heavier horse who should particularly benefit from the fitness gained in a race like that.

As you’ll hear jockey Rafael Bejarano say, Improbable Luck should definitely take a step forward next time with that start under his belt.

We’ll see how he bounces out of this one, and look to return next month either back at Oaklawn or possibly in Kentucky. We could also see him appreciating more distance, but will let Mr. Lukas weigh in on that when it’s time to pick out a spot.

Miss American Pie Race Overview

Miss American Pie will make her first start against winners Friday in the fourth race at Aqueduct. She will break from the outside post in a field of seven. Trainer Christophe Clement has once again tabbed Manny Franco to ride--he was in the saddle for her maiden-breaking victory last time out. Post time is 2:33 p.m. ET.

Following an impressive graduation score, your daughter of Maclean’s Music will look to take a step forward as she takes her first swing against other winners. She will be cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs, a sixteenth shorter than the distance of her victory. This isn’t necessarily because we think she needs shorter, but rather it was the only option available for the condition. It is certainly a positive to see one of the top jockeys in New York retain the mount on her. There seems to be a decent amount of speed in this group, which could help your filly work out a trip similar to her last start. Best of luck to all owners.