A New Beginning

The story really should begin here, with the big yearling sales in Kentucky. This is where the “season” really begins. The Ocala and Timonium training sales are important, but every horse is those sales might deserve the label of “rushed too soon”. If you buy a yearling, you can develop it at your own pace.

Without the overt pressure of workout times hanging over our head, let’s decide what kind of horse well want to buy.

1. Let’s start with the first crop sires. We cannot afford the Arrogate’s and Gun Runner’s, so what is left? My favorite is Midnight Storm, a son of Pioneerof the Nile. He ran well on dirt and turf. Midnight Storm was best as a miler, but was solid going longer. He came from low profile connections. The added benefit is he might be overlooked because another son of Pioneerof the Nile, Classic Empire, is also a first year sire. Midnight Storm’s stud fee is only $10,000. My top priority is to find the best Midnight Storm’s at the the sales.
2. Let’s see how the rich folks live. In general, sires in the $40,000 price range are too expensive for. the average guy. I do not want to waste too much energy looking in this price range, but one expensive sire that I think is overlooked is Twirling Candy. His broodmare sire is the long distance running Chester House. I think there is chance to find some value here. I want to find some reasonably priced Twirling Candy’s.
3. I want to find some good long running turf horses. Not that many turf horses are meant to work a furlong at the training sales. I want to find at least one each from: Point of Entry, Air Force Blue, Big Blue Kitten, Summer Front, Mshawish, Tourist, Flintshire, Noble Mission, Vancouver, Temple City, Mizzen Mast, Jack Milton, and We Miss Artie. Some of these sire’s might also have some dirt potential.
4. One special project is to find the best Maclean’s Music. I think MM is a misunderstood sire because he only had one start, but what a start it was. Cloud Computing is an interesting model for a successful yearling purchase. Finding a cheap MM might not be possible if Jackie’s Warrior wins the Hopeful the day before the sales begin.
5. I am still looking for my stamina oriented sires that the pinhookers “love to hate”. They include Tonalist, Lemon Drop Kid, Blame, Super Saver, Bayern, and Bodemeister
6. I am excited about my “What if I am wrong” portfolio. I will start with Unified and Practical Joke, but will consider others. These horses will mix a more speed oriented sire with my usual plodding mares.
7. One offbeat first year sire I want to focus on is the long running Shamen Ghost.
8. There are several other first year sires I will consider. They are Keen Ice, Gormley, American Freedom, Classic Empire, Connect, Cupid, Klimt, and Mohaymen.
9. I also want to focus on second year sire, that have not had much success so far. The one that jumps of the page is Frosted.
10. I will watch the sires that I have in the real world: Tapizar and Tapiture.
11. I will watch some of the low profile sires that West Point and Eclipse “nibbled” at last year. They are Anchor Down, Violence, and Ironicus,
12. I still will consider: Dialed In, Orb, Exaggerator, Lea, Honor Code, Midshipman, Liam’s Map, and Will Take Charge.
13. I am losing confidence in my Carpe Diem and Creative Cause ideas

I will still not jump into the Uncle Mo’s, Runhappy’s, and Into Mischief’s that all the “cool kids” are buying. I will still demand value.

This is where dreams begin.