Lone Star Under Tack

I went out and watched the under tack show for the Lone Star sale.

To me the crowd was pretty sparse at about 50 people. About 90% of these folks were not even watching the horses run past the wire, so it make me wonder how serious they were. I saw one guy with a stopwatch timing the works past the wire. Maybe there were sharper eyes watching from the grandstand that I could not see? It was a beautiful 70 degree day so who want to sit inside?

Steve Asmussen was there watching carefully. His family’s farm was the consigner of several of the horses. Would you buy a used car from this man? It makes you wonder about the horses that come from farms. Do they keep the good ones and sell the bad ones? Would you rather be buying from a pinhooker that has more of an economic reason to sell?

I realize that I am not that good judge of works. I could not really tell the fast works from the slow works until the time was posted. I am a sucker for the longer striding horses, and tend to overate them compared them to the quicker, but often smaller horses. I prefer horses with their head held lower when they run.

7 of the 36 horses I was interested in did not work. The fastest work was a 10.1, and there were a few 10.2’s, the 10.3’s seem to be the sweet spot, and the 10.4’s are marginal. The works were into a 20 mph wind, so the absolute times were slow.

I come away really liking just three horses:

1. #23 – f – Mr. Speaker – Red Hot Tops by Arch, A++ nick, 4/5 foal, interesting sire, lots of stamina in dam, maybe, worked 10.3, was a $15,000 yearling buy, Already named Red Hot Moon, consigned by Benchmark (located 40 miles east of Dallas, has Euro roots, interesting), I love the photo, looks tall but immature, owner/pinhooker is Rebel Stables (0 for 23 at Sam Houston), first foal name Shooting already a $30,000 claimer at Gulfstream, was $27,000 yearling buy, running 70 Equibase
2. #76 – c – Lea – Crema d’Oro by Medaglia d’Oro, A++ nick, 3/16 foal, mare a $20,000 claimer router, 2nd dam by Broad Brush, third in the G2 Davona Dale, worked 10.3, was RNA’d for $9.000 as a yearling. Already named Shamayin, consigned by Pike Racing (which does not have a horse at Ocala)
3. #106 – f – Dialed In – Hard Ten Hopping , by Rock Hard Ten, A nick, nick of Coal Play, 3/22 foal, ok photo, looks immature, worked 10.4, another Benchmark horse, dam a full sister to a G1 router, first foal a $150,000 yearling, ran 80 fig at Gulfstream, this filly was a $15,000 yearling

To me these horses would be a bargain at $25,000, fairly priced at $35,000, and a stretch at $50,000.

Mr. Speaker is an interesting sire. He did win a G1 (the Belmont Derby) going long on the turf, and produced a nice dirt horse the Eclipse folks bought called Speech that won the G1 Ashland. Maybe he is an under the radar sire?

Lea is sire that not many folks like, but that I am willing to consider. I love the pedigree of the mare. Let’s remember that Brooklyn Strong is a 3rd tier sire, out of Medaglia d Oro mare.

Dialed In is a “value” sire, that is maybe a little better than the public perceives.

I am a little bored, so let’s run a little further with the Benchmark Training angle. The owner is from Wales, and the farm manager is from Ireland. The farm is in Quinlan, Texas, which is town of 1,300 east of Dallas. Maybe just being from Europe will rub off on their horses.

1. #49 – c – My Golden Song – Um Malakeh by Jump Start – here the dam is by AP Indy son Jump Start, and the 2nd dam is by Affirmed, the nick is only C, the work was 10.4, this is a Texas bred, the sire is a son of Unbridled Song
2. #22 – f – Union Rags – Quilt by Pulpit, D nick, marginal mare, big $ sire for this sale. worked 10.3
3. #30 – f – Bradster – Sashay by Stroll – the dam brings in Kingmambo and Lord at War, she was a decent turf sprinter, the work was a quick 10.2, let’s watch for fun, another Texas bred
4. #63 – c – Dialed In – Ballado’s Thunder by Saint Ballado, D nick, 4/9 foal, mare won $265,000, and produced a $700,000 winner, worked 10.4
5. #79 – f – Bal a Bali – Conquest Slayer by Scat Daddy, first foal, speculative, worked 10.3

If I had a relationship with trainer, would I really buy one of these horses?