Day at the races

We spent the day at Pimlico and had a fun time, handicapping for fun. Horsemen are terrible bettors. We like pedigrees, so tend to bet on horses bloodlines that we know and love- not always the best way to pick a winner. We decided to try a trifecta for fun in the Oaks, big race at Churchill Downs today. The filly race before the Derby tomorrow. I picked the three favorites "by the book" and "boxed" it so, in any order, we would win. Well, we hit 2 out of three- not bad- no money, but it was an excellent race. Blind Luck, the 6-5 favorite ran a very big race, cruising up the outside to snatch victory by a nostril at the wire. Very dramatic. After a couple Black-Eyed Susan's ( Preakness signature drink) , crab cakes and hot fudge sundaes we were happy campers. Stopped at Carol's farm to say bye and see the new baby once more ( this is our future champion!!). Skipped hubby's lacrosse game because I am too tired and now I am home waiting to hear about his victory?? Good day. Now the Kentucky Derby tomorrow should be interesting. They are expecting 5-8 inches of rain!! That is a lot of mud! I think I will bet on Calvin Borel on Super Saver to do exactly that, save ground on the rail and upset everybody again!!

beautiful day

It is a beautiful day. Baby no. 3 was born night before last, nice big colt by Fairbanks. This mare is at my partners farm and I am going up today to see her. Then we are going over to Pimlico to watch the 5th race and the Kentucky Oaks simulcast. Left my foals outside last night for first time, they seemed happy this morning . The last two mares in foal are in barn and I'm back foalwatching! April is coming to a close with some lovely warm weather and we so deserve it.

April Showers

April showers are making everything VERY green. I love this color and the smell of spring. The red geraniums are blooming in pots at door, my irises are just about to open, the rose bushes are budding out and since I just had the road re "paved" with brand new "millings" all this intense color is set off my the new black road. I feel like a painter and my farm is the canvas and that feeling will probably last until the next muddy spell! The snow seems like a distant memory and it was only 2 months ago we were buried! I am starting to wait on new foals, the grey mare and her field mate ( aptly named "Case of the Blues"- she is hugely in foal and has a month to go) are about to start coming in at night and the mares with foals at their side can now stay out at night.

The yearlings have started their education and are progressing nicely, even the little evil one.

I am only riding Red now, doing some lessons and the hunter paces. Polly, one of my ex-racehorses, gets to go to Florida for the summer to keep a friend company and benefit from higher education! Kentucky Derby is around the corner, this Saturday, May 1st. "Lookin at Lucky" and "Devil May Care", the only filly in race are my favorites. The big Maryland Hunt Cup was last Saturday and was an awesome race. One horse opened 30 lengths and led almost to the end, just to refuse a fence, perhaps it was next to last jump, out of 22 huge jumps, and he was beat. These fences are huge-I included picture. Definitely separates the "men" from the "boys". I am one of the "boys", looking at these jumps.

Foal Pics

Foals and puppies are the cutest things. Leo, our yellow Lab ( I think retriever cross) is now almost 8 months old. He is big but still wants to climb into your lap, which can be hilarious. The small dogs love to lie on the back of couch and look out back window, well, Leo wants to also. He puts his head on paws on back of couch and his hind legs are standing/sitting on seat cushion. It is so cute. The foals are now trying to play together, they hide in trees and surprise each other or play tag around their moms, little tails straight in the air as they prance by. Very endearing.

We Xrayed Chessie again, hoping to find some explanation for her continuing extreme lameness. But the vet did not call last night , so I am anticipating no real new definitive answer. She is holding her own, happy to go out and munch spring grass - still very skinny, but that is probably a good thing as she is 3-legged still. Very frustrating, I really have never known anything like this. Some edema above hind ankle, no heat, Xrays show no broken bones, will not put weight on leg.

Another hunter pace tomorrow at Goshen Hounds. It ha been really fun this year and Red is doing great.

One week old

I bought a camera on Sunday, so finally have some pictures of Goldie's baby-who is one week old now. He is very sweet, a little friendlier than Hope's, who is a month old. The Buddha mare should foal about May 6th , so foal watch starts again soon. I have been enjoying my sleep without a video screen in my face!

Weekend in April

Sunday was the second hunter pace, held way up near Frederick, actually way beyond Frederick, at the foot of a mountain. This always means lots of rocks! It was not too bad this year, they had tried to cushion some of the very rockiest stuff. Julia was up from Florida and we were rockin' and rollin' again. I have missed riding with her. We just seem to get along without a lot of talking about how to do this or that - we just do. Very nice. As usual, just as we are loading the trailer to leave, one of the yearlings ( has to be the difficult one) comes in with a laceration. I'm looking at it, thinking stitches, thinking "there goes the day's plan", but we finally decide too late, too swollen for stitches. So, I tranquilize the yearling to get a bandage on, cover it in red pepper paste to stop her chewing it off and then we load up and leave. Hunter paces are really just cross-country gallops with lots of other people in new places. It is for foxhunters who really don't want to stop for the season yet and we can run a and jump over a 5 or 6 mile course. I took Red and Julia rode Polly, the 5 yr old off the track. It was Polly's first time really jumping a lot of fences and she was great- may go back to Florida with Julia .

The farm is looking lovely in the spring, new babies and big fat broodmares and green, green grass make for a very idyllic, pastoral scene. Sam and Stephanie are looking at venues for wedding, she took her Mom and maid of honor to Billingsley and came to see the farm also. It is so exciting to plan a wedding and Stephanie seems very happy. It is a delight.

early morning

I love early April mornings. It rained last night and when I opened the door to let dogs out, there was a cool mist shrouding all the spring beauty. My pink cherry tree is just past peak and starting to rain pink petals, the magnolia beside it, is just coming into a beautiful white bloom, the rose bushes between are just opening first red buds. The colors were soften by the mist and the birds were just starting. So perfect. We have counted our Roedown recepits and we had a great day. We were so lucky with a lovely weather day, yesterday was rainy and cold and you realize it is just luck when it all converges and gives you a perfect day for an event like that. The new colt is doing well. I will post pictures but I have to go buy new camera! I have a 2 week break before next. It is so nice to sleep thru the night. Now , I am starting to handle, groom and exercise the yearlings. This is how the prep for the yearling show and later the sales starts. First they learn to stand for grooming, sixteen million broken cross-ties later they've got it. Then a bath! OH boy, that is sooo scary. We do a little each day. Then walking in the ring- yesterday we looked ! at the ring, that was enough. Their hearts are tripping a mile a minute, but by August they will be great.