November sucks, to put it in simple, non-literary terms. It’s dark as midnight at 6 p.m. It’s just as dark at 6 a.m., but colder. There’s no decent racing to be had – the flat season is over and winter racing hasn’t started yet. But there is a faint glimmer at the end of the tunnel, and that glimmer is Cagnes sur Mer.
Stretching Out
Bleu Astral got to stretch his legs on the straight gallop this morning. Ray of Hope gave him a lead. Bleu worked a little tentatively, but that’s normal for his first look at this track. He’ll start to step up now, working faster twice a week.
Unusual weather we’re havin’…
I just got back in from changing the horses’ clothes for the fourth time today. I turned the heat on. Then swatted a mosquito. It’s mid-November.
When a friend of mine gave me an American Pharoah t-shirt on Arc weekend, I didn’t think I would get a chance to wear it before next summer. But this past week temperatures have topped a sunny 22 degrees (71 Fahrenheit). More than half the horses had already quite sensibly grown their winter coats. A couple have resisted. Turns out they had the last laugh.
Enjoying a sunny Saturday
Bleu Astral’s workout partner for the morning was Gorki Park. He’s still just doing slow work for the moment. We’ll let him relax and build a foundation for another week or so before we see what’s under the hood on the straight track.
Getting Down to Work
Bleu Astral is settling into his work nicely. Here are a couple of videos taken just a day after his arrival in the yard.
Welcome Bleu Astral!
Bleu Astral is the first horse in the High Street Racing stable. Purchased by Gina Rarick for 12,750 guineas (18,600 euros; $20,500) at the Wednesday session of Tattersalls October Horses-in-Training Sale, he is a 3-year-old gelding by classic Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Astronomer Royal out of the In the Wings mare Passion Bleue, herself a 1 1/2-mile handicap winner at Longchamp.
Bleu Astral improved to win his last two starts going a mile in England this year, adding to three previous placings in six turf outings. Bred in France, he is eligible for French owners’ premiums.
Newmarket Bound!
High Street Racing trainer Gina Rarick is on her way to Newmarket for the Tattersalls Horses-in-training sale this week. There are several exciting prospects in the catalog that would do a good job of getting your syndicate up and running.
Share sales are progressing well, but we still need a few more investors to join. This is your chance to discover racing in France for a one-time fee of 5,000 euros. Regular updates on your horses, free racecourse admission, stable tours and other special events are all part of the package. If you’ve been thinking of how to take advantage of racing in France, which offers the best prize money in Europe, now’s your chance.
Labor pains
The pheasant that could have ended my life this morning chose not to, for which I was grateful. Far away into my own thoughts, I didn’t see him preening alongside the trail until the last second – Hard Way was nearly on top of him, bowling along toward home in a huge extended trot. Too late to stop, all I could do was crouch lower to the saddle and hope he didn’t choose that second to fly off, which would have resulted in me flying too, probably straight into a stone wall. The pheasant stayed put, and Hard Way coasted past – he probably didn’t see him, either.
Gorki Park at St Cloud
Winner, winner! Mickael Forest win on Gorki Park with an absolutely perfect trip.
A Good Effort
Ella ran a pretty gutsy race for her first try in Group company yesterday in Chantilly. She finished fifth, in the end, picking up our first paycheck in a Group race, despite a less-than-ideal trip – both on the racecourse and in the truck getting there.