Deep Ocean heads to Deauville tomorrow for a return to the fibersand in a 1,900-meter handicap. Looks tough to win, but if he runs to form, he shouldn’t be too far off the mark. We won this same race two years ago with Turfani, and it would be nice to do it again. In any case, Deep will kick off several runs in Deauville in August for us. Hard Way and King have races in mid-month, and Deep will probably go back near the end of the month.
Milly followed up her second at Longchamp with a third in Vichy in mid-July, and she will either go back to Vichy or to Lion d’Angers in mid-August. She is proving to be ever tougher. The ground in Vichy was dismal after a week of racing every day and a good dose of rain. She was outpaced at the start, and found herself shuffled back to mid-pack. Going into the final turn, I thought we were well-beaten because Christophe Lemaire already had to give her a crack to keep her moving. Entering the stretch, he asked again, and she responded, if only a little. He continued to ask, and she started to move, passing horses to be beaten only a length in the end. It was an amazing stretch run from her and a great ride from Christophe, who was blowing harder than the horse when they came back to unsaddle. He could have given up on her, but he didn’t.
She took the race in stride, as usual, and hasn’t left a grain of oats in the feed bin since. She’s had 10 races this year, and taken checks in five of them. I keep waiting for her to ask for a break, but she instead keeps asking for more. Eventually, she will need a break, I would think, but she’s not asking yet, so we’ll press ahead.
Gorki Park, meanwhile, is settling in very nicely. He seems to have a very good head on his shoulders, which will help him once he starts racing. He is working with our unraced (and still unnamed) three-year-old Irish filly. I’m not sure which will get to the track first, but I think my money’s on him. She is a very big girl and seems to be going through a growth phase at the moment, so we have to be patient for the moment.
Meanwhile, we’re all enjoying the summer, which seems to have finally arrived with some decent weather. I don’t want to jinx it, but it looks like August might actually give us a little sun. Off to the yard for a gin and tonic!
i know, right! i’m not complaining either and am so glad summer decided to make an appearance. it’s wicked hot where i live in france, which i love. i can’t get enough of it and now it’s time to do all the summertime things and travel to lakes and oceans to swim. that is, before it goes away, which is no one knows when! btw, your blog has been a cool place to get jam-packed info on racing. you know, it’s lots of meat and no fat, just the way i like it.