Strictly Rhythm will be part of a field of 14 Tuesday at St. Cloud, in a 2,000-meter maiden. My hope is that after this race she no longer qualifies for this sort of thing. This should be an interesting race, because it will tell us whether we can look up or down in terms of where she goes next. The big trainers are bringing out their good three-year-olds with classic ambitions, so the competition is getting tougher, even at this level. If she wins, we can think about the next step up and have a good horse on our hands. If she doesn’t win, we still have a useful horse, but maybe we’ll have to start looking at handicaps and claimers rather than dreaming of black type. In any case, she is in better form than when she was second in Deauville, and she is still not in top form yet. Her coat is coming, but hasn’t come up all the way yet. She has changed for the better physically, but is still finishing growing.
On Thursday, George goes to Longchamp, of all places, for a 2,000-meter handicap. He seems fine, too, but you never know with George. If he can relax, he can run well. He seems to have understood this the past two times out; let’s hope he’s retained the lesson and doesn’t freak out because he’s on grass rather than fibersand.
Our far-flung owners are visiting us this week, too, so it should be fun if nothing else. We get to run two horses at two wonderful tracks and the weather is fine. What more can we ask for?
Just a quick note to say how refreshing I find your blog Gina as it is personal as well as professional. In particular, your reflection on the continued use of medication in the US represented a perfect balance of those two elements.
Being based in the UK, it is really good to pick up the ‘feel’ of racing in France.
Hope you continue to find the time to keep posting.
All the very best with the latest intake of Marnane horses. You deserve every success that comes your way