Veni, vidi, Vichy

I’m just back from a week of racing in Vichy, and I couldn’t update my blog or get much else done down there because I was without a computer. But it was a successful week: Six runners with five in the money, black type accomplished for Sotka and Runaway Sparkle claimed after her good run. We started off with fifth places on Monday from Justthewayyouare and Comment Dit in “D” condition races against pretty tough company. They both ran well and were not beaten far. Justthewayyouare still bobbles a bit in the straight – he’s a big baby, really, and is still learning. Comment Dit kept plugging along in the straight in her race, putting up a scrappy, tough performance.

On Tuesday, Sotka showed her speed in the Listed race, running a good second. Ioritz Mendizabal didn’t pick up his whip once. She has a lot of natural speed, but is still inexperienced, and he was worried she would drift if he hit her, and he knew we really wanted her in the top three, so he didn’t want to risk it. I was very happy with second, and she’ll tackle another Listed next time out in August in Deauville.

Runaway Sparkle ran a solid second place on Wednesday, which was good enough to get her claimed, which was the point. She is off to sunny Spain, I think. And today, Panisette finished a good second in her claimer. She was helped by first-time blinkers, but also by truly dismal ground; she has huge flat feet, and she covered the muddy, chewed-up track better than almost all of the other 19 runners. Golden Age finished 7th, just a half-length out of the money. She has never run well on soft ground, but today she fought on pretty gamely. Neither horse was claimed, so they are on their way home.

Vichy, by the way, is a wonderful spa town, and I did manage to get in a morning of soaking at the Thermes. I highly recommend it if you’re ever down that way. I also got a chance to meet a fellow blogger Kilian Geoghegan and plenty of other interesting people. I’m exhausted at the moment, but more to come soon: Hold That Emperor, Layman’s Terms and Justthewayyouare in Maisons-Laffitte on Tuesday and Talawa in Dieppe on Wednesday. Just around the corner: Hi Shinko gets ready for his comeback on the fibersand.