4/30/2018
DOUBLE GRADE 3 WINS
Gordian Troeller graduates won two Grade 3 races at Santa Anita over the weekend.
On Saturday, QUEEN BLOSSOM a filly I bought from Ireland for Team Valor and who was subsequently sold to Abondanza Racing won the GR 3 Santa Barbara Stakes over 1 1/2 miles./ SHe was given a great ride by Flavien Prat and this success was long overdue. Hopefully she can step up again and win a higher Grade race.
The yesterday, BELVOIR BAY easily won the GR 3 San SImeon Stakes over the downhill truf track, and will surely be competitive in many more Graded Stakes races this summer. Assuming she stays healthy it would be great to see her try the Breeders Cup Turf sprint in November. ALl the more pleasing as she was one of Peter Miller's horses caught up in that terrible inferno at San Luis Rey last year. Peter has done a great job training her .
On a more pessimistic note, it is getting harder and harder to find value in any horses in the UK and Ireland. Owners are over-pricing their horses quite badly with the result that trade is becoming more and more difficult. There are some buyers who will still pay exhorbitant prices for oevrvalued stock, but most are more sensible and are more discerning. SO it's a constant battle.
The turf season is finally underway, although we have been plagued by rain so much of the form is questionable as the races are run on soft or heavy ground which then begs the question as to whether the form actually amounts to anything.
Still we'll keep on trying and surely I will come up with another gem or two in the next few weeks.
On Saturday, QUEEN BLOSSOM a filly I bought from Ireland for Team Valor and who was subsequently sold to Abondanza Racing won the GR 3 Santa Barbara Stakes over 1 1/2 miles./ SHe was given a great ride by Flavien Prat and this success was long overdue. Hopefully she can step up again and win a higher Grade race.
The yesterday, BELVOIR BAY easily won the GR 3 San SImeon Stakes over the downhill truf track, and will surely be competitive in many more Graded Stakes races this summer. Assuming she stays healthy it would be great to see her try the Breeders Cup Turf sprint in November. ALl the more pleasing as she was one of Peter Miller's horses caught up in that terrible inferno at San Luis Rey last year. Peter has done a great job training her .
On a more pessimistic note, it is getting harder and harder to find value in any horses in the UK and Ireland. Owners are over-pricing their horses quite badly with the result that trade is becoming more and more difficult. There are some buyers who will still pay exhorbitant prices for oevrvalued stock, but most are more sensible and are more discerning. SO it's a constant battle.
The turf season is finally underway, although we have been plagued by rain so much of the form is questionable as the races are run on soft or heavy ground which then begs the question as to whether the form actually amounts to anything.
Still we'll keep on trying and surely I will come up with another gem or two in the next few weeks.