Who knows, maybe this can be a thread for soliciting advice on what to do with our racers.
Today [color=blue]The Time Lord, my very first homebred, became my very first black-type homebred by finishing third in the 8f G2 San Felipe Stakes for 3YOs, earning a 193 SF, his highest to date. He’s his dam’s first runner and thanks to his exploits she’s now silver-ranked.
I’m now at a loss for what to do with him. I took a chance at a $250k race because I wanted to stretch him out but I couldn’t find any upcoming races for him that weren’t stakes races, OAs, or at the home track. I suppose throwing him into a graded stakes race was a bit much but he proved he can run with some of the bigger guns and that’s got my hopes/ambitions running a tad high. Last time I took that risk and was successful with it was with Eighteen Karat and I only did it because not only did he run third in the San Felipe but he’s also a son of What’s It Worth, and The Time Lord’s sire is no What’s It Worth.
So I’d like some sense knocked into me, please. I checked and the only race that fits what I want for him that is close to home is the 8f G1 Santa Anita Derby; do I risk the entry fee and enter him? Should I ship him out in search of 8+ furlong races that aren’t stakes or OAs? Should I keep him sprinting (and seek out sprint stakes)? His two victories are at 7f and 7.5f, after all, and I’d like to take advantage of the apparent upswing in his racing career.
If anyone asks, I’ve developed a dislike for shipping a lot of horses out because that was my undoing last year (I ran out of funds completely by summer and half of my horses couldn’t come home until after my team won the CW) and I don’t have the kind of funds to toss horses into big purse races on gut instinct. I’ve been doing better this year because I’ve been very picky about where my runners go (and retiring/selling horses that lost me a lot of money last year) and the only reason why my reserve is running lower than I’d like is because these gosh darn broodmares of mine need to be bred,
There’s a NW2 at 7.5f dirt in Aqueduct on March 30. (Sorry, just realised he’s won a NW1 and NW2 already.)
Then a few weeks of rest, and a NW3 at Gulfstream (7f dirt) on April 24.
Then you could either bring him back home for an 8f dirt NW3 at Del Mar on May 15, or keep him east for a 7.5f dirt NW3 at Belmont on May 29.
Depending on that, you can plan his summer campaign.
He’s definitely doing well this year, but given your concern on funds, I’d keep him in the races you’re confident he can do well in (if not win), and maybe gamble a bit in the stakes races later in the year. I definitely wouldn’t spring for the entry fee of the Santa Anita Derby based on a 3rd in a Grade 2.
You could also try him longer, but he’s proven that he likes sprint-y things, so may as well stick with that until/unless you’re forced to experiment due to lack of races.
This is why I decided to ask for advice instead of wallowing in indecision for a couple weeks. I keep hoping I’ll come up with another horse like Eighteen Karat, and need the occasional reminder to play smart and lightning rarely strikes in the same place twice ='D
I just wish the next best race for him runs earlier than near the end of April; ever since he turned three he recovers energy at a ridiculous rate and I’d hate to leave him at the farm for long periods of time when he could be running somewhere.
I would save my money and see how he does in lower level races, for although he was third he was a fair way behind the winner (35sec). When it’s close I get excited but when it’s a big stretch I get careful. If he came up against Ducati in the Derby I wouldn’t expect a win
Although he has no ideal races up soon I would just try an easier level race that is a little out of spec for him
Thanks for all the advice and insight. The gut instinct that got things right one in a billion tries has finally shut up to let the sensible side take over, and I agree that there’s nothing wrong with Time Lord going back up to full NE while waiting for the appropriate races to show up. Interesting that his fitness was D yesterday but B today…
