Oakwood Farms

Role-Playing At the Barn
1

As the large black and white horse trailer traveled down the long driveway a few whinnies sounded from inside. Two whinnies from the farm greeted the new arrivals. The trailer parked and Juli hopped out. She opened the side door and let the ramp down while four heads swiveled in her direction.

“I thought you only went to buy two?”

Turning Juli saw her boyfriend Seth walking towards her.

“Yea well…I just couldn’t stop at two, these guys just wouldn’t let me leave them.” She replied, albeit sheepishly.

He grinned. “Well, that’s how we ended up with Penny over there.”

Juli turned to look at Ain’t I Pretty. The Grey mare was out with their other horse Romancer grazing contentedly along the fence line.

“Yea, and look how well that turned out.” She shot back.

“You know I’m teasing.”

“I know, I just like to prove you wrong.”

Grinning again Seth gave her a fleeting kiss and stepped up into the trailer.

Clipping a lead rope to Chance’s (Wishforme) halter he led the large bay horse down the ramp. Juli walked back up the ramp and attached a lead to Eli (Gone Eliza) and led him down the ramp and into the barn where she settled him into a spacious box stall. As she was leaving the stall she saw Seth heading down the aisle way with a wheelbarrow and three bags of bedding.

“For the extra two you just had to buy.” He explained tongue-in-cheek.

Glaring she walked back to the trailer and unloaded Del (Delaware Flyer)

and attached her to the cross-ties while Seth finished preparing her stall then followed suit with Intel (Intel Inside).

Finished Seth walked the two horses into their new stalls while Juli cleaned out and parked the trailer. Finished she walked to the field where Romancer and Penny grazed. Clipping a lead to both their halters she walked them into the barn and back into their respective stalls.

Finished until dinner both Seth and Juli walked back up to the house while their six horses munched contendedly on hay.

2

A Few Weeks Later

“Another auction?”

“Yes Seth. And we’re going to get a few horses.”

“Well I expected that much from you.”

Giving Seth a mock glare Juli walked out of the house and climbed into the cab of her truck and set off to the Annual Mixed Auction, trailer in tow. Within two hours she parked the trailer and headed to the office to register. Once all the paperwork was filled out she was given the go ahead to either browse the horses or start bidding.

Quite a few horses caught her eye. Throughout the day she placed a few bids here and there, to see where they would go. One of those bids was on a pretty dark bay mare. As she was walking down the aisle a demanding whinny caught her by surprise. Turning she was looking at Charlene. She had yet to prove herself, but looking at her pedigree, the mare had decent lines. Maybe she would be like Penny, once she figured out where the finish line was she’d start winning. Either way Juli was hooked. She placed a bid immediately.

One other horse that caught her eye was a large chestnut colt. Though he was hiding in the back of his stall, Juli could see the perfection of his conformation. The horse was gorgeous, he should be able to win by looks alone. His pedigree was also a big incentive. His sire, Gone Haywire was a National Champion and had produced decent foals, all of which had the rest of their 3 year old year and maybe their 4 year old year to really prove themselves. Out of all of his foals that were currently on the track Gone Soaring was the only one that had yet to win, though he had managed to place once. Juli placed a bid on him.

Finally, after hours of nail chewing, the gavel banged twice. Once for Charlene, and once for Gone Soaring. Juli was surprised at the ease at which she had been able to purchase these two, and for a combined price of less than $10k at that. She called Seth on his cell-phone and informed him that he should prepare two additional stalls. Snapping her phone shut Juli let the ramp to the trailer down while two of the auctions staff led the horses out of the auction barn and out into the moonlit night.

Charlene calmly walked up the ramp and into the trailer. Gone Soaring was another story. He was very skittish swinging his quarters to and fro. He tried to bolt quite a few times, even reared when the staff member finally decided to hand over the lead rope.

Rather than trying to get him into the trailer again Juli just walked him around the outside of the auction barn. While walking with him a nickname came to mind.

“Falcon.”

Falcons, a bird of prey are fiercely loyal, and extremely smart. Gone Soaring reminded her of a falcon, extremely high-strung, yet he had the look of intellect in his eye. Walking seemed to calm Falcon down and when Juli led him back up to the trailer he was hesitant, but loaded up for her next to Charlene. At that moment Charlene let out a large sigh as if to say, ‘finally’. Juli closed up the trailer, climbed into her truck and headed home.

Finally two hours later Juli pulled into the driveway. Parking the trailer next to the main barn Juli hopped out of the truck and let down the ramp to the trailer. Seth appeared from the house and grabbed Charlene’s lead rope. Clipping it to her halter he led her down the ramp. Falcon whinnied frantically until Juli unclipped him and led him down the ramp. Walking him into the barn she was greeted by her six other horses.

Leading him into the freshly bedded stall Juli took Falcon’s halter off and leaned on his door and watched him while he tentatively lipped up some hay. Walking over to Charlene’s stall she watched as the mare took carrots from Seth. The horses were settled for the night, and Juli was ready to collapse. She turned off the barn light and followed Seth back up to the house.

3

Cute! :slight_smile: I own Gone Haywire,

and I hope Falcon starts winning like crazy! :lol:

4

And I almost owned Gone

Haywire! <_< :smiley: But now I’m not giving up on Hermione, but every single time I

almost get her, someone bids, and I have to wait 12 hours again!!!

5

Whoa, Laura, can I ask you to

go easy on the colors? :wink:

6

But I have a colorful

personality…ok, ok, I’ll tone it down. :slight_smile:

7

“You want to buy another one?”

“Yes, but before you roll your eyes look at his pedigree.”

“His sire and his mother never raced.”

“I know but look at his sires progeny. Eleven stakes winners, ten of which that have won more than one.”

“I understand that Juli but he’s yet to prove himself.”

“He managed a third in a GIII when he was three. I think he needs to be changed over to Steeplechasing. Three of his MSW siblings did very well Steeplechasing, and one of his siblings on his mothers side did wonderful steeplechasing.”

“In the end it’s your decision.”

Juli knew she had his approval, grinning she hugged him.

“Thanks, you’re the greatest.”

With that she turned on her heel and turning the key to the truck, headed back out to the auction.

“Come on big guy. Lets take you to your new home.”

Juli closed up the ramp on the trailer and left the auction for the final time, one more horse to take home.

Once the truck pulled to a stop Juli got out and let the ramp down. The big bay horse calmly walked down the ramp and followed Juli down the aisle way to his roomy box stall that was waiting with fresh shavings and hay.

It was a big risk she’d taken, what with spending $40,500 on a six year old.

But she had a feeling that once he got to steeplechasing he might improve…and if not, there was nothing she could do about it now.

But that is horse racing.

8

First of all I’m going to thank Edgewood Stud for putting Oops up for sale. Our first two-year old!

“Another one hmm?”

“He was irresistable.”

“I can imagine. Well he does have very good lines, he has a MSW for a full sister, might help his chances.”

The little bay stallion turned from his hay to look at Juli and Seth while they talked about her decision to buy another one…a two year old at that. Disinterested he turned back to his hay and grabbed a mouthful.

Turning from Oops’ stall they walked down the aisle to their other two most recent purchases. A.P. Silver Moon was with the farm until the end of 2009. The other was Golden Approval, a six year old Juli had risked seeing potential despite the possibility of him being ‘past his prime’. Her prediction proved right though, his first time out for the farm was his steeplechasing debut, he won. Though his next start was disappointing, finishing 10th/10, though Juli suspected it was the long distance he had disliked.

It was nice walking down the aisleway with a lot of stalls full, though there were still a bunch waiting for the farms next winner.

9

Juli set the stool down and sat down next to Penny (Ain’t I Pretty) while she cold hosed her leg. The mare had been injured at the end of July where swelling was found in one of her front legs. The swelling was all gone and Penny was back in work taking long slow walks for awhile to keep her active. X-Rays had showed nothing serious, everyone assumed she had hit herself during the race. Nevertheless they were taking all precautions with her.

Turning at the sound of horses coming into the barn Juli saw Seth and her best friend Toni leading All That Jazz (Jazz) and Please Hold (Holt), two new purchases into the barn.

Both were good looking horses, hopefully they would bring some more wins home for Oakwood Farms.

10

Juli led the small roan horse down the trailer ramp and into the barn. A stall was waiting for the colt. Entering the stall Juli unclipped the leadrope and watched as Five Second Delay walked around his stall to investigate. ‘Duncan’ was the last foal of the stallion Five Card Stud who had managed to produce a few nice stakes winners. Majority of his sire and dam’s foals were Steeplechasers, and successful ones at that. Steeplechasing seemed like one possibility for the red colt. He had newish lines, lines that could prove to be very good ones.

Turning Juli went back to the trailer and carefully led down High Flight, a black son of Highland Rogue, one of the most influential sires in Final Furlong. ‘Flight’ had won multiple stakes races, and placed in ones two. Though he is five, there is a good chance he will still be able to run.

11

Have had a lot of new additions so I’m going to slowly add stories for each of our new stars.

Delaware Flyer, Oakwood Farms first broodmare raised her head and watched as Juli led a blue-roan mare towards the field she was currently grazing in. The mare was Phantom Melody, Juli had acquired her through the liquidation of Central Coast Lodge. Phantom was a very nice broodmare who had produced; one multiple stakes winner and three winners out of six foals of racing age. Phantom was currently in foal to WCh. Highland Mystery. Juli knew she was extremely lucky to have gotten this mare-in-foal for free. She was looking forward to seeing what kind of foal she would produce. This foal would be part of Highland Mystery’s first crop, but with his racing record the foal is bound to be a good one.

Delaware Flyer ambled over to the gate which Juli was opening and sniffed Phantom when she was un-clipped. After an uneventful squeal the two ambled off to graze together. Delaware Flyer herself was due the same day as Phantom, though she was in foal to Run For It, who is already proven to be a nice sire. This foal is to be part of the last crop for Run For It, while it is Delaware Flyer’s first foal. Del had been getting lonely, being the only broodmare she had to be turned out by herself, only because all the others she had been turned out with had been getting rough with her. Juli watched as the two grazed nose to nose. Pregnant mares were so mellow, it was a nice change from the ones on the track.

12

September 2009 –

“Stop that,” Juli said fondly to the large chestnut colt that was currently trying to chew on her whip. Townsend Secret was the newest purchase for the farm, Juli had bought him through a private sale for $50k, cheap for a two-year old with his lines. The colts sire was the ever famous WCh. Secret of Love who made a name for himself on the track, and in the breeding shed, siring many MSW’s. It was the colt’s dam that had clinched the deal though, Townsend Legacy was a half sister to MSW Prince of Wonder and Pirate, and SP Ashleigh’s Prince. Townsend Legacy herself hasn’t proved her worth as a broodmare, but Juli saw potential in this colt. He hasn’t done much yet, but he is only two-years old.

October 2009 –

Juli watched from the barn aisle as Aly’s Affair, the barns newest addition romped in his field outside. Aly, is a small colt, only standing at 15hh, but he does have a nice pedigree his sire is the infamous Alydar, and his dam, Formal Affair, is a decent broodmare. The colt has yet to do much on the track, but he is also, a two-year old.

Juli sighed as she watched the trailer exit the driveway, Please Hold inside going off to his new home. Juli just couldn’t seem to get inside his head to she had made the decision to sell him, to someone with whom he may perform better, it was never easy selling a horse, but while Please Hold was leaving, Southern Shawnee was just arriving. Juli had bought the Bay SP Gelding on a whim, he seemed a consistent racer and she’d had her eye on him for quite awhile.

November 2009 –

After such a promising start, Gone Eliza, whom Juli had purchase at the New Member sale, just wasn’t performing like his old self. Juli couldn’t figure him out, so after a few weeks of debating, she and Seth had decided to sell the colt, maybe he could make someone else some money. On the same note, Juli had also decided to sell High Flight, whom she just wasn’t getting along with, hopefully someone else would have some luck with him.

13

December 2009 –

Juli laughed as she watched the antics of her newest addition to the barn. Sleipnir, previously known as Luck’sonmyside challenged her gelding Golden Approval from over the fence. For A little guy he sure acted superior. Juli had bought Sleipnir at the Annual Foal Auction for $100,000, the maximum amount able to be spent at this particular sale. Sleipnir was a small colt, he would be officially two years old on February 24th, 2010 which was only three months away and he was still quite small, but well put together, our guess is that he will mature to 15hh. He was a nice dark bay with a big white blaze down his face and a little white on his left hind leg. Juli has big plans for this little colt, he is out of NCh. You Belong, who herself was quite the racehorse, she won the GI Clearwater Stakes as a two year old and won the GI River Side Stakes, GI Mother Goose Stakes, and the GI BC Sprint at three. She also raced in the Kentucky Derby where she took third, and the Belmont in which she took fourth. Of her 5 foals of racing age, two are MSW’s, three are SP’s, and one is a winner.

Sleipnir sire is also quite the horse, he raced nine times, and lost only once in which he came in second to Heza Gallant Gent in his debut race. He then went on to win the Triple Crown, the GI Black Gold Memorial, and the GI BC Classic as a three year old and then raced only once as a four year old, winning the GI Hudson Handicap. Lucky Cigar has also had quite the career at stud, siring 8 MSW’s, 1 SW, 4 SP’s, and 18 winners.

Sleipnir has quite the pedigree, hopefully he wil make his family proud.

Oakwood Farms has another purchase alongside Sleipnir, GCh. Storming River. Storming River’s racing career didn’t take off until his last start of his three year old year, when he broke his maiden. It was a 14f SC GIII on a slow and yielding track where, as the announcer put it, ‘Storming River never tired, winning by 8 lengths over Dangerous Shadow and Worth The Trouble’. His first two starts as a four year old were allowance in which he won easily with a combine winning margin of 10 3/4 lengths. After this he went on to graded races for the rest of the year, coming in second in the GII San Rafael Stakes, the GII Pan American Handicap, the Ungraded C. Edmun O’Brien Stakes, the GI Secret of Love Stakes, the GIII Moonover Boy Breeder’s Stakes, and the GI Townsend Prince Breeder’s Stakes. In his five year old season he won the GIII Hal’s Hope Handicap, the Ungraded Whirlaway Stakes, and the GI Irish Grand National.

Hopefully he will continue to get better as a six-year old.

14

What a start to the year…not a good one by any stretch of the imagination. On January 9th Oakwood Farms first mare of the year had gone into labor. The mare was Ain’t I Pretty, or Penny as Juli called her, and the foaling hadn’t gone well, the filly had been stillborn. The foal would have been Penny’s first. Just a day later even worse news had come from Belmont.

Juli ran a hand down her face as she walked down the aisle to prepare a stall for Ring The Alarm, aka Rin, one of her two-year-olds sent to the track less than two weeks ago was coming back to the farm. She had been out on the track for an easy walk two days ago when a horse galloping by spooked her and she bolted and took a bad step. Luckily the exercise rider managed to pull her up as quickly as possible. She was sedated and vanned back to the barn where they discovered a fracture in her left hind cannon bone. Surgery was elected so she was shipped to the Equine Trauma Center in Central, New Jersey where they inserted two screws into the leg to best stabilize the injury. Luckily it doesn’t seem life threatening and there is a good chance that Rin will make it back to the races. Today she was shipping home from the hospital, which was only a ten minute drive from the farm. Seth had gone to pick her up while Juli elected to stay back and prepare a stall for the filly. Two bucket of fresh water, 3 flakes of alfalfa and 4 bales of straw later the stall was all ready.

At the sound of a diesel truck pulling in the driveway Juli walked down the aisle, sparing a pat for Penny who seemed to have taken losing her foal well, and stopped at the loading ramp where the trailer was being pulled up. Once Seth put the truck in park Juli pulled open the door and stepped into the trailer to check on Rin and Storming River who they had decided they would take to get the filly to keep her company in the trailer for the drive home. The gelding was a veteran of getting trailered to and fro so was a good canditate to keep the filly calm for the short ride home. By the looks of it the gelding had done his job well, Rin looked good despite the out of place large vetrap bandage on her hind leg. Seth came around from the truck and helped Juli pull out the ramp and side panels and put the carpet down. Juli clipped a shank on Rin while Seth did the same with River. Seth led River out of the trailer first and Juli followed slowly with Rin. They made the walk down the ramp and down the aisle with Rin walking admirably well for a hors with two screws and a fracture in her leg. Juli let Rin loose in her stall and the filly gingerly walked around and soon settled and started eating her hay. Satisfied that the filly would be okay Juli and Seth went back up to the house to eat lunch.