Everybody in the Pool

Eddy has been swimming on a regular basis….

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2013/05/17/everybody-in-the-pool/

Welcome ASK EDDY

From: http://canterburyracingclub.com/2013/04/29/welcome-ask-eddy/

Welcome ASK EDDY to the barn.  ASK EDDY is a 6-year old gelding by VICTORY GALLOP out to the MATTY G mare STARLINE.  Foaled in Kentucky, he was a graduate of the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale where the bidding stopped at $33,000.

ASK EDDY started his racing career at Arlington Park where he debuted against Maiden Special Weight company but it wasn’t until two starts later that his broke his maiden in a $25,000 Maiden Claiming race at Hawthorne.  In his career he has had 35 starts with 7 wins, hitting the board just over 50% of the time and earning over $165,000.  He has won races as high as allowance level and has changed hands via the claim box five times including yesterday when Clay claimed him.  Last season he was stakes placed, finishing third in the Wheat City Stakes at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg.  He likes to run on or near the lead which is something that is desirable when racing at Canterbury.  Additionally, Clay felt that this is a horse that he can improve upon both physically and with some training, so we dropped a slip for $5,000 and ASK EDDY was Clay’s when the gates spring open.

As a member of our group, Clay claimed the horse in his name and there he will stay for 30-days until the horse is eligible to be sold to new owners, which will be the Canterbury Park Racing Club.   To expand a little bit, only licensed owners can claim a horse and rules vary considerably from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  Most jurisdictions do require that the horse remain in the claiming owners name for thirty days before it can be sold or transferred (other than via another claim).  In this case, Clay is part of the group and we will join him in owning the horse as the group after the 30-day period.

Unfortunately, yesterday was not one of ASK EDDY’s best efforts.  He tracked the leaders well but about six furlongs in; he started sliding back and was unable to keep pace.  Clay looked him over this morning and said that “He’s got a bit of an ankle, but he cooled out well and walked well this morning.”

What the horse DOES need is some quality care.  He is a bit lightweight and probably needs to be wormed and have his teeth floated.  His coat was a bit ragged and he appears tired, so he’ll get a bit of time, care and proper nutrition.  A couple of things Clay learned talking to the jock that rode him for both his old outfits was that when the horse is right, he can be pretty good and that during the race he felt just fine under him, no signs of discomfort at all. Cautious optimism are the watchwords.

So he’s going to get a little time off (about 30-days), get some weight back on him and get fit so Clay can have the opportunity to bring him back to a racing level where we feel he belongs – which we’re hoping is somewhat higher than the $5,000 that we bought him for!

As the Canterbury meet gets underway, we’ll be looking to be active in the claim box as well to get Eddy’s stablemate, probably at a fairly higher level than we picked up Eddy.

Bam in Race 1 on Friday

As you may have already found out, Great Bam has been entered in Race 1 on Friday, a $10,000 claiming race going 6 and 1/2 furlongs with a purse of $16,000. On paper, it stacks up as a relatively competitive affair but the good news is that it’s only a field of six. Seth Martinez will again have the call.

Clay decided that this is where Great Bam likely had the best chance of winning. Taking a quick scan through the Past Performances for Friday and you can see that the $5,000 claiming race going six furlongs drew a capacity crowd (two of which are trained by Clay). In reality, that race is just about as tough as the $10,000 claimer.

Additionally, the allowance race did go drawing a field of 8. If you compare that group to the group Bam will face there is a noticeable class difference. Six of the eight runners in the allowance race have produced a Beyer Speed Figure this year that is better than the career high Bam ran his last time out.

Thus, we run in the first against five foes. Here’s a quick look at the field:

#1 Longer Version - The Illinois-bred has been facing state-bred competition and now goes in against open toward the end of the Hawthorne meet. He has been soundly defeated in three starts off the claim and is likely to be the highest price in the race.

#2 Schillerthekiller - This name may be familiar to you. Clay trained this horse throughout the summer and he notched one victory and one second place finish from two Canterbury starts. He was claimed away from Clay two starts back and finished fourth against similar competition last time out. Has a right to be competitive.

#3 Great Bam - You are all familiar with him. Not clear how the extra half furlong will affect him but he has hit the board in four of five career races at the distance. Without any other clearly defined front-runner, might he go straight to the lead today?

#4 Angel Talk - Takes a slight drop in class down a claiming level back to the level of his most recent victory. Has beaten handily in his two efforts against better. Eleven career wins include six at Hawthorne so he knows his way around this oval. Could potentially go to the lead depending on how quickly Bam gets into stride.

#5 Lalo’s Baby Bear - Exits a win last time out at this level and has some impressive back class. It’s possible that he is rounding back into form and that likely gives him just a slight lean on the morning line when it comes out. One to fear.

#6 Go Doug Go - Will be scratched out of a $14,000 claiming race on Thursday to run here instead. Slight drop down the ladder makes him a contender in here; however, he’ll need a quick pace to run down from off the pace. Probably the third wagering choice.

That’s a quick look at the field for Friday. Post time for the opener is 2:00pm. Hope you can sneak out to Canterbury to watch the race! Good luck.

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2012/12/17/bam-in-race-1-on-friday/

Bam Works Out

As a couple of you have pointed out, Great Bam worked out on Sunday. The work was relatively moderate, going four furlongs in 51.40 seconds (ranked 22 of 40 at the distance). Jeff spoke with Clay after the workout and said that all went according to schedule.

Clay told Jeff that he intends to walk bam today and tomorrow, send him to the track to gallop on Wednesday and if all goes according to plan, he’ll work again next weekend and will be ready to enter.

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2012/12/03/bam-works-out/

Bam Posts Maintenance Drill

Great Bam went out to the track for an easy work this morning covering four furlongs in 50.20. The worked ranked as the 9th fastest of 20 recorded at the distance. Clay is just trying to keep him sharp at this point in the hopes that an extra pops up in the coming days. Stay tuned!

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2012/11/13/bam-posts-maintenance-drill/

Great Bam Aiming for Allowance Race

Clay reports that Great Bam is doing well following his latest victory. Plans call for trying allowance company; however, when exactly that may be is a bit of a mystery.

The next allowance race that Bam would fit the conditions of (non-winners of one race other than maiden, claiming or starter) going short on the dirt doesn’t come up again in the Condition Book until November 30. Obviously, a bit of a wait. Thus, the hope is that it will come up as an extra prior to that date.

Unfortunately, we have no control over this and due to the fact that the allowance race is worth $30,000 – $32,000 it is worth the wait. Hawthorne does not run conditioned claiming races for non-winners of four races lifetime; thus, our options are to run in the allowance (for a purse of $30,000 – $32,000) or run in an open claiming race.

If we were to run in the open claiming races, Great Bam’s recent Beyer Speed Figure of 81 (a lifetime best) would make him competitive at the open $7,500 claiming level where the purse is only $14,000 or the open $5,000 claiming level where the purse is only $13,000.

Thus, for now, it makes sense to wait on an allowance race to see if we can take home a big prize. Stay tuned!

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2012/11/09/great-bam-aiming-for-allowance-race/

Bam Photo Options

Four Footed Fotos asked us to post some of the photo options available for purchase. Here they are:

Again, the best way to get a picture would be for anyone interested to give the office a call at Hawthorne and order on your own. They accept credit cards. Make sure you are clear that you are ordering a picture from Race 4 at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday, October 27, 2012 – Great Bam.

Four Footed Fotos

425-271-9424 main office

708-780-3700 (x3654) on race days

via Canterbury Racing Club http://canterburyracingclub.com/2012/11/02/bam-photo-options/