b4breeding

Just a few interesting asides before I get back to the breeders’ bonus concept…

• The Tintin In America filly who won the South Australian Kindergarten heat (his first winner) went on to win the Kindergarten final on Friday at Globe Derby. Not a huge race – just a $15,000 purse, but Just Wantano looks to be a tractable type with a bit of flair. Here’s my earlier blog about her first win. Worth checking out the race video of the final too, which is on the South Australian Harness Racing site (Globe Derby, 27 February, Race 6).
• Talking of new sires trying to get into the market, there’s a good article on Harnesslink about Panpacificflight showing up well from limited opportunities. I’ve done a couple of blogs specifically on this sire, and others that mention his family. Just use the search function on my blogsite and put in Panspacificflight to find them all. The main blog was about his yearlings sold at the 2014 sale in Christchurch.
• Looks like Lis Mara is heading back home for good. Harness Racing Update recently did an interview with Mike Gulotta, the owner of Deo Volente Farms in Flemington, NJ:

HRU: You recently added Lis Mara to your group of stallions. He was a terrific race horse when you were among his co-owners but has had mixed success as a stallion. How much of your decision to bring him home was due to sentimentality?

MG: I think he can do well as a stallion. I do what’s best for the horses in every case. If you do what is best for the horse you’ll be successful. There was some element of sentiment involved but the horse was a tremendous race horse for us. In his own right he has four sons who have been under 1:50, including Mel Mara. who has made almost $500,000. The horse has got a tremendous pedigree and at some point he is going to produce a number of horses that follow in his footsteps. But you’re right. It was partly because I didn’t want him to be relegated to the backwoods of Central Australia and not know where he was, not after what he did for racing and for us and for the other owners. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to bring him back.

• Chucaro Acero BC, the Shadow Play pacer from Argentina, raced in appalling sleet conditions at Meadowlands on 21 February – the rest of the meeting was cancelled immediately after the race – and got a creditable 4th. He was not outclassed and will be interesting to follow him.
• Destination Moon, my Grinfromeartoear half brother to Tintin In America has also been racing again in America. He had a great start last season with three good wins in a row, but then almost three lasts in a row – the form turnaround looked partly to do with horror draws and also faster fields. It may well have been the big move to America catching up with him too, as it can take a horse quite a while to adjust. Luckily, his connections sent him out for a break. They are starting him off slowly again in easier races this season. He raced today at Freehold and won well in his first tote race for the season. Although at 1.57 it was a lot slower than his best time of 1.52, it will do his confidence the world of good.