• Night of Idiots was fourth today at Golden Gate Fields looking for her 2^nd win in a row. Sat a good trip, made a nice move on the turn to reach contention, and flattened out in deep stretch. The rail was not the best place to be but no real excuse. A little drop in class next time should get her back to the winner’s circle.
• Take a look at the attached photo of our beautiful yearling out of Exchanging Fire, broken and in training at T-Square stud in Ocala and doing super. We expect him to be an early, precocious two year old next year!

Yearling colt out of Exchanging Fire. Photo courtesy of Adam Parker.

• Rapstorerocks arrived safely at Palm Meadows this this morning, he looks absolutely fantastic as you can see from the attached photo taken by Kelly Breen just off the van outside his barn at Palm Meadows. He’s training really well and has a shot to be a nice horse purchased at a bargain price. Could run by end of the month at Gulfstream if he settles in well.

Rapstorerocks at Palm Meadows on December 5, 2019. Photo courtesy of Kelly Breen.

• Shake It Up Baby doing well and could run right around the end of December
• New Found Treasure good at Penn National out of her race, there’s a nice spot for her in about two weeks at Penn.
• Lisa Limon excellent at the farm in Kentucky, looking forward to a nice healthy baby in February. She will be bred to world-class racehorse Palace Malice (by Curlin) in 2020, one of the leading first-crop sires this year with 15 winners including a Breeder’s Cup winning two year old!

Finally, see excerpt below  from an article in this week’s TDN (Thoroughbred Daily News) about the state of California racing and purse money that speaks for itself, California Racing’s ‘Other’ Problem is Purses.

TDN excerpt

• Bullion had a very nice workout today at the Fair Grounds and is not far from a race now. He might run at the Fairgrounds right around the end of the year. Our goal is to hopefully have him sharp and ready for the Oaklawn Park meet that begins in January.
• Rapstorerocks is on his way to Gulfstream Park this Wednesday. Photos to follow when he arrives. He’s training really well and has a shot to be a nice horse purchased at a bargain price. He could run by end of the month if he settles in well.
• Solar came out of race at Gulfstream Park this weekend “great,” according to Kelly Breen after finishing 3^rd, beaten a nose and a head in a three horse photo after being blocked on multiple occasions. He was absolutely much the best here; well back early, made a bold move on the turn from the rail and was shut off, tried to rally between horses and was shut off again, came into the stretch and rallied between three other horses, was completely blocked with nowhere to go and just missed with a huge run when finally shaking free late. He’s had unlucky trips on more than one occasion, hopefully next start things will set up well for him and he’ll make a long overdue visit to the winner’s circle after several close finishes, could run back at end of Dec.
• Night of Idiots runs on Thursday, December 5^th at Golden Gate Fields. She is looking for her 2^nd win in a row.
• Giuliana Vee doing well now, going to work her this week and if she comes out of it ok and shows no ill effects from the abscess she had, there’s a race for her at Penn National in about 2 weeks.

Horse Workout Notification
December 2, 2019
Bullion (3-Year-Old Colt)
Date: December 2, 2019
Track: FAIR GROUNDS
Distance: Five Furlongs
Time: 1.01:40 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 7/17

Great effort, new works, entries & more

• Solar ran exceptionally well and was exceptionally unlucky today at Gulfstream Park when finishing 3^rd, beaten a nose and a head in a three horse photo after being blocked on multiple occasions. He was absolutely much the best here; well back early, made a bold move on the turn from the rail and was shut off, tried to rally between horses and was shut off again, came into the stretch and rallied between three other horses, was completely blocked with nowhere to go and just missed with a huge run when finally shaking free late. If you watch the replay you hear the announcer say “a very unlucky Solar was 3^rd” and that really says it all.  

While it was a shame to get such a rough trip with a winning effort, the horse ran really well. He’s been competing at higher levels ($35,000 today) than the $20,000 we paid for him and gives it his best every time. He’s had unlucky trips on more than one occasion, hopefully at some point things will set up well for him and he’ll make a long overdue visit to the winner’s circle after several close finishes. Thanks to Paul Callahan for the excellent photos.

• The race for Night of Idiots finally went, she runs Dec. 5^th at Golden Gate Fields looking for her 2^nd win in a row.
• Shake It Up Baby had a really good work this morning in company at Palm Meadows. You can see the work time listed below (good time) but more important is how he did it, head to head going strongly throughout the work. He’s on the inside, take a look:

• Take a look at a nice video of No Good Deed training at the gate this morning at Gulfstream with Ron Spatz. “It was new to her, she was a bit nervous at first but she settled down and did really well” Ron Spatz.

• Life On the Edge good out of her race, she’ll either go to the farm shortly or run one more time. She’s already had 6 starts and 2 impressive wins as a two year old, far more than 90% of all horses accomplish at two. A little R&R and she’ll be ready for a big three year old season next year.   
• Lisa Limon excellent at the farm in Kentucky, looking forward to a nice healthy baby in February. She will be bred to world-class racehorse Palace Malice (by Curlin) in 2020, one of the leading first-crop sires this year with 15 winners including a Breeder’s Cup winning two year old! If you look at the very bottom of this email you’ll see the sire she’s in foal to (Liam’s Map) and the one she’ll be bred to in 2020 (Palace Malice) had impressive maiden special weight winners yesterday. Both are incredibly hot first crop sires, we are very fortunate.

 12th-Churchill Downs, $96,843, Msw, 11-30, 2yo, 1m, 1:37.68, sy. SOUNION (c, 2, Liam’s Map--Uno Mas Promesa, by Macho Uno) made it 14 winners for his freshman sire (by Unbridled=s Song), fighting to take a spot with the early leaders then briefly wresting the sole lead on the turn. Fight Fight Fight (Uncle Mo) was glued to him at the top of the lane but yielded late and let Lastchanceatglory (Goldencents) take his spot by a neck at the wire while Sounion inched clear by 1 1/2 lengths. The even money favorite had made his debut with a placing behind >TDN Rising Star= and eventual GSW Dennis= Moment (Tiznow) at Ellis Park July 27 and then took a three-month break before reemerging with a near-miss neck second at Churchill Oct. 27. He is a half to Promise Me Silver (Silver City), GSW, $486,681; and to Bully Good (My Golden Song), SW, $156,510. Dam Uno Mas Promesa has a yearling Pioneerof the Nile filly, a weanling Arrogate filly, and has been bred back to Tapit. Sales History: $360,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-1, $78,412

10th-Del Mar, $52,702, Msw, 11-30, 2yo, 1m (off turf), 1:37.31, ft. IMPOSSIBLE TASK (g, 2, Liam’s Map--Spelling {GSP, $161,710}, by Alphabet Soup), fourth on debut sprinting five furlongs over the Del Mar lawn Aug. 7, was claimed for $100,000 out of a fifth-place effort over the oceanside oval=s main track Aug. 21. He was coming off a runner-up effort going 5 1/2 furlongs over the turf at Santa Anita Oct. 31. The 7-2 shot battled Eddy Forever (Medaglia d=Oro) on the front end through fractions of :23.00 and :47.37. He jostled with that rival as he took command at the top of the lane and then determinedly held off favored Tizamagician (Tiznow) to win by one length and become the 15th winner for his freshman sire (by Unbridled=s Song). It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Eddy Forever in third. A $27,000 FTKOCT yearling, Impossible Task was a $90,000 OBS April 2- year-old (:10 2/5). He is a half to Sky Willow (Empire Maker, SW, $114,979); and to Spelling Again (Awesome Again, MGSW, $534,653). Spelling produced a filly by Outwork last year and a filly by Keen Ice this year before being bred back to Ransom the Moon. Her Outwork yearling sold for $50,000 at last month=s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Lifetime Record: 4-1-1-0, $45,660. O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-Farfellow Farms Ltd. (KY); T-John W. Sadler

2nd-Churchill Downs, $78,765, Msw, 11-30, 2yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:39.18, sy. PALACE MISS (f, 2, Palace Malice--Jelly Cable {SP}, by Sky Mesa) drew in off the also-eligible list for this rained-off test and made the most of the opportunity. Settled in the second flight of horses down the backstretch and racing four paths off the inside, the bay commenced a four-wide rally on the turn, drew on even terms while deep at the entrance to the straight and pulled clear for a three-length defeat of pacesetting Sweet Bay (Munnings) as the 9-2 third choice. The 17th winner for her freshman sire (by Curlin), Palace Miss has a yearling half-brother named Captain (Khozan) and a weanling half-brother by Animal Kingdom. Sales history: $19,000 Ylg '18 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 4-1-0-1, $46,409. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Harold Lerner LLC; B-Brent & Crystal Fernung, Mike Sebastian Sr, Dan Flanigan et al (FL); T-Kenneth G McPeek.

• Life On the Edge sat a good trip at Gulfstream Park in 2^nd behind the early leader, much as she did in her win at Laurel Park, made a move for the lead on the far turn and tired in the stretch to finish 6^th, exactly in the middle of the 11 horse field. The only ‘excuse’ was that it was an exceptionally fast early pace, all three of the early leaders including the strong 2^nd choice who sat just off her flank most of the race tired in the stretch, setting things up for a 22 to 1 longshot winner.  Much of racing is the trip-pace; she got an ideal trip but a tough pace scenario. Tried hard and seems to be fine so far out of the race. Depending on how she comes out of it she’ll either go to the farm after this or run one more time. She’s already had 6 starts and 2 impressive wins as a two year old, far more than 90% of all horses accomplish at two. A little R&R and she’ll be ready for a big three year old season next year. A nice group of owners were on hand for the race, enjoy these photos from today courtesy of Paul Callahan.

• Solar runs Sunday at Gulfstream Park. As usual at Gulfstream a competitive spot but if he fires his best he’ll be very competitive in here. He’s going to set a fast pace also from the rail, hopefully he’ll be able to rate a little and take the field on a merry chase.
• The race for Night of Idiots finally went, she runs Dec. 5^th at Golden Gate Fields looking for her 2^nd win in a row.

See Equibase or kenwoodracing.com for details on all entries. George@kenwoodracing.com for help with all admission-seating arrangements. 

• Take a look at a nice video of No Good Deed training at Gulfstream Park with Ron Spatz yesterday. Making steady progress. Ron reports she’s warming up much better the last few days, less stiffness, more comfortable.

• Rapstorerocks is on his way to Gulfstream Park as soon as we can get a van for him. Real shame racing at Aqueduct was cancelled as it was a fantastic spot for him in a race with a large purse. The racing there will be a LOT tougher at Gulfstream Park, for MUCH smaller purses, but with turf racing in the northeast done for the winter there’s no other good option for him. He’s training really well and has a shot to be a nice horse purchased at a bargain price.
• New Found Treasure good at Penn National out of her race.

A very happy, safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving to everyone in the Kenwood Racing family!

We begin with a new blog post, Sales toppers are generally racetrack floppers

• Lots of racing updates, first up we had New Found Treasure at Penn National this evening to start a busy racing week(end) where she finished an honest 4^th. Well back early, she had nowhere to run behind a wall of horses when making her run and had to settle for a minor award. While dirt is clearly not this filly’s forte, she’s honest and tries hard and has been 3^rd and 4^th in her last two starts against large competitive fields. She’s eligible for a much easier race next time out and if she runs back to either of her last two efforts she’ll be tough to beat at that level.
• Life On the Edge is the slight morning line favorite at Gulfstream Park this Friday. Can’t ask for a better spot than this; competitive, but racing won’t get any easier this winter at Gulfstream. Depending on how she does here and how she comes out of it she’ll either go to the farm after this or run one more time. She’s already had 5 starts and 2 impressive wins as a two year old, far more than 90% of all horses accomplish at two. A little R&R and she’ll be ready for a big three year old season next year. Hopefully she’ll run big to start the Gulfstream Park meet on a good note for us.
• Bad news with Rapstorerocks, racing at Aqueduct tomorrow (Thanksgiving day) was cancelled due to expected gale force winds. This was a fantastic spot for him in a race with a large purse. Unless they bring it back (unlikely) he’ll ship to Gulfstream Park for the winter as soon as we can get a van for him. The racing there will be a LOT tougher, for MUCH smaller purses, but with turf racing in the northeast done for the winter there’s no other good option for him. He’s training really well and has a shot to be a nice horse purchased at a bargain price.
• Better news with Solar, his race went for Sunday at Gulfstream Park. As usual at Gulfstream a competitive spot but if he fires his best he’ll be very competitive in here.
• The race for Night of Idiots we entered in was brought back for the 3^rd time, enter tomorrow for Sunday at Golden Gate Fields. She’s doing great, will be looking for her 2^nd win in a row.

 See Equibase or kenwoodracing.com for details on all entries. George@kenwoodracing.com for help with all admission-seating arrangements.   

• More Ice good out of his race, no issues. Enjoy the two beautiful photos of him from his race at Del Mar. He had a terrible trip, but you can see he’s in the peak of health and we look forward to another good year with him in 2020.  

• Lisa Limon excellent at the farm in Kentucky, looking forward to a nice healthy baby in February. She will be bred to world-class racehorse Palace Malice (by Curlin) in 2020, one of the leading first-crop sires this year with 15 winners including a Breeder’s Cup winning two year old!

Lots of exciting news, works and a surprise entry….

• Shake It Up Baby worked in company this morning at Palm Meadows. He’s doing really well. “Very professional, does everything right”, Kelly Breen. He is right on schedule to run right around the end of the year.

• Life On the Edge gets in at Gulfstream Park this Friday. They put up an ideal extra for opening day. Can’t ask for a better spot than this; competitive, but racing won’t get any easier this winter at Gulfstream. Depending on how she does here and how she comes out of it she’ll either go to the farm after this or run one more time. She’s already had 5 starts and 2 impressive wins as a two year old, far more than 90% of all horses accomplish at two. A little R&R and she’ll be ready for a big three year old season next year. Hopefully she’ll run big this week to start the Gulfstream Park meet for us on a good note.
• The race for Night of Idiots we entered in was brought back, enter Wednesday for next Saturday at Golden Gate Fields. She’s doing great, will be looking for her 2^nd win in a row.
• Rapstorerocks runs in race 4at Aqueduct this Thursday, Thanksgiving day, a good spot in a 10 horse field. He improved markedly from his first race to his second and another step forward would make him very competitive in here for a nice purse. He then ships to Gulfstream Park for winter turf racing there.
• New Found Treasure gets in race 9 on Wednesday at Penn National, giving us three horses at three different tracks in three days to end the month.      
• Solar will also be entered Wednesday for Saturday at Gulfstream Park. If his race and Night of Idiot’s race both go, we’d have five entries at four different tracks this week. Fingers crossed.

See Equibase or our website for details on all entries. Anyone wishing help with seating – admissions kindly email George@kenwoodracing.com

• No Good Deed training at Gulfstream Park with Ron Spatz. Making steady progress.
• More Ice good out of his race at Del Mar yesterday.

• More Ice made his return after a brief freshening today at Del Mar and was the victim of a truly horrible trip, finishing 8^th yet beaten (literally) less than 4 lengths for the win. He was squeezed back and forced to check on the first turn when trying to not be 5 wide from the outside and checked again on the backstretch, was a bit rank after that and never really recovered.  We were obviously expecting better but had a real excuse here and with this one under his belt should run a lot better next time.

• Rapstorerocks runs in race 4 at Aqueduct next week on Thanksgiving day. It’s a good spot in a 10 horse field. He improved markedly from his first race to his second and another step forward would make him very competitive in here for a nice purse. He then ships to Gulfstream Park for winter turf racing there.
• New Found Treasure gets in race 9 on Wednesday at Penn National next week.    

See Equibase or our website for details on all entries.

Anyone wishing help with seating – admissions kindly email George@kenwoodracing.com

• The race for Night of Idiots we entered in today did not go but was brought back, enter next week again at Golden Gate Fields. She’s doing great, will be looking for her 2^nd win in a row. Had a super work today. If you want an education about work times and how little they generally mean, look at the time (below), average. She moves beautifully, under wraps, never asked for speed while galloping out super strongly. Anyone who understands racehorses even slightly can see it’s a super work, if we’d asked her to run faster she’d have had a ‘fast’ work and made people feel good, but the time to ask for speed is when they are running in a race, for a purse. Times mean virtually nothing in a work because you rarely ask for the horse to run anywhere near full speed, it’s how they do it that matters.
• Lisa Limon, in foal to Liam’s Map, excellent at the farm in Kentucky, looking forward to a nice healthy baby in February.  Planning her breed back sire for 2020 and will have an announcement shortly.
• Life On the Edge excellent out of her work on the grass at Palm Meadows. The next race for her is in about 2 weeks at Gulfstream Park
• Shake It Up Baby training well at Palm Meadows, good out of his work this week and will work again next week, he should be ready to run at Gulfstream Park around the end of the year.
• Magic Musketier fine out of his race at Del Mar.
• No Good Deed training at Gulfstream Park well now, will work next week again.
• Solar galloping nicely, pointing towards a start at Gulfstream Park in December.

Horse Workout Notification
November 23, 2019
Night of Idiots (4-Year-Old Filly)
Your comments for this horse were: KRP Racehorse, claim 12-8-18 @GGF
Date: November 23, 2019
Track: GOLDEN GATE FIELDS
Distance: Four Furlongs
Time: 49:60 Handily
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: All Weather Track
Rank: 32/68

Entries, works, Lisa Limon photos, Monmouth Park expanded dates

• More Ice makes his return after a brief freshening, runs Saturday at Del Mar in a very competitive spot. He’s trained super for this and is at his favorite track.

Anyone wishing help with seating – admissions kindly email George@kenwoodracing.com. All entry information can be found here.

Big news on expanded New Jersey racing dates for next year, the Meadowlands will have a full fall meet with turf AND dirt racing from October through the beginning of December! Expanded 2020 NJ Racing Schedule Includes Dirt Racing at Meadowlands

• Lisa Limon excellent at the farm in Kentucky, enjoy the two photos of her having a good life and looking forward to a nice healthy baby in February.  Thanks to Hidden Brook Farm for the photos!

• Life On the Edge worked on the grass at Palm Meadows and went easily and well. The next race for her is in about 3 weeks at Gulfstream Park.
• Rapstorerocks pointing for one more grass in NY, enter this Saturday for next week and then ships to Gulfstream Park for winter turf racing there. Here’s a video of him training. Note most days horses don’t do timed-speed works, most of it is conditioning like this. It’s the part you don’t see recorded on a timer that’s frequently even more important…

• Speaking of our yearling by Exchanging Fire mentioned in our blog, The Zenyatta Conundrum, he’s in training in Ocala and doing super.
• No Good Deed training at Gulfstream Park and seems much more comfortable now, traveling well.
• Solar galloping nicely, pointing towards a start at Gulfstream Park in December.

Horse Workout Notification
November 20, 2019
Life On the Edge (2-Year-Old Filly)
Your comments for this horse were: KRP Racehorse, purchased OBS March 2019
Date: November 20, 2019
Track: PALM MEADOWS TRAINING CENTER
Distance: Four Furlongs
Time: 52:20 Breezing
Track Condition: Firm
Surface: Turf
Rank: 16/21

Let’s begin with a really interesting article on the great race mare Zenyatta. The Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN) had a really interesting article on the great race mare Zenyatta on November 16th, which offers a great ‘teachable moment’ on the relative importance of pedigrees-breeding. Read our latest blog, The Zenyatta Conundrum.

On to Kenwood Racing news…

• Bullion is at the Fair Grounds and back on the work tab again this week (below), a good sign to have two solid works a week apart!
• More Ice ready to run at Del Mar. Had an exceptional work this week and will be entered tomorrow for this weekend
• ShimmyShimmy Shake will be entered tomorrow also for this weekend at Penn National
• Rapstorerocks pointing for one more grass at Aqueduct. Enter this Saturday for next week and then ships to Gulfstream Park for winter turf racing there.
• Shake It Up Baby training well at Palm Meadows, should be ready to run at Gulfstream Park around the end of the year.

Horse Workout Notification November 19, 2019

Bullion (3-Year-Old Colt)
Your comments for this horse were: OBS March with Hollendorfer
Date: November 19, 2019
Track: FAIR GROUNDS
Distance: Four Furlongs
Time: 52:00 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 20/23

Here are some videos of several horses training this morning

• Solar just walked at Palm Meadows. He just arrived from New York and he’ll gallop tomorrow.

• Life On the Edge pointing towards a start at Gulfstream Park in December

• No Good Deed seems much more comfortable now, looks good in the video taken this morning at Gulfstream Park.

• More Ice ready to run at Del Mar. He had an exceptional work today.

Horse Workout Notification
November 17, 2019
More Ice (3-Year-Old Colt)
Your comments for this horse were: KRP Racehorse
Date: November 17, 2019
Track: DEL MAR
Distance: Six Furlongs
Time: 1.13:40 Handily
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 1/6