July 12th
"Just walk them around the track and then work them 4 furlongs each..." I instructed my excercise riders.
The three 2 year olds would be heading to the track together, but would all work seperately.
The three walked together down the stretch, getting a feel for the track at Santa Anita, where they would be up until July 18th, the Monday after opening week. All of them seemed to handle the track well, but Candy Bird, with his turf pedigree, looked like he would be better over that surface.
Clubhouse Drive would work first. His excercise rider, James Frederick, got him into a canter and then, right before the 1/2 mile pole, he got him into a full out gallop. He flew down the small margin of the backstretch he had and into the far turn. He hit the top of the lane and extended his stride. James gave him full rein and he extended his stride. Past the 1/16th pole and under the wire, I stopped my timer. 45 flat.
"Hey James... Your sitting on a good horse." I walkietalkied down to him.
"Tell me something I don't know sir." We shared a quick laugh before the next horse, Councilman, was going to work.
His excersise worker, Julio Montanez, did the same exact thing as James did, and Councilman flew into the far turn. He ran as if he had wings around the far turn and into the stretch. Under the wire, 45.79.
"Julio, your on a good horse.."
"Boss, atleast change up what your gonna say to me."
Finally, Candy Bird. His rider, Marco Ferelli, got him going, and he started moving down the backstretch. Heading around the far turn and into the stretch, he started moving quicker. At the wire, the timer read, 46.23.
"Nice job Marco, considering he's gonna likely be a turf horse."
We would now ship them to Del Mar and they would make their first starts in August, starting their road to the Kentucky Derby.
YOU ARE READING
The Big One
RandomDevin Morill found success as a racehorse trainer at the young age of 22 years old. Even though his attitude has gotten him in trouble, that won't stop him from getting not 1, not 2, but 3 horses to the Grand Daddy of them all, the Kentucky Derby.
