Hi Ho Pimlico!

And with that the 2010 Winter/Spring Laurel Park Race Meets comes to a close. We ended the meet with nine wins, eight seconds and eight thirds. Definitely one of our best starts.

Singingtothecrowd ended both the meet – and her career – with a win for us. Rodger and Donna Boschert of Tara Farms and I decided the filly had reached her potential as a racehorse and it was time to move on. Kim Clark's Thoroughbred Rescue and Retirement Program, with the help of Lucy Krone, found a new home for the 4-year-old filly by Crowd Pleaser. She ends her career with three wins, four seconds and four thirds from 18 starts. I will place a link to Kim’s website with some of my other links in the next few days. It's a wonderful program that helps place neglected or retiring Thoroughbreds. Kind of a Second Careers (see above link) only much bigger.

We've had more comings and goings this month. Tim Hopkins’ Go For Gin filly, Ginnygin was claimed at Penn National last month. We'll miss her around the barn, she produced several wins for us and became a barn favorite. Christian’s Star was also claimed after finishing fifth for MOM Stable at Laurel. Rodger and Donna also lost Dorothy’s Diamond through the claim box last week. The second-time starter by Oratory finished third and was haltered by PTK Inc. for $25,000.00. Good luck to all of them.

Now the comings. Celtic Innis’ half brother is due to arrive along with another 2-year-old from Allen and Audrey Murray’s Murmur Farm. Break Away Farm, in Pennsylvania, has eight 2-year-olds due to arrive shortly. Linda Simms has a promising Cuvee filly in Florida. Barbara Graham has one in Middleburg for Dumbarton Farm. The first three will come in next week. I know Arnold Heft is looking forward to this as several are purchases Buzz Chace and I made for him and his wife Sylvia.

Two-year-olds by Smoke Glacken, Dehere, Cuvee, Two Punch, Lion Hearted, Include, Gators And Bears, Holy Bull, Van Nistelrooy and Broken Vow are just some of the youngsters slated to start their racing careers with TLK Racing within the next couple of months. This is my favorite time of the year. Developing young horses is challenging and difficult at times, however, it can be very rewarding. To me it doesn’t matter at what level the individual competes, watching them learn, grow, mature and develop into individuals with their own personalities and quirks is the best part.

I'm very fortunate to have the best group of up and coming 2-year-olds I've ever had but also, without question, the best group of owners a trainer could hope for – thank you for your continued support and patience with your horses.

Monday night (April 12) was very special for me. Rumsey, Ryan (my oldest daughter), and I delivered our newest member to the family. Our mare Donebroke gave birth to a big, beautiful, strong colt by Scipion. I was at the Mid-Atlantic Mixed Sale last November in Timonium and well…yeah.

“Hey Rumsey, guess what I did?” I said.

”You better not have bought another horse!” she replied.

That is kind of how it went. You will have to wait three more years to hear the rest of the story.

This mare was being offered by Thornmar Farm in foal to Scipion. The price was right so I just did it. Allen and Audrey had been telling me about their newest stallion, Scipion, and how wonderful his first crop looked. I thought it would be a good way for me to show my support for the new stallion, Murmur Farm, MHBA and to my long list of owners who breed their racing prospects year after year. It's definitely a long and laborious way to get to the races. After last night I remember what it felt like and realize why so many still breed their own.

I'm on my way down to Ocala for the OBS Spring 2-Year-Old-in-Training Sale. The breeze show is this week followed by the sale next week, April 19-22. I will be back and forth looking to restock MOM Stable and others. Catalogs can be found online at www.obssales.com.

I will make a few posting of my progress while in Florida.