FULL TILT NOOGIE was scratched from race 9 on May 24, 2011, at FINGER LAKES.
Click here to add FULL TILT NOOGIE to your Virtual Stable:
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
ENTRY NOTIFICATION
FULL TILT NOOGIE is entered to run in Race 9 (4:46 p.m.) at Finger Lakes on Tuesday 5/24/2011.
Race Type:
For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Never Won Three Races.
Distance: Five and a Half Furlongs
Post Position: 2
Post Position: 2
Claiming Price: $4,000
Jockey: J Flores
Click here to add FULL TILT NOOGIE to your Virtual Stable:
Friday, May 20, 2011
PREAKNESS COMMENTARY
Check out Jamie’s sharp and DETAILED Preakness Stakes commentary posted at http://www.tristatesportsguys.com (link added to our links section). This year’s Run for the Roses lived up to it’s billing as a wide open free-for-all, with a 21-to-1 winner (Animal Kingdom) that had never raced on dirt before the first Saturday in May (first time in Derby history). With so many questions still left to be answered in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, this insight will hopefully help you wade your way through a very evenly matched field of runners.
As a friendly reminder, please use the button just below the main picture to Link to us on facebook. Alternatively, you can follow our blog through Google Connect or by entering your e-mail address into the box on the top of the page.
RESULT NOTIFICATION
SURFING IAN finished 1st by 1 length, on May 20, 2011, at FINGER LAKES in Race 2. You can view the chart and link to the race replay by clicking here. Additionally, Surfing Ian was claimed in the race. He will no longer be a member of the Terranova Racing Stable.
Following a disappointing 6th place finish last time out, Surfing Ian returned to the track today and did what he does best. He raced just off a hot pace, and out-classed the rest in the stretch, digging in and showing his grit to earn the win honors. As with any runner that moves on from our stable, we wish Surfing Ian the best of luck for his new connections.
Click here to add SURFING IAN to your Virtual Stable:
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
ENTRY NOTIFICATION
SURFING IAN is entered to run in Race 2 (1:02 p.m.) at Finger Lakes on Friday 5/20/2011.
Race Type:
$4,000 claiming. For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Not Won A Race Since November 20, 2010.
Distance: Five Furlongs
Post Position: 3
Post Position: 3
Claiming Price: $4,000
Jockey: J Flores
Click here to add SURFING IAN to your Virtual Stable:
Friday, May 13, 2011
RESULT NOTIFICATION
PAGAN RULER finished 7th beaten by 9 lengths, on May 12, 2011, at BELMONT PARK in Race 8. You can view the chart and link to the race replay by clicking here.
After tracking a torrid pace just from the 3 path, The Ruler tired in the stretch and succumbed to a very tough field. Running against stakes-caliber competitors, he just came up a little flat in the stretch. Yet, he’s fit and fresh, and should be back in action in short order.
Click here to add PAGAN RULER to your Virtual Stable:
Monday, May 9, 2011
ENTRY NOTIFICATION
PAGAN RULER is entered to run in Race 8 (4:45 p.m.) at Belmont Park on Thursday 5/12/2011.
Race Type:
STARTER ALLOWANCE $16,000. For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Started For A Claiming Price Of $16,000 Or Less In 2009-2011.
Distance: One Mile (Turf)
Post Position: 9
Post Position: 9
Claiming Price: N/A
Jockey: J L Espinoza
Click here to add PAGAN RULER to your Virtual Stable:
Sunday, May 8, 2011
RESULT NOTIFICATION
FULL TILT NOOGIE was scratched from race 7 on May 8, 2011, at BELMONT PARK. He should back on the track in a week or two.
Click here to add FULL TILT NOOGIE to your Virtual Stable:
RESULT NOTIFICATION
SURFING IAN finished 6th beaten by 13 1/4 lengths, on May 7, 2011, at BELMONT PARK in Race 1. You can view the chart and link to the race replay by clicking here.
Running against the grain of his preferred front-running style, he had a little trouble digging in and bringing his A-game. Regardless, he left everything out on the track, just as he does every time. He came out of the race in relatively good order and will be ready to get back to action in just a few weeks.
Click here to add SURFING IAN to your Virtual Stable:
Friday, May 6, 2011
LINKS AND SUCH
From time to time, we will provide you with some links (additional to those included in this blog) that we think our readers might like. Some of them will be horse racing-related, others will not. We hope that you enjoy all of our suggestions.
Want your site listed here? Just let us know and we’ll shout it out. Like our site? Link to us on facebook (just added), through Google Connect, or just copy and paste our site to your blog.
In the meantime, make sure you check out Jamie’s Kentucky Derby commentary posted at http://www.tristatesportsguys.com. This year’s Run for the Roses is wide open and we hope this commentary helps you as you attempt to navigate through tomorrow’s Daily Racing Form. While you’re there, take a look around the rest of the site. If you like home-grown sports presented with a razor-sharp wit, then this is the site for you. From Major League Baseball to fantasy baseball, these guys have it covered. Special nod to Big O, as big a fan as any of our racing endeavors.
ENTRY NOTIFICATION
FULL TILT NOOGIE is entered to run in Race 7 (4:12 p.m.) at Belmont Park on Sunday 5/8/2011.
Race Type:
$25,000 claiming. For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Never Won Three Races Or Three Year Olds.
Distance: Six Furlongs (Inner Turf)
Post Position:2
Post Position:2
Claiming Price: $25,000
Jockey: J L Espinoza
Click here to add FULL TILT NOOGIE to your Virtual Stable:
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
ENTRY NOTIFICATION
SURFING IAN is entered to run in Race 1 (1:00 p.m.) at Belmont Park on Saturday 5/7/2011.
Race Type:
$10,000 claiming For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Never Won Three Races Or Which Have Not Won A Race Since November 7, 2010 Or Three Year Olds.
Post Position: 1
Claiming Price: $10,000
Jockey: I J Rosendo
Click here to add SURFING IAN to your Virtual Stable:
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Programming Note
So, we finally got up and running – sorry for the lag. From here forward, the majority of the content will be focused on regular entry and result updates. We will also throw in any relevant or interesting links, articles, tidbits, pictures, etc. This is absolutely the best time of year to follow thoroughbred racing, so we hope to post a minimum of once a week in order to keep all of our followers informed and interested.
Want to see something here or have a question answered? Just ask! This blog is for the benefit of our family, friends, and the entire racing community. The train is now rolling – great to have you all on board!
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| Hanging over the bar at Siro's |
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Gamechanger
With the foundation in place and the rush of (minor) success coursing through our veins, we ventured to expand our operations. It was then, in May of 2009, that we made the purchase that would change the face of our business and set us out on a course we never could have envisioned. By way of private purchase, we acquired three horses:
- Party Jones (Elusive Quality – Spanish Falls (GB), by Belmez). He was a big, well built gelding that showed some promise as a 3 year-old, winning twice and finishing in the money 5 other times in 13 starts. Plus, he carried a bit of swagger, as in that same year (2004), his “half brother” Smarty Jones would go on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (you knew the name sounded familiar). Unfortunately, by the time he arrived at our barn he was worn down by injuries that he nagged him throughout his career. Having only run 3 races in 18 months with us, and battling a debilitating suspensory injury, we retired him to a life on the farm.
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| Party Jones, chillin |
- Raging Meese (Artax – Meeses Pieces, by Grindstone). Despite being fairly well bred (both Artax and Grindstone were solid racehorses), this gritty little gelding could never get on track. In his best ever effort – a low level claiming race on 1/18/10 - he was edged out by a classier horse and never again sniffed the winner’s circle. Yet, he never gave an inch and despite injuries and a lack of real speed, he ran his guts out every single time. It was in his DNA to compete. However, like Party Jones (and so many other racehorses), we were forced to retire him from the track.
- Meese Rocks (Rock and Roll – Meeses Pieces, by Grindstone). This stocky bay mare, a half sister to Raging Meese, came to us after nearly a year away from the track due to shin splints. While she showed flashes of promise as a 3 year-old, there could be no telling what the long layoff would do to her ability and willingness to compete. She was a total wildcard.
The Moment
Saratoga, NY
August 9, 2009
The crack of the starter’s bell and snap of the gates broke the still that falls over a Saratoga crowd in the moments before the 11th race, while most of them mull over their first drink at Siro’s. Along the backstretch, beset by a gorgeous upstate New York backdrop, turf flew as jockey and horses muscled for position. From post number 3, Meese Rocks broke like a firecracker, jockey Jorge Chavez clearly distinguishable in our blue and orange argyle silks (yes, for the Mets). Horses coming off long layoffs have a tendency to be too “fresh” – that is, too aggressive for their own good. But from where we sat, she appeared to be in control. Still, we reserved our enthusiasm.
As the field of 12 hit the halfway point on the turn, the crowd started to stir, and our girl was still on the lead. However, having been sent off at nearly 16-to-1, we felt like it was only a matter of time before she would be overtaken. And if that weren’t enough, setting blazing fast opening fractions of 21.83 and 44.67 did not bode well for her prospects of shaking off the rust that comes with eleven months on the shelf.
Little did we realize that something special was happening right in front of our eyes. Coming off the turn with a narrow lead, Meese Rocks put her head down and dug in (just as her half-brother had done in the past), fending off 2 challengers in the process. With a race set up perfectly for closers, they could never get to her and she ripped past the finish line in a scorching 1:02.10 for five and a half furlongs over a turf rated as firm. Jubilation and triumph washed over the stable and our entire extended network.
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| A 16-1 maiden winner! Drinks at Siro's! |
After returning home to Belmont, she went 3rd/2nd/3rd in allowance races, proving that the maiden victory in Saratoga was no fluke. But it was not until the 2009 fall/winter meet at Aqueduct, when we switched her from the grass to the dirt, that we realized that we had a champion in the barn. She ripped off 3 straight allowance wins (all in convincing fashion) before a hard-luck 4th place finish after a stumble against an extremely tough field. No matter, 12 days later she would see the winner’s circled once again, this time in the Personal Girl Stakes. A stakes win…for our little stable. It was indescribable.
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| Our first stakes win - what a thrill! |
And she just kept getting better. Subsequent stakes wins, punctuated by a 7 length romp in the slop at Saratoga (Union Ave Stakes) and a powerful 2 length victory in the Iroquois Stakes at Belmont on New York Showcase Day (10/23/10) became the expectation, and not the exception.
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| Barker stretches Meese Rocks before the Union Ave |
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| Meese Rocks in the beautiful Saratoga paddock |
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| Meese Rocks opens up in the stretch |
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| ROMP IN THE SLOP |
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| Henry and Gary (assistant trainer) lead the big girl to the winner's circle |
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| Winner's Circle / Saratoga / Union Ave Stakes - Incredible! |
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| Barker and the boys celebrate at Siro's |
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| The field turns for home (Meese on the far right, front) |
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| Under Ramon Dominguez, the big girl motors home to win the Iroquois Stakes |
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| Beautiful |
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| Another incredible day at the track, joined by family and friends |
Most recently, the big girl scored a convincing win in the Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct, a race that had eluded us a year earlier. In running her co-best 94 Beyer figure, she showed us that she still has the drive and talent to thrill us every single time she hits the track.
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| Aqueduct paddock, before the Broadway... |
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| ...and the winner's circle after! |
Meese Rocks is currently taking some much needed (and deserved) R&R. At the moment, the plan is to bring her back in the late spring/summer to make another run at greatness. At age 6, we continue to anticipate big things from the big girl – she has never given us a reason to expect anything less.
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