Battle Brook Stable - Older Horse Update
Apr 1, 2018 10:28:41 GMT -6
Cruisey and S u N f r O s T ~ like this
Post by ripley on Apr 1, 2018 10:28:41 GMT -6
Battle Brook Stable - Older Horse Update
Year Eighteen is right around the corner and while many barns are focused on sales, prepping their juveniles for the races and settling in newly retired stallions and broodmares, Battle Brook wanted to provide a quick update on the status of its growing older horse roster. Battle Brook Stable had a banner year in the Breeders' Cup, taking down six races without any out of the money finishes. Four of their Breeders' Cup winners will return in Year Eighteen, bigger and badder than ever. Ripley Marsh had a glitter in her eye when her upcoming juveniles were brought up in conversation, but the trainer didn't elaborate beyond saying that they might have a few good horses. I swear the woman becomes more cagey every season.
The biggest news to come out of Battle Brook Stable is that second-place Breeders' Cup Classic finisher, Uno Momento, will be heading to Valkyrie Stud to race this season. He will not be returning to Battle Brook, becoming the second of El Sol del Mar's offspring to find home elsewhere. Battle Brook will still be present in the winner's circle and will co-own the Preakness Champ throughout his life span. Plans call for the horse to make a run in the Dubai World Championship in both Year Eighteen and Year Nineteen if all goes as planned. Battle Brook will run Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Artemis' Glory in the Dubai World Sprint, but will sit out the other two races.
Breaking Point: After a surprising win in the Breeders' Cup Mile, the bold horse came out of his race well, but a little tired. The Green Mile Champion has grown a bit over the fall and winter and will get some time off to start Year Eighteen. He'll make his return in the Unicorn Horn Turf Mile. When asked why he wouldn't run in the Dubai World Carnival, Ripley stated that he simply deserved some R&R before what promised to be a complicated season. Rumor also has it that the son of The Underdog might return at the age of 5. Breaking Point has become a dominating figure of sorts within the barn and hopes are that he will run and win at distances ranging from 8 - 10F. It's a move the stable has pulled before with Hall Of Famer, Sun King.
Cascabel: Fresh off a victory in the Sand Challenge Mile, Cascabel has marked himself as a strong contender in the 8-10F distance range on the dirt. He'll return to the races in the Unicorn Horn Dirt Mile, but from there, no one is sure where he will go. His high cruising speed has made him potent and mental maturity might make him even deadlier at the longer distances. It is hoped the stallion will make the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the season, but that all depends on his performances throughout the year. All we know is that the bay son of Ashanti has never looked as good as he did when he worked seven furlongs at The Wire last week in a blistering 1:21 3/5.
Fire It Up: The stable stalwart for BBS is getting a little break from racing after having run two arduous campaigns at the age of three and four. Although most barns tend to sprinkle monthly breaks in here and there, the staff felt the gelding deserved a longer vacation. He has returned off layoffs before and performed courageously. He will be given a lighter campaign this season with the focus on running in the distance races over the dirt. His last three races over the surface were strong ones and it's been this reporter's opinion that the son of Native Flame and Winning Touch was always meant to be a dirt runner.
Game Over: Fresh off a strong third behind stablemate Summer Romance and Athena's Desires, Game Over is ready to rock n' roll at age four. Game Over will continue running in turf sprints with her first expected start to come in the five furlong Snowshoe Stakes, January Week 3. The little spitfire of a filly has been training like a fiend at The Wire, giving Kismet all she can handle in the morning. Her lines say she'll get better as she ages and from all appearances, that is proving to be correct.
Headstrong: It took some time, but Headstrong has developed into a beast of sorts. At age six, Headstrong will be the oldest mare in the distaff division, but her game has never looked better and at five, she was a force of nature. She'll have a brief vacation, but will return in the February Wk 3, Ballerina Stakes at The Wire. Word has it that she isn't necessarily taking to farm life, but that is to be expected considering she was often a fire breathing dragon while in training.
Incineration: Just as Notorious heads into the sunset after a glorious career, his one-year younger half-sibling Incineration has joined the barn. One win from grade two, Incineration looks to get back on track in Year Eighteen after a so-so three year old campaign. With sire DW Flamekissed experiencing a renaissance, Incineration will try to take it a step further and do her best to in a competitive turf distaff division.
Key West: The smart bay gelding went out a winner in Year Seventeen and has been resting since December Week 2. His connections believe he will be ultra impressive at age four, having shown quite a bit of muscular growth and putting on some fifty pounds. There is some thought that the horse will run longer than a mile this upcoming year. He will be butting heads with Cascabel along the way, but the connections are hoping they can do their best to mitigate the clashes.
Kismet: The daughter of Frozen Motion and Deadly Desires has been ferocious in her training since her last planned race of Year Seventeen was cancelled due to lack of entries. Kismet has been breathing fire around the barn and recently the staff put her through a mile workout just to settle her jitters. No one is sure where the mare will head in terms of racing, but she looks to be on the edge of a breakthrough. It's just a matter of getting the filly to grade one before letting her shine in the HOTY events.
Luna de Soltera: The Iron Lady has made it her mission to torture the boys and in Year Seventeen, she succeeded. Her sharp victory in the Breeders' Dirt Marathon has only increased her toughness and fighting spirit and it is expected that she will take another out of the box route at the age of four. Her plan will cover turf and dirt races against both sexes. Her connections believe she is already the best long-distance dual filly to have ever raced, and she will look to back up the opinion in Year Eighteen.
Miss Magic: Originally it was thought that she would be sold to Briar Grove Racing, but Battle Brook has decided to keep her on. Miss Magic will be kept separate from Headstrong as both mares are quite dominating and focused in their separate niches. It could be that with these three mares, including Luna, that Battle Brook is playing with their strongest distaff hand ever.
Pele's Wrath: The experiment to stretch out of the beautiful seal brown mare backfired at the end of Year Seventeen, but the staff believes Pele is better than she showed at three. She has demonstrated a likeness of distances from six to seven furlongs and that is where she will remain through the end of her career. She is still fiercely competitive and after a brief break, Pele will return to the racing.
Shatter: Last seen finishing fourth in the First Lady Stakes, Shatter was given a rest and returned to training late December. She'll be pointed for some big races as she has and always will be a classy animal. Her workouts have only gotten stronger and she is starting to muscle out in a way she hadn't at age three.
Wire Tap: The big, brawny son of Foolish Lad and Royal Assault has only gotten bigger and badder at age four. With two confidence boosting wins at the end of the year, Wire Tap enters Year Eighteen as a grade one runner. Wire Tap will look to carry his winning form into Year Eighteen when he starts January Wk 4 in the Eclipse Stakes.
Year Eighteen is right around the corner and while many barns are focused on sales, prepping their juveniles for the races and settling in newly retired stallions and broodmares, Battle Brook wanted to provide a quick update on the status of its growing older horse roster. Battle Brook Stable had a banner year in the Breeders' Cup, taking down six races without any out of the money finishes. Four of their Breeders' Cup winners will return in Year Eighteen, bigger and badder than ever. Ripley Marsh had a glitter in her eye when her upcoming juveniles were brought up in conversation, but the trainer didn't elaborate beyond saying that they might have a few good horses. I swear the woman becomes more cagey every season.
The biggest news to come out of Battle Brook Stable is that second-place Breeders' Cup Classic finisher, Uno Momento, will be heading to Valkyrie Stud to race this season. He will not be returning to Battle Brook, becoming the second of El Sol del Mar's offspring to find home elsewhere. Battle Brook will still be present in the winner's circle and will co-own the Preakness Champ throughout his life span. Plans call for the horse to make a run in the Dubai World Championship in both Year Eighteen and Year Nineteen if all goes as planned. Battle Brook will run Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Artemis' Glory in the Dubai World Sprint, but will sit out the other two races.
Breaking Point: After a surprising win in the Breeders' Cup Mile, the bold horse came out of his race well, but a little tired. The Green Mile Champion has grown a bit over the fall and winter and will get some time off to start Year Eighteen. He'll make his return in the Unicorn Horn Turf Mile. When asked why he wouldn't run in the Dubai World Carnival, Ripley stated that he simply deserved some R&R before what promised to be a complicated season. Rumor also has it that the son of The Underdog might return at the age of 5. Breaking Point has become a dominating figure of sorts within the barn and hopes are that he will run and win at distances ranging from 8 - 10F. It's a move the stable has pulled before with Hall Of Famer, Sun King.
Cascabel: Fresh off a victory in the Sand Challenge Mile, Cascabel has marked himself as a strong contender in the 8-10F distance range on the dirt. He'll return to the races in the Unicorn Horn Dirt Mile, but from there, no one is sure where he will go. His high cruising speed has made him potent and mental maturity might make him even deadlier at the longer distances. It is hoped the stallion will make the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the season, but that all depends on his performances throughout the year. All we know is that the bay son of Ashanti has never looked as good as he did when he worked seven furlongs at The Wire last week in a blistering 1:21 3/5.
Fire It Up: The stable stalwart for BBS is getting a little break from racing after having run two arduous campaigns at the age of three and four. Although most barns tend to sprinkle monthly breaks in here and there, the staff felt the gelding deserved a longer vacation. He has returned off layoffs before and performed courageously. He will be given a lighter campaign this season with the focus on running in the distance races over the dirt. His last three races over the surface were strong ones and it's been this reporter's opinion that the son of Native Flame and Winning Touch was always meant to be a dirt runner.
Game Over: Fresh off a strong third behind stablemate Summer Romance and Athena's Desires, Game Over is ready to rock n' roll at age four. Game Over will continue running in turf sprints with her first expected start to come in the five furlong Snowshoe Stakes, January Week 3. The little spitfire of a filly has been training like a fiend at The Wire, giving Kismet all she can handle in the morning. Her lines say she'll get better as she ages and from all appearances, that is proving to be correct.
Headstrong: It took some time, but Headstrong has developed into a beast of sorts. At age six, Headstrong will be the oldest mare in the distaff division, but her game has never looked better and at five, she was a force of nature. She'll have a brief vacation, but will return in the February Wk 3, Ballerina Stakes at The Wire. Word has it that she isn't necessarily taking to farm life, but that is to be expected considering she was often a fire breathing dragon while in training.
Incineration: Just as Notorious heads into the sunset after a glorious career, his one-year younger half-sibling Incineration has joined the barn. One win from grade two, Incineration looks to get back on track in Year Eighteen after a so-so three year old campaign. With sire DW Flamekissed experiencing a renaissance, Incineration will try to take it a step further and do her best to in a competitive turf distaff division.
Key West: The smart bay gelding went out a winner in Year Seventeen and has been resting since December Week 2. His connections believe he will be ultra impressive at age four, having shown quite a bit of muscular growth and putting on some fifty pounds. There is some thought that the horse will run longer than a mile this upcoming year. He will be butting heads with Cascabel along the way, but the connections are hoping they can do their best to mitigate the clashes.
Kismet: The daughter of Frozen Motion and Deadly Desires has been ferocious in her training since her last planned race of Year Seventeen was cancelled due to lack of entries. Kismet has been breathing fire around the barn and recently the staff put her through a mile workout just to settle her jitters. No one is sure where the mare will head in terms of racing, but she looks to be on the edge of a breakthrough. It's just a matter of getting the filly to grade one before letting her shine in the HOTY events.
Luna de Soltera: The Iron Lady has made it her mission to torture the boys and in Year Seventeen, she succeeded. Her sharp victory in the Breeders' Dirt Marathon has only increased her toughness and fighting spirit and it is expected that she will take another out of the box route at the age of four. Her plan will cover turf and dirt races against both sexes. Her connections believe she is already the best long-distance dual filly to have ever raced, and she will look to back up the opinion in Year Eighteen.
Miss Magic: Originally it was thought that she would be sold to Briar Grove Racing, but Battle Brook has decided to keep her on. Miss Magic will be kept separate from Headstrong as both mares are quite dominating and focused in their separate niches. It could be that with these three mares, including Luna, that Battle Brook is playing with their strongest distaff hand ever.
Pele's Wrath: The experiment to stretch out of the beautiful seal brown mare backfired at the end of Year Seventeen, but the staff believes Pele is better than she showed at three. She has demonstrated a likeness of distances from six to seven furlongs and that is where she will remain through the end of her career. She is still fiercely competitive and after a brief break, Pele will return to the racing.
Shatter: Last seen finishing fourth in the First Lady Stakes, Shatter was given a rest and returned to training late December. She'll be pointed for some big races as she has and always will be a classy animal. Her workouts have only gotten stronger and she is starting to muscle out in a way she hadn't at age three.
Wire Tap: The big, brawny son of Foolish Lad and Royal Assault has only gotten bigger and badder at age four. With two confidence boosting wins at the end of the year, Wire Tap enters Year Eighteen as a grade one runner. Wire Tap will look to carry his winning form into Year Eighteen when he starts January Wk 4 in the Eclipse Stakes.
