The Pimlico Spring meet is over. School is almost out. Two nice youngsters were purchased out of the Fasig-Tipton 2-Year-in-training sale. Steve O’Neil’s Clover Hill Racing LLC is back in business. The temps are approaching 90’s. Frisky Thunder is back to the races. I'm finally updating my Website.

We ended the Pimlico meet uneventfully. Allen Murray’s Celtic Music made her debut. I ran her short and on the dirt. It looks like she needs long and on the turf. She will get that shot at Colonial Downs.

Sylvia Hefts’ Not For Love filly, Our Jaks, also made her debut during the waning days of Pimlico. This filly needs to be a little sharper out of the gate and just a little more time to figure it all out. Once she does this, I think she will be very productive.

The Fasig-Tipton sale went well. Buzz Chace once again help pick out two very nice individuals. Steve O’Neil’s picked up a nice Leading The Parade filly. The chestnut filly consigned by Marshal Silverman had a lovely way of moving and great lines. She should be to the races early.

Cary Jackson added to his collection of horses by purchasing a nice Forest Danger filly. The big bay filly had a great work and like Steve’s filly a super way of moving. These two take the total number of 2-year-olds to 14 now. Pictures to follow.

We have been racing all over the place these last few weeks. Belmont, Colonial Downs, Delaware Park and Penn National.

Eighttofasttocatch tried his hand in New York again. This time at Belmont Park. The result was not as good as the time before. However the early fractions were much faster and moving up a conditions made things a little tougher for the Sylvia Hefts chestnut gelding by Not For Love. He returned to finish a tough fifth at Philadelphia Park against allowance foes. 

Dumbarton Farms’ Choptank ran huge last week at Penn National. The Dixieland Band gelding was going two turns on the turf. Luis Garcia had the call. Choptank broke well and settled off the pace. Turning for home it looked like he would get to the wire in time. Just missed by a head and a nose. Another great effort.

We started Colonial Downs on a good note. Not as well as we did back in 1997 when McGyver won the very first race on opening day of the race track. Frisky Thunder, making his first start of the season was second choice in the John D. Marsh Stakes for Virginia-breds going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf. Sheldon Russell had the call on the 6-year-old gelding by Thunder Rumble. Braeburn Farms bred and owns the turf specialist. After breaking sharply he quickly settled mid pack, made a big move wide on the turn and came flying. He came up a nose short. It was a great effort, at a distance shorter than ideal.

Next I sent NRS Stables’ Love On A Wire to Delaware. I was hoping a change of scenery would improve his performance. The bad news – it didn’t. Love finished ninth in a field of 11. The good news – he was claimed.

Fernando will stay busy the next few weeks shuttling horses around as we continue to take advantage of all the tracks running simultaneously in the area. Penn National, Charles Town, Philadelphia Park, Delaware Park, Belmont Park, Monmouth Park, and Colonial Downs. Top off the EZ Pass, pack the cooler, hit alternate routes on the GPS.