45 Works

[Sysonby]

That is how many works Eblouissante had before her debut.

I can't really link to it because a friend looked it up on DRF but I saw a tweet from a DRF guy in NY and I couldn't believe it so I had my friend go to the source to confirm it.

Her first was on June 15 2011. She worked 2 more times and had a one month layoff. Then almost every week or every other week through June 2012 with no starts and one gate work. She had about a one month layoff and then resumed that work pace until she finally debuted in December of 2012. She has had 2 career stars so far but logged 24 miles of speed works in the morning before ever seeing competition in the afternoon.

When people start talking about how much tougher horses were in the good ol days, this never used to happen in the good ol days either.

[kimberley mine]

I have to wonder whether the large number of works was because she was slow coming into form, or to help her get her head on straight. Regardless, it's an awful lot of works for a filly who honestly is allowance-level, possibly listed stakes at best.

If I were more cynical than I am, I would guess that the goal is to get her some black type and then sell her in foal, because she's just not as good as either of her sisters. But that would be more cynical than I am.

[dublino]

In foal or not she is a $1m filly anyday of the week.

[kimberley mine]

In foal or not she is a $1m filly anyday of the week.

Maybe so, maybe no. I did a quick skim of last year's Keeneland November, and the going rate for a lesser-performed sister of some Big Horses as a broodmare prospect topped out around $800,000. The ones who broke that barrier were the ones who had won a graded stakes race themselves. The average going rate for unraced or lesser-performing half-sisters to Gr-1 winners was on the order of $600k. The one Bernardini mare in the $500k+ range failed to meet her reserve of $575k, and she a half-sister to Sterling Pound and Sabre d'Argent, and in foal to War Chant.

Unless she wins a graded stake herself, her broodmare value is as high as it is ever going to be right now. She also has to hope that her sisters Balance and Zenyatta get good foals right off the tip....if they don't succeed as broodmares, it will drag Eblouissante's value down.

[dublino]

Did the guy who owns Eblouissante die recently?

I'd expect to see her sold soon unless some of his family are going into the breeding game.

I'd stick her in foal to Smart Strike and sell her if she were my inheritance and didn't want to breed horses.

[TJ]

Did the guy who owns Eblouissante die recently?

I'd expect to see her sold soon unless some of his family are going into the breeding game.

I'd stick her in foal to Smart Strike and sell her if she were my inheritance and didn't want to breed horses.

Hi Dub,
Yes, he was her owner and breeder and he passed away a couple weeks ago. Eblouissante was scheduled to run in the GR I Ogden Phipps Handicap today but she developed a fever shortly after arriving here at Belmont and only recently returned to the worktab, posting her first ever breeze at Belmont Park last Wednesday. So far, nothing has been said of a pending sale. Shirreffs is considering a possible start at Saratoga in the GR II Shuvee Handicap. TJ

[dublino]

Thanks TJ, you should get a part-time job with the Bloodhorse or DRF it would keep you out of those Bingo Halls.

[kimberley mine]

Her last work at Belmont: 4f in 49.17.

Before that: 4f in 48.20
Before that: 3f in 39.00
Before that: 6f in 1:16.40

Just looking at those times, which have been over the last 2 1/2 months, I cannot figure for the life of me why this horse is being pointed to a graded stakes race.

In her two previous races, only one horse has competed successfully at graded stakes level (DQ from 1st to 2nd) and not a single one of the rest of them has won more than a maiden and an allowance.

[dublino]

Shut up Kimerbley its my job to be Mr Negative on this forum!!!

As you said the cynic in you said that they want black type and a large sale.

If the family are getting out of breeding its the clever thing to do financially.

[TJ]

I have to wonder whether the large number of works was because she was slow coming into form, or to help her get her head on straight. Regardless, it's an awful lot of works for a filly who honestly is allowance-level, possibly listed stakes at best.

If I were more cynical than I am, I would guess that the goal is to get her some black type and then sell her in foal, because she's just not as good as either of her sisters. But that would be more cynical than I am.

Hi Kimberly,
Eblouissante 45 works prior to her first start came over a 17 month period of her training. She was training around what Shirreffs' reported were weight loss issues, setbacks and growing spurts. After her first couple winning races, it still continues. Most recently a minor health issue after showing a 5 week break between her last 5/8ths breeze at Hollywood Park in 1:00.60 (it came after the 48.20 you have posted) due to spiking a fever after shipping cross country to Belmont Park. This is part of the reason she's had so many works prior to her first race, Shirreffs simply didn't like her condition after a couple fast works, so he backed off her and started over. Is she stakes quality? I couldn't make that call, but it is a family Shirreffs knows and has done well with while developing those he had into graded stakes winners. He is the only trainer, so far...who was able to do that with the foals of Vertigineux. TJ

[Lisann]

Didn't Zenyatta also have a high number of works before starting?

[TJ]

Didn't Zenyatta also have a high number of works before starting?

Hi Lisann,
Yes Z and her 1/2 sister both made their racing debut in November of their 3YO season, which would suggest a long string of workouts prior to their debut. Both for similar reasons, size and extreme caution and patience used by Shirreffs when bringing horses of such size and bloodlines to the races. TJ

[Sysonby]

Didn't Zenyatta also have a high number of works before starting?

Hi Lisann,
Yes Z and her 1/2 sister both made their racing debut in November of their 3YO season, which would suggest a long string of workouts prior to their debut. Both for similar reasons, size and extreme caution and patience used by Shirreffs when bringing horses of such size and bloodlines to the races. TJ

A year and a half of works at track dayrate without a race isn't patient and cautious, it's insane.

What do you tell an owner after the first thirty works and the horse isn't ready yet?

Seriously I understand that horses are individuals but generally if a trainer can't get a horse ready in 3 -4 months of steady works either that horse needs to be turned out or that trainer needs to turn in his license.

[kimberley mine]

Eblouissante 45 works prior to her first start came over a 17 month period of her training. She was training around what Shirreffs' reported were weight loss issues, setbacks and growing spurts.

I'm with Sysonby here....520 days of training at $70/day means her owner spent somewhere in the ballpark of $38,500 in training bills before the filly raced even once. You can give a horse time to grow and develop and get over foot issues and get weight on in a paddock for far less than half of that.

it is a family Shirreffs knows and has done well with while developing those he had into graded stakes winners. He is the only trainer, so far...who was able to do that with the foals of Vertigineux. TJ

Not so. Balance was trained by David Hofmans and he did a pretty good job getting multiple graded stakes wins out of her.

[TJ]

Didn't Zenyatta also have a high number of works before starting?

Hi Lisann,
Yes Z and her 1/2 sister both made their racing debut in November of their 3YO season, which would suggest a long string of workouts prior to their debut. Both for similar reasons, size and extreme caution and patience used by Shirreffs when bringing horses of such size and bloodlines to the races. TJ

A year and a half of works at track dayrate without a race isn't patient and cautious, it's insane.

What do you tell an owner after the first thirty works and the horse isn't ready yet?

Seriously I understand that horses are individuals but generally if a trainer can't get a horse ready in 3 -4 months of steady works either that horse needs to be turned out or that trainer needs to turn in his license.

Hi Sy,
I guess it's hard to understand and quite unusual....especially when money is the the key ingredient concerning most outfits and owners. Yet the fact remains....both Z and E were large horses and every time they picked it up he had to back off and start over because he didn't like what he saw. When you have a good reputation and get the job done, you don't have to tell the owners anything but the truth. TJ