"Lost" Webber found in Tinseltown

Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber made a surprise appearance as the escort of Lost star Evangeline Lilly at the Golden Globe Awards recently.

In California on a trip to evaluate a foal for a potential purchase, Webber had time for just one night out on the town.

"Evangeline heard that I was in LA and asked me to accompany her to the Awards. It was that or a Laker game with Jack Nicholson. Which would you choose?", Jim said with a wink.

Born to Fly raises eyebrows

With hombreds Rogue, Bane, and Quicksilver getting most of the attention in their 2yo seasons, Born to Fly, the auction-bought colt by Affirmation, has flown under the radar.

His entry in the Crystal Slipper Stakes was almost an afterthought, but resulted in a unexpectedly strong 2nd place finish in a field of 9.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the nice effort. I bought the colt because I liked his sire, Affirmation, the $2 million dollar earner from Oak Tree. It's just that I had such high hopes for my homebreds that Born to Fly was unwittingly relegated to the status of red-headed stepchild [sic].

With mundane results from Rogue and Quicksilver in their first races, and Bane still untested, Born to Fly, just as his name implies, has flown to the top of my list of 2yo hopefuls.

War Machine Stud Fee Drops

War Machine progeny as a whole have been unsuccessful thus far in their careers. His offspring have yet to hit the board in 19 career races.

Consequently, Otsego Farms has decided to immediately lower his stud fee from $300,000 down to $100,000. Pairings will still be limited to 5 per season.

For the 2010 breeding season, the following stables will have the option of taking the reduced fee or canceling their reservation altogether:

• Foxies Lodge
• Bally Doyle
• Chiquita Lodge
• Hopeful Farm

This reduced stud fee will be in effect for at least the 2010 and 2011 breeding seasons. If War Machine offspring have righted the ship by that time, the stud fee of $300,000 may be reinstated for 2012.

As a result, the following 2011 reservations will also have their fee reduced to $100,000, or they may cancel:

• KRF Stables
• Alydar Stables
• Hopeful Farm
• Watch This Space

Decisions regarding War Machine breeding can be emailed to mvpcandidate@gmail.com.

Race Results for Weeks 21 & 22

Another lackluster week for the boys in blue and gold. A record of 6-0-2-0 gives little reason for celebration.

Bright spots included a 2nd by the speedy white 4yo Stowaway, who ran well in spite of the Foxie Curse that was applied when she chose him in the PW contest.

Even brighter was the 2nd place finish by our 2yo Born to Fly, in the 5.5 furlong Crystal Slipper Stakes. He is a sprinter, and it was very gratifying to see him snap out of the gate and go right to the lead. He couldn't hold off the 2yo Port Pirie filly Selena down the stretch, but it was a very encouraging run nevertheless.

Doomsday, True Ensign, and Union Jack all had 4th place finishes. Jack had a tough trip, getting forced way outside on the last turn which cost him dearly.

Chancellorsville finished 6th in a 12 furlong test. He hit the wall at about 10 furlongs, so that will be his limit in the future.

Webber Inks Lucrative Film Deal

Lakeshore Entertainment has recently begun pre-production on the sequel to the 2006 action thriller, "Crank", which starred Jason Statham as professional assassin Chev Chelios.

Statham was not interested in the film, so Lakeshore signed Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber for the lead role. Sources say that Webber was chosen for his similar demeanor, build, and fighting skills.

Webber said, "I'm thrilled to be a part of this project. It hasn't been happening much on the racetrack, so I really need to kick somebody's ass. This film will be the perfect opportunity".

"Crank 2" will be in theaters in the summer of 2011.

Sitio Estrategico for sale.

Stayer Sitio Estrategico has been offered for sale by Otsego Farms for the affordable BUY NOW price of $15,000.

The 5yo male is not a high grade performer, but can still be expected to earn his keep through judicious entries in long turf races.

He has a career record of 28-2-4-4 with earnings of $440,800.

Destiny beckons for Otsego favorite...

Doomsday is approaching the end of the line in his career as a racer.

He is 6 years old and has 37 races under his belt. Our trainers all agree that he should be on the downward slide, but his race results belie that assumption. His lowest PSR in his last 13 races is 96 and he has cracked 100 in four of his last five races. He has earned a check in 16 of his last 17 runs.

His AR states that he was near peak potential by Derby time as a 3yo. With an average peak time of at least 2 seasons, that means his 4yo and 5yo seasons should have been the apex with a decline thereafter. However, his 4yo season was an unmitigated disaster, almost resulting in his sale. He rebounded nicely as a 5yo, running strictly in sprints. That success has continued so far as a 6yo.

The question is, how long can he continue? If he keeps up his winning ways and shows good speed, shall I run him again as a 7yo?

My inclination is no. Which means he'll be off to the breeding barn. My quandary is....as much as I admire this fellow, I just do not have room for him as a stallion.

Nightwing, War Machine, Big Easy, Union Jack (when he retires). That'll be my quartet of stallions. As good as he's been, Doomsday simply cannot crack that starting lineup. Which means, either he's running under the blue and gold for another season in 2011, or he'll be standing at stud for another stable.

To be, or not to be....

Is it possible to feel happiness and sadness simultaneously? This weekend's racing results left me with just that dilemma.

Affirm Gal Had a nice win. Big Slick finally notched his first win in decisive fashion. Majestic Song, my recent acquisition, hit the board for the first time in his career with a 2nd place finish. These three races put a smile on my face.

A last place finish by Sitio Estrategico. A horrific fade by Candle of Life in a race that he was leading. An indifferent race by 2yo Quicksilver, who finished well down the line. And most notably, a forgettable debut by Rogue, our beloved War Machine filly.

For the week, we had a record of 7-2-1-0, and I don't know whether to rejoice or cry.

After reviewing the tape of the Eclipse Stakes, we've decided that Candle will try his hand at sprints in the future. He is a front runner and doesn't appear to be liking much over 7 furlongs, so we'll try him at 6 and see how that works out.

Sitio Estrategico is a handsome stayer, but has been disappointing of late. I believe he may hit the sale page in the near future.

Kentucky Derby Royalty

Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber and Bally Doyle matriarch, Amanda O'Brien met unexpectedly at the racetrack on May 1st, as evidenced by this recently released photo.

They were both guests of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The rather sour expression on the faces of the Queen and Prince may be a result of the brass they wagered and lost on the race. The royalty both bet a deuce on Regal Son to win. Unfortunately, the Snowbank colt finished 2nd in a photo-finish to Goforwand's New Tower.

However. both Webber and O'Brien were seen collecting their winning New Tower bets at the payout window shortly after this picture was taken . "I never bet against a Troll Tower colt at 8-1 on a Saturday", Webber commented.

"I'm with him.", O'Brien said, jerking a thumb in Webber's direction as they sauntered back to the Queen's private box.

Enter - Rogue. Exit - your teeth.

Otsego Farms has entered prized 2yo filly Rogue in her first race this coming weekend.

Stable principals have been waiting impatiently for a reasonable field and they found it this week in the 4.5f Nursery Stakes. Just 10 fillies will go to post in this dirt sprint.

Rogue will eventually be more of a classic racer, but owner Jim Webber wanted to start her in a short, all-filly race. "And the venue will suit me just fine", quipped Webber. The race will be held at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California.

Another Otsego youngster, 2yo Quicksilver will also make his debut this weekend in the 4.5f Westchester Stakes, in an 11-horse field also at Hollywood Park.

Waiting...and growing old

In an effort to forestall disappointment for as long as possible, we decided to refrain from racing our 2yo's until July. The idea was to avoid the chaos of all the 20-horse fields.

It is now mid-May in our racing season, and my resolve is waning.

My 3yo crop has been unsuccessful thus far. Big Slick, who carried our highest hopes, has been mediocre in nine career starts. Mister Fantastic is maturing slowly so I really can't count on him for 2010. In an effort to bolster my 3yo ranks, I picked up two underachieving colts, Chancellorsville, and Majestic Song, in the hope that they would blossom under my tutelage. Nary a win among the entire group as of yet.

My point? I'm currently not getting satisfaction from my 3yo crop, so I continue to look yearningly at my 2yo's. The question is, can I hold out until July?

That is my plan, however, I just might deviate if the right circumstances arise.

I've been keeping an eye on the 2yo fields. If a particular Thursday night rolls around and I spot a small field, I just might pop one of my youngsters in there.

All four 2yo's are maturing early, so they may be ready. Bane, Born to Fly, Quicksilver, and Rogue, are chomping at the bit.

Bane is our second colt by Nightwing, so he is a sentimental favorite. Hopefully he can fare better than Night Thrasher, Nightwing's first Otsego colt now owned by Laurabelle Racing, who has yet to find his way.

Of course, our strongest hope is that Rogue can develop into a champion like her sire, War Machine. Her AR is actually superior to the big fella, but they have been known to be inaccurate, haven't they? Being our first WM offspring, she is special to us, and it would be a monumental disappointment if she did not do well.

Quicksilver, the black colt by Champ, and Born to Fly by Affirmation round out my 2yo's.

As of now, I'm waiting...and hating it. But don't bet your house on me making it to July without at least one of these horses hitting the track.

King of the Sea - Change of heart?

King of the Sea has been a better than average horse during his career. He has seven career wins, over a million dollars in career earnings, and a median career PSR of 98.

His AR states it very plainly; he prefers dirt:

This horse prefers hard dirt.
This horse is good on soft dirt.
This horse dislikes mud.
This horse is ok on hard turf.
This horse is ok on soft turf.

As a result of these directions, King raced on dirt for the first 18 races of his career, before trying turf for the first time in the 8.5 furlong Dahlia Handicap in his last race of the 2008 season. He performed pretty well, finishing 6th in a field of 20 with a strong PSR of 103.

Still, I wasn't convinced. As long as I could avoid mud, I figured his chances were better on dirt. Prefer and Good beats OK, right?

Five races later, even though King had been running well on dirt, I decided to give turf another try. He was entered in the 10 furlong Gosford Gold Cup and came home with a victory and a track record as well.

Three sub-90 PSR dirt performances later, I decided to have another go on the grass in the Royal Palm Handicap at 8.5 furlongs, this past weekend.

King of the Sea responded by turning in a sparkling 106 PSR and out-kicking the Oak Tree 4yo colt Thunderdome at the finish for another turf victory.

That makes two grass victories in a row and has me thinking that King of the Sea may have missed the boat to some degree with regard to turf racing. This is probably his last racing season, but you can bet that he'll be seeing turf surfaces again very soon.

Kid Flash exposed!

If you've read this blog before, you know that I name my horses after superheroes. I do it because it is a steady source of strong, mostly recognizable names.

I have done a few blog entries in the past that showed pictures of my horses namesakes. You've seen Nightwing, Union Jack, and War Machine on 4-22-07, Doomsday on 5-16-07, and Ultron on 11-22-07. This time it is Kid Flash.

Bartholomew "Bart" Allen II is a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the fourth Flash, though he has also gone by the names Impulse and Kid Flash. He is known as "the fastest man alive".

We hope that Kid Flash lives up to his name in the Churchill Downs Handicap this weekend.

Majestic Song heads to Michigan

3yo colt Majestic Song has been acquired from our friend Ettore of Olmo Dorato in a cash transaction. By Majestic Son out of Aly's Song, this bay colt has the great Secretariat as his paternal grandsire.

Majestic Song has had a slow start to his career with a current record of 6-0-0-0, but he is still maturing and has excellent stamina, so we feel that there is some potential for improvement. The sale price of just $20,000 was too tempting to pass up. A brief bit of research showed us enough to justify the modest investment.

We envision our new acquistion running primarily on turf at distances of 10+ furlongs.

Celebration in Sin City

Fresh off a 2-win weekend, Otsego Farms owner/trainer Jim Webber hit the strip in Las Vegas for a little rest and relaxation.

Attending a Chippendale revue in an adjoining suite, fellow stable owner Amanda O'Brien of Bally Doyle stopped by to snap this shot.

Race Results for Weeks 15 & 16

Finally. A week to make us proud. We sent three runners to post and came home with two wins.

It has been a tough year for Otsego Farms. With just 2 wins in our first 33 races, we were starting to scramble for reasons for our ineptitude, or in lieu of reasons, excuses.

Stable stalwart Union Jack ran a flawless race to win the San Juan Capistrano Handicap. Carrying a race-high 126 lbs, Jack cruised to a 2-length victory over Spartan's limping Retribution. The win was the 13th of Union Jack's career.

Veteran racer 6yo Doomsday, virtually resurrected off the scrap-pile after a horrendous 4yo campaign, continued to defy Father Time with a strong win in the San Simeon Handicap. Doomsday and Olmo Dorato's Mr Purler dueled for the first 4 furlongs, before he pulled away to win easily by 4 1/2 lengths.

Newcomer True Ensign finished 3rd in the San Bernadino Handicap. He was the even-money favorite, but saddled with 127 lbs, just didn't have the kick in the stretch to contend for the win.

The two victories did wonders for the psyche of owner Jim Webber, who jetted off to Las Vegas to celebrate shortly after Union Jack's victory at Santa Anita Park.

Fascinating reading...

For the past month, I've read, then re-read the book, "The Secret of the Ages". It is one of the most interesting and eye-opening books that I have ever read.

Those of you who have very traditional religious views would probably not agree with or appreciate the ideas presented in this book. While I, believing in a higher power and yet having a totally open mind, have completely embraced the concepts presented in this book.

In a nutshell, the book explains that God has imbued a spark of his divinity in each of us as our birthright. This makes anything possible for those who believe in this power and know how to employ it.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is within you". Heaven is not some far-away state - the reward of years of tribulation here. Heaven is right here - here and now. When Christ said that Heaven was within us, He meant just what He said - that the power for happiness, for good, for everything we need of life, is within each one of us.

The book describes the power that resides in all of us and how to unlock it. It is not an easy thing to do because it requires an enormous amount of belief and faith.

This article is a vast departure from what I normally write. The book has made an impact on me however, so I thought I would mention it to those who may be interested.