Auction Report: Otsego brings home 4 racers

Otsego Farms struck gold in this years Photo-Finish auction.

Owner Jim Webber sipped a glass of Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque champagne and simply smiled as the bell sounded at 3pm ET. Later he said, "I had a little bad luck at the auction last year and was determined to do better. Strangely enough, I didn't spend as much as anticipated, but still acquired all four racers I wanted."

The horses that were purchased were:

Kostya, 4yo colt who is a talented sprinter with GR1 ability.
Rich, speedy 3yo sprinting filly who was sired by Moet.
Titanium, the imposing 2yo filly sired by Dubai Gold.
Glymera, 2yo filly who we feel could be a real sleeper.

Webber continued, "Kostya? Are you kidding me? For a lousy $251 grand? I'm in."

He then said his farewells and stepped over to his waiting limousine. As the driver opened the rear door for Webber, a pair of graceful legs came into view. Now wait just a minute! Was that Amanda O'Brien of Bally Doyle? Nah, couldn't be.....

Starfire ready to shine in 2012

She's not the most celebrated newcomer in 2012, but the 2yo bay filly Starfire is ready for the limelight this season.

Her stablemate Ultron (War Machine x Nova) has undoubtedly received most of the attention, but this little lady is illustriously bred and is ready to step out and make a name for herself.

By Nightwing out of Shattered Record, Starfire is a full sister to the up-and-coming 3yo Shatterstar (5-1-2-0). As a result, expectations are big.

Trainers say that she'll mature early, so we'll probably see her entered in about 6 races in 2012, which is a full load for an Otsego 2yo. Her preferred distance is 8 furlongs and she can handle both surfaces very well.

"We loved what we saw when Shatterstar was born in 2009, so I decided to try the same breeding combo again in 2010", explained Jim Webber, Otsego Farms owner. He continued, "The dam, Shattered Record went to War Machine in 2011 (War Hammer), and she'll see Union Jack this year. After that, she may very well be back to Nightwing again depending on the results we see from both Shatterstar and Starfire."

By the way, the name Starfire follows our usual "Superheroes of Racing" format, and is courtesy of the heroine from DC's Teen Titans, who is pictured above.

Otsego racing legend inspires Rock hit

To breed or not to breed: that is the question.

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by acquiring unraced horses and veteran racers.

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles by simply breeding a multitude of foals myself.

I have always considered Otsego Farms to be primarily a racing stable. Illustrating that fact is my less than prolific 18 total foals produced, even though the 2012 racing season will be my 10th in Photo Finish.

I bring this up because I am on the threshold of changing my breeding strategy. Under my current system, I breed few horses and I have to constantly replenish my stable with racing-age horses. Frankly, it's a bit of a grind because it's not always easy to acquire talented veteran racers. For some reason, people don't always want to give them up. Unraced 2yo's are a rare and sometimes expensive commodity as well. So, every year, I find myself scrambling to secure a stable full of solid racers.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that it may be best to ramp up foal production to around 10 foals per season, give or take. This would ensure a steady stream of racers. With this kind of influx, I wouldn't have to constantly be on the lookout for racing stock.

I like the idea but I'm still thinking about it. There are many factors to consider. I'll sleep on it.

To sleep: perchance to dream of Photo-Finish domination......

2011 Racer Report Card

Here are grades and brief comments on my current racers based on their performance in the 2010 season:

Affirm Gal (10-1-2-2) - Won her first race with a sterling 110 PSR then slumped the rest of the season, ultimately showing her age. Will be off to the breeding shed with an appointment with Nightwing. Grade: C+

Union Jack (7-0-2-1) - Failed to get a win in a season for the first time in 5 years. In retrospect, he should have probably been retired at the end of last season. Will begin his stud career immediately. Grade: C

Stowaway (9-2-5-1) - Another solid season from the sprinting veteran, who set a World Record at 6.5 furlongs in the process. Grade: A-

Big Slick (11-2-2-4) - The maturation process continued in 2010. He hit 100+ PSR in 6 of 11 races and just missed on a couple others. Grade: A-

Eminem (10-1-1-4) - Consistently speedy but win-hungry. We anticipate a successful 2012. Grade: B-

Mister Fantastic (9-1-4-2) - Still showing signs of immaturity, but is improving. Has one more season to show his stuff. Grade: B

Petenwell (9-3-0-1) - Raced under the colors of Smokey's Stable in 2010 and was very solid racing strictly in Grade One and Grade Two races. We'll drop him down a level for his 5yo season. No grade because he didn't race at Otsego last season.

A View to a Kill (8-3-2-1) - Full grown, strong and ready to rock as a 4yo in 2012. Big time potential and a chip off the old block. Grade: A

Hex (12-1-1-2) - Keep him on grass at 11 furlongs and he throws up PSR's in the 90's. I'll take that in low level races. Grade: C

Immortal (8-1-2-1) - Talented filly who finds a way into the money. Will race another season or two before becoming a broodmare. Grade: B-

Rogue (10-1-4-2) - She's getting better every season. One more season at Otsego, then to another stable to continue career as racer or broodmare. Grade: B

Domino (6-1-1-1) - Decent debut for this celebrated filly. Hopefully, the speed will blossom as a 3yo. Grade: C+

Sabretooth (5-0-1-0) - Needs a little more time and a lot more distance. We expect serious improvement next year. Grade: C

Shatterstar (5-1-2-0) - We love this guy. Runs like Dad and has plenty of talent. Prefers the grass, but could be a Derby contender nevertheless. Grade: A

Tombstone (5-0-1-0) - Shows flashes of ability. We like his chances. Grade: C-

Exciting acquisition announced....

Petenwell, the 4yo dark gray colt bred by Smokey's Stable, has been purchased by Otsego Farms in a cash transaction announced by both stables today. This classic distance veteran racer is by Dawn Patrol out of Madcap Escapade, and is an exciting addition to the Otsego racing string.

Commenting on the purchase, Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber said, "Chris and I met at the Casino in Greektown and hashed out a deal on Petenwell. I was looking for a classy veteran and Petenwell fit the bill perfectly. I also dealt with Chris earlier this year on the Isca's Revenge breeding deal, and he has been more than generous in both cases. We'll remember that. He'll get taken care of in the future, that I guarantee."

Webber was referring to Smokey's Stable owner Chris Campbell and the broodmare lease of super-mare Isca's Revenge who will pair with War Machine at the conclusion of this season.

Petenwell has competed primarily at 9-12 furlongs on both turf and dirt. Three Grade One victories and 13 races with PSR's over 100 in 24 career starts highlight a solid resume'. Plans for 2012 call for racing primarily in Grade Two races.

Does anyone else agonize over foal names? Or is it just me?

I have named, reconsidered, and renamed my five forthcoming foals a dozen times. You may ask, why does he vacillate on something as trivial as a name?

I've commented on this blog and in the forum that names are very important to me. So much so, that I have actually purchased horses based on their names alone. The most recent example of this propensity of mine was the acquisition of the 2yo filly Katana. I am known as Samurai Jack in many fantasy sports leagues and as soon as I saw that Katana was available, I coveted her. It seemed to me that destiny was beckoning.

I have been all over the map on names for the War Machine x Isca's Revenge foal. First I chose strong Superhero names, as is my custom. Later I decided on a more whimsical approach, picking Admiral Boom and Cat Ballou, both names from the silver screen. As of yesterday, I have changed my plan once again, picking the Narnia-inspired Deep Magic as the name, regardless of sex.

I'll definitely stick with the Star Wars Jedi names, Kit Fisto and Shaak Ti for the War Machine x In Spirit foal. But I am reconsidering the names I picked for Union Jack x Shattered Record. Caius Britainnicus and Britainnia have lost their luster.

I'll think of something. It's what I do.