Here we are in the middle of May and I've sent just two of my youngsters out to the track. Deep Magic and Xtra Run have both raced once with middling results, but eight others (nine if you count acquired 2yo Art of Seduction who hasn't raced for Otsego Farms yet) have yet to run.
With the early success that Union Jack has enjoyed as a sire, I'm particularly interested in getting Captain Britain, 2yo colt turf stayer, and You Know My Name, 2yo dirt classic, into the fray, but the right opportunity hasn't arrived.
Which brings me to the real reason I'm writing this article. WE NEED MORE 2YO RACES.
Every year, we break records with the number of foals being born. We've got 2yo's coming out our ears every season, and yet we still don't have enough races to accommodate them all.
I look at the race card every week and I see a bunch of races for 3, 4, and 5 year olds that have small fields. I'm talking four or five horse fields by the handful every week.
But not for the 2yo's. As you all know, the 2yo fields are commonly 15-20 horses large, with under 12 being very scarce. I'm just wondering why we can't have more 2yo races so we all don't have to deal with 20 horse fields every time out.
Heck, I'd like to race my early maturing 2yo's a little more, but I just cannot justify putting them out there in a 20-horse scrum for a $48,000 purse. With the sizes of my stable and breeding operation, my racing string is comprised of about 67% 2yo's and it will be that way going forward as well. It explains why I have only 23 races in the book even though the season is 40% over.
From past experience, it seems like the 2yo fields get somewhat smaller later in the season. Perhaps we only need more races earlier in the year? I don't really have an answer, I can only mention the problem. And in my opinion, 20-horse fields being the norm for 2yo races doesn't seem right.
2 comments:
I have been telling this to Laurie for ages now and she said she wasnt going to add more races unless she takes some of the other races out
I am in the same boat most of my racers are 2yo`s but what can ya do
P.S. i cant wait to race my Union Jack foal either hes a 1/2 brother to JMG
Foxie
I could live with 10-12 horse fields Foxie. We'd need a few more races to spread them out that thin though.
With the smallish fields in all other age categories, I wouldn't be against removing many of those races and substituting 2yo races instead.
GO UNION JACK BABIES!
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