...and Crackerjack makes three?

Otsego Farms broodmare In Spirit is on a roll.

In Spirit is the dam of 3yo Crossbones (sired by Nightwing), who has surpassed the $1M mark in earning in just 13 starts, and finished 3rd in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes; and promising 2yo Kit Fisto (sired by War Machine), who has a career record of 3-0-2-0.

The success of these fellows has given us great hope for another In Spirit colt who will make his debut in 2015.  As implied by his name, Crackerjack was sired by Union Jack, who has had some success of his own in the breeding shed recently.

AR is displayed below:

Crackerjack (2013), 15.2 hand bay colt

By Union Jack out of In Spirit by Bellbuster

This horse will mature quickly and be at peak performance early (2-3).

This horse will have an average performance peak, at least two racing seasons.

This horse is ok on hard dirt.

This horse is good on soft dirt.

This horse is good in mud.

This horse prefers hard turf.

This horse prefers soft turf.

This horse has physical problems that may lead to alot of injury downtime.

This horse has average ratability.

This horse looks like it can run at classic distances.

Shatterstar takes the long road to $1M in earnings

"This racehorse is as honest as they come.  He's not blessed with blinding speed or endless stamina, but he'll give you a solid effort every time out."  So said Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber when asked about 5yo Shatterstar finally reaching the $1,000,000 earnings plateau.

"He's been in-the-money in 26 out of 33 career races and has finished either first or second in over half of his starts", Webber continued.  "You gotta love a producer like that."

It has taken some time for Shatterstar to reach this milestone because he has never won a GR1 race and has had only one purse that exceeded $100,000.

There was some speculation that Shatterstar would be sold to make room for younger racers once the magical $1M mark was reached.  Those rumors were quickly squelched by Webber.  "No way I'm selling this guy.  He's coming back next year as a 6yo for another season."

Which will make him just the second horse in Otsego Farms history to have a 5-year career whilst wearing the blue and yellow.  Can you guess the other?

Breeders Cup Excitement and Disappointment

Otsego Farms came away with just one BC victory with Refractor putting away the field in the 16F Endurance.

"After I made several comments about Refractor being the top 2-miler in Photo-Finish, former stable owner Mike Noble stated that the Sunshine Stables stayer Pluto would shadow Refractor until the two met again", Otsego owner Jim Webber said after the race.  "He didn't have to wait long, did he?"

With the large field, and his come-from-behind style, Refractor struggled to find running room for most of the race.  But, with 3 furlongs to go, things finally opened up, and he was able to stretch out, pass the leaders and win in relatively easy fashion.

The other Breeders Cup entries did not go as well for Otsego Farms.  Webber had stated, in a tongue-in-cheek manner, that he would sweep the four races he entered.  Things did not go as planned.

"You Know My Name simply looked outclassed and had nothing at the end", Webber explained with a shrug.  "I honestly think that both Methy Bus and Kayson would have won their races, but both had terrible trips.  Kayson in particular was horrifically blocked by Medusa's Blood and had no possible hope of recovery.  This is the risk you take when you sign up for a big field."

Blood-Horse Breeders Cup Interview - Part 4

 Kayson will make his Breeders Cup debut in 2014

The fourth and final segment of the interview:

BH: The final race you've entered is the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint with Kayson.

JW: Right. 

BH: He's never won a GR1 race.  Does he deserve a shot at the BC?

JW: Kayson is maturing slowly like his sire, Handsome Man.  His best years are ahead of him and it starts right now.  This guy is a machine that consistently punches out 108 PSR's.  He's as good as any other horse in this race.

BH: Who are some of the other racers that concern you?

JW: A Rab is a tough racer, but I can't help wondering if he wouldn't be better off in the Mile.  Dutty Wine could also be problematic.  Ettore Fieramosca is not real well known, but has really blossomed as a 3yo and Undertaker seems to be peaking at about the right time.

BH: I'm surprised that you didn't mention Gorgeous George or Reining Money.

JW: Gorgeous George has won 4 races in a row, but frankly, I don't think he's fast enough for a straight-up sprint.  Reining Money just seems to be a little off his game right now.  He's a great horse but he won't be a factor in this race.

BH: So, it comes to this.  How will Kayson do?

JW: I think you know.

BH: You're predicting yet another win?

JW:  Of course.  Do you really think any of these horses can beat him?

Blood-Horse Breeders Cup Interview - Part 3

Frisky 3yo Methy Bus frolics in paddock

The third part of the interview:

BH: Newcomer Methy Bus will run in the Breeders Cup Mile?

JW: Yes.  We acquired Methy Bus earlier this season from Chris Campbell over at Smokey's Stable and we're very pleased to have him.

BH: According to our records, the $3,000,000 purchase price was the largest in Otsego Farms history.  Is that correct?

JW: Yes.  He's a quality racer with a long projected career, so I felt he was worth the investment.

BH: Let's get back to talking about the BC Mile.  How do you see the field shaping up?

JW: There are a bunch of candidates to win this race.  You don't hear alot about Earth Angel, but he's very good at 8F.  Isildur and the filly Lovely Star are both threats as well.  Medievel Sorcerer and The Fates certainly can't be counted out either.  You could bet on any of those horses to win and I wouldn't argue with you.

BH: Did you forget about Ton Of Luck?

JW: No, I just don't think he can win this race.  He's 7 years old and his best days are behind him.  In his prime he was about as good a combination of speed and stamina as you could get.  He's still good, but he's not great anymore.

BH:  And where does Methy Bus fit into this picture?

JW: He's set track records in two of his last three races and is in spectacular shape.  Eight furlongs is right in his comfort zone, so I'd say he has as good a chance as anyone to win.

BH: You haven't exactly predicted a win...

JW: This is a tough race to figure, but if I didn't think he was gonna do it, I wouldn't have put that $5000 on WIN this morning.

BH: It looks like you're now three-for-three.  You Know My Name, Refractor, Methy Bus.  All wins?

JW: All wins baby.

Blood-Horse Breeders Cup Interview - Part 2

3yo colt Refractor, in preparation for the BC Endurance.

The interview continued:

BH: Let's jump to the Endurance.  You've got Refractor entered.

JW: Yes I do. 

BH: Care to elaborate?

JW: He's a monster.  Born to run at 16F.  He'll win, hands down.

BH: You mentioned at one point that you werre concerned about his quick turn-around for this race.  Is that still a concern?

JW: I'd prefer another week or two of rest, but I'm not overly concerned.  Believe it or not, Refractor barely broke a sweat in setting that World Record last month.  He was as fresh as a daisy the day after the race.

BH: The competition will be of sterner stuff in this race though...

JW: No question about that.  Missy's KD looks to be very tough at 16F on dirt.  The 3yo filly Quake is the real deal and she'll have a weight advantage.  Vindictive has won the race two years in a row, for Christ's sake, and you can't forget Pluto, who is an absolute freak of nature.

BH: Your prediction then?

JW: As I said, Refractor will win.

BH: I'm sensing a trend here.

JW: How so?

BH: We've talked about two races and you've picked the Otsego Farms horse in both races.

JW: Well, we've got two more races to talk about yet...

BH: Yes we do.

Blood-Horse Breeders Cup Interview - Part 1

2yo filly You Know My Name strikes a pose.

Blood-Horse magazine recently conducted an interview with stable owner Jim Webber concerning the Otsego Farms entries in the 2014 Breeders Cup.

BH: You've got to be pleased having four entries this year in the Breeders Cup.

JW: I'm estatic.

BH: Generally speaking, what are you're chances?

JW: In a BC race, just about any entry is capable of winning so their are no guarantees, but I'm very optimistic.

BH: Let's take it one race at a time.  You have You Know My Name going in the Fillies Juvenile.  Care to make a prediction?

JW: The competition in that race is brutal.  The undefeated Clair De Lune is a concern, as are the Smokey's Stable pair of Inane and Lunatic.  Of course, the biggest threat is War of the Lilies from Hopeful Farm.  We've got a soft spot for her since she was sired by War Machine.

BH: What about FDL's Oprah's Angel?

JW: Very fast filly and I'd love to have her, but she can't make 8.5F.

BH: You haven't made a prediction yet...

JW: I've given Talamo strict instructions to force the pace early.  If we can make War of the Lilies work hard to keep the lead, I think we'll get her in the last half-furlong.

BH: So...you're predicting a win?

JW: (Laughs) Well, it's a big field and there'll be alot of jostling for position.  Maybe a horse or two will get cut off.  You never know how things will sort out.  But, if we get a clean trip, and Talamo is able to do what we want to do... then yes, I'm predicting a win.

Shhhhhh. You didn't hear this from me....

After all, we don't want to offend anyone, do we?

Every year at Breeders Cup time, there is a pandemic of insanity.  Owners who otherwise may be the epitome of level-headedness, lose their powers of reason and make ill-advised entries in BC races. 

Frankly, there appears to be fewer questionable entries this year compared to years past, but there are still a few humdingers.

Breeders Cup Classic

How about Westfield's Sitiveni in the BC Classic?  Arguably the premier race of the entire season and Sitiveni gets a seat at the table?  He's a decent horse, mind you, but he's never put up a PSR over 94, nor has he ever won a GR1 race.  So, how does he belong in such a prestigious race?

Breeders Cup Dirt Mile

While we're talking about Westfield, let's look at Black Mirage in the BC Dirt Mile.  He also has never had a PSR over 100 and the only race he's ever won was a Stakes race at 6F.  The last time he ran at 8F, he came in last place against GR2 competition.  This fella is GR3 material at best, not BC caliber.

General Beauregard of History's own is a maiden for God's sake, and not a very good one to boot.

Breeders Cup Endurance

He's got the breeding and some potential, but FDL's Homme Fort, being a moderately talented maiden really doesn't belong among the august company of the BC Endurance. 

Kayll Race Club veteran Tower Coup is way past his prime and hasn't gone past 12F in four years.

Breeders Cup Turf Sprint

Street Patrol from The Raja Stables may be a bit of a stretch in this race.  He's a fairly handy horse, but he's never seen the winners circle and has raced on turf only twice in his entire career. 

Breeders Cup Juvenile

I usually cut quite a bit of slack on Juvenile races because all of the participants are untested to some degree, but I feel compelled to mention two entries by BunnyHill Stables.  The dynamic duo of Rockin Rusty and Triscay Waltz, with a combined record of 14-0-0-0 and earnings of $0, do not merit inclusion in this race and constitute a certain loss of the $40,000 entry fees.

Four racers to represent Otsego Farms at 2014 Breeders Cup

After a 2013 season that was bereft of Breeders Cup representation, Otsego Farms will send an unprecedented four participants to Churchill Downs in 2014.

Aftera tremendous performance in the Brave Raj Stakes at the same 8.5F distance, You Know My Name will try her hand at the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Recent acquisitions Methy Bus and Kayson will also make their Breeders Cup debut's with Methy Bus running in the Breeders Cup Mile, and Kayson going in the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint.

Lastly, after a World Record setting performance at 16F in the Prix du Cadran, Refractor will test himself against the games best stayers in the Breeders Cup Endurance.  Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber said, "It's a bit of a quick turnaround at just 3 weeks, and I'd prefer turf to dirt, but we just had to send him.  He earned it."  When asked to make a prediction, Webber simply responded, "I think he'll win."

How much is a horse worth? Chapter Three - The Humorous Interlude

This conversation took place recently on the PF Forum.  Aadil was looking to buy a promising horse and pay up to $5,000,000.

HHH:  Take a look at If The Cat Fitz. He's started out very good.  What amount would you pay?

Aadil:  How much do you want? A mill?

HHH:  He's worth a minimum $3,000,000.

Aadil:  Hmm I think I'll pass..sorry, but thanks for the consideration.

HHH:  Hey, no problem.  That let's me keep a horse that is gonna produce for my stable.

Less than two weeks later, If The Cat Fitz is up for auction on the sales page, with no reserve!

Seems like Aadil was willing to negotiate a bit.  I mean, he didn't shut down the deal right away.  He asked if Hutton would consider a million dollars.  When negotiations quickly broke down, Hutton responded that he'd keep the horse and reap the benefits himself. 

I certainly have no problem with that.  Except for the fact that the fickle Mr. Hutton soured on If The Cat Fitz when he did not fair well in a couple GR1 races.  His resolve to "keep a horse that is gonna produce" quickly morphed into "blow this fella out with no reserve". 

This astounds me to no end.  Hutton buys worthless cast-off horses continuously, and gets rid of horses that have potential!  ITCF won two straight races before his setbacks against GR1 competition.  Heck, here's an idea.  How about rolling him back into a GR3 race and seeing how he does?

Some people may exclaim, "Quit picking on Mr. Hutton!"  I assure you I'm not targeting HHH.  I just look for interesting angles to write about and this one jumped right out at me.  Can I help it if he constantly puts himself in that position?

New Sheriff in town...

"This fella is just starting to mature.  We think he'll be one of the major players at two miles for the next couple of years." 

Otsego Farms owner Jim Webber - February 28, 2011

Refractor made his first foray into the 16F fraternity in spectacular fashion this weekend, demolishing the world record on turf previously set by the FDL Lodge Superstar Heat Seeker.  The old mark of 3:17.40 was smashed, as Refractor finished the GR1 Prix du Cadran in a stunning 3:16.31.

"Refractor has just thrown down the gauntlet.  He'll be the horse to beat at 16F on grass from this point forward", a jubilant Jim Webber exclaimed after the race.

The weekend was not a total success though.  House of M was injured at Hoosier Park in a 8.5F race that many figured she'd win.  The extent of the injury is not known at this time.  She still managed a 3rd place finish.

Additionally, Crossbones had a mystifying last place finish in the Indiana Derby.  "I have no idea what happened", Webber said.  "He was in top shape and I thought he'd win."  He finished 36 lengths off the lead and looked decidedly uncomfortable the whole race.  "We'll have our medical staff take a close look at him", Webber concluded.

How much is a horse worth? Chapter Two.

As I mentioned previously, a horse has different value to different people.  But for the life of me, I can't see how Imperiosso is currently worth $5,510,000.  It just doesn't compute.

He is for sale and the current leader at auction is Glenmore Park with a bid of $5.5M.

Imperiosso has won $6.4M so far in his career.  However, the lions share of it came from a single win; an admittedly impressive World Cup victory at Dubai.  In my opinion though, he probably won't win another $1M in the remainder of his career, which will probably be brief and/or relatively unsuccessful (at least at GR1 levels) since his AR states he will have a very short peak time.

Perhaps Glenmore is thinking that there is money to be made as a stud?  Maybe, but the truth is, you're never gonna get rich owning a stud.  There are just too many inexpensive options out there.  Heck, if you've got a stud I can use in return, you can have a War Machine or Union Jack spot for free. 

So, I'm confused.  Can someone explain to me why this horse is worth $5.5M?

I had really high hopes for Quasar.  Sired by the legend Revenge out of Nova, one of the fastest fillies of her time, he was supposed to be a lightning-quick 8F-10F monster.  Instead, he was a bust.

A bust you say?  Isn't three races a rather small sample on which to base such an accusation? 

I hope not. 

Revenge and Nova were both slower than average to mature.  They both did their best work as 3yo's.  Perhaps I should have waited until Quasar was a 3yo before taking such rash action?

Nah.  His performance has been abysmal.  His HRF stats are unimpressive as well.  Plus he has a very short peak.  Add all of these things up and I'd say you got yourself a bad horse.

So, I decided to cut bait on this one.  I stuck him out there as a BUY NOW for $5000, figuring that someone would grab a colt with his pedigree, even with his poor prospects. 

So, who buys him?  Hutton's Horse Haven.  Go figure.

I'm not gonna lie. I'm very excited.

Thanks to the generosity of a few PF friends*, who allowed me to purchase some horses that may have brought more on the open market, my stable is in the best shape it's been in years.

Now, I've got about 10 horses that are a threat to win every time they race.  I have never  had this kind of depth before, and it only gonna get better with a bumper crop of real prospects coming up next year.

Next year, with Kayson, Crossbones, House of M, Machine Gun, Methy Bus, Nebula, Refractor, Captain Britain, and You Know My Name, I'll have a load of excellent veteran racers.  Add to that 2yo mega-prospects Jack the Ripper, Juggernaut, and Warp Factor Ten, plus unraced 3yo Mocha Milkshake, and I feel that my stable will be better than it's ever been.

*Rainbow, Smokey's Stable, Hopeful Farm, and Foxies Lodge

I just couldn't do it...

He didn't deserve to get shipped out.  He's finished on-the-board in all three races for Otsego Farms and his mom is a broodmare here.

I need to clear a couple stalls between now and breeding time and he was deemed the least stall-worthy of my current string.  Not because he's no good; but because he's the least valuable of all my horses that are 3yo or older.  My 2yo's get a pass into next season, which leaves me limited options for who to sell. 

Necromancer will eventually have to go though.  In fact, he spent an hour or two on the sales page today as a BUY NOW for $1000.  Not bad for a horse who has been in-the-money in 9 of his last 10 races. 

I ultimately decided that I'd just keep him until the end of the season, rather than risk him going somewhere undesirable.  Luckily, I was able to snatch him off the sales page before someone bought him.

However, I'd still let him go under the right circumstances.  If there is someone who is down on their luck and would like a decent racer for a cup of coffee, contact me.

Good week upsets plans...

I have to clear a couple stalls before the end of the year, and this weeks racing was supposed to finalize my plans for the disposition of two racers.  Instead, the success they had has muddied the waters considerably.

I bought Art of Seduction due to his breeding and tantalizing stamina rating.  His first race for Otsego Farms produced a decent but unremarkable 8th place finish in a crowded field of 18.  His trip was not clean but he finished well, so even though he was out of the money by far, it was a promising showing.  In spite of that, he was on the chopping block due to necessity.

His race this week was supposed to cement his position on the sales page.  But, a 4th place finish in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile has me reconsidering, especially since he had a boatload of unused stamina at the end of the race, reinforcing my original thought of his suitability for much longer races.

Another racer who was starting to become dispensable in my eyes is Nebula.  Out of the money in her last two races, and seemingly making no progress ability-wise, I had decided that another finish off the board finish would spell doom for the well-bred filly.  I shortened her distance a bit, thinking that may help, but she still went off at rather long 11-1 odds.  Seeing that the oddsmakers again had no love for her, I prepared myself to sell her this week.

Nebula looked spectacular, making a hash of the field and winning by an easy 7 lengths.  Any thoughts of selling her went out the window.

So, two racers that I had immediate plans to sell, have both gotten a reprieve.

On the other hand, Necromancer, who has produced very well in his time at our stable, has now moved to the bottom of the totem pole along with 2yo bust Quasar.  Watch the sales page if you have any interest...

Unsolicited advice to no one in particular.

Every owner has the responsibility to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of their horses to the extent of which their time or interest allows.

We all use the Ability Report (AR) to some degree as a starting point.  To this we add what we may glean from the horses race performance.  Finally, we analyze the statistics from the .rce files, and a picture of the horses true abilities begin to emerge.

With all of the data to consider and digest, why do we sometimes make bad decisions regarding entries?

I have a specific case in mind; a 3yo colt named Secret Energy.

I have not seen this horses AR, so I do not know if the owner has been mislead by the printed word.  But simply looking at the race history leads me to the belief that he is a sprinter.  He put up a 118 PSR, and finished 1st at 4.5F and finished 2nd with a 104 PSR at 5F.  His efforts at longer distances have been poor.  His most recent stat line reads as follows: Break Speed 76, Early Speed 91, Top Speed 92, Long Stamina 64.

That LS rating of 64 screams SPRINTER.  It is one of the lowest scores I have ever seen and pigeon-holes this fellow into races of 5F or less.  His ES/TS of 91/92 is pretty good, explaining why he did well at those short races.  Why then, in the name of Willie Shoemaker, has Secret Energy run his last two races at 10F and (gasp) 14F?

He finished in last place in both races, and in the 14F St. Leger, was an astounding 105L back of the winner.  Perhaps the most ill-advised entry I have ever seen... and I've seen some doozies.  Please note: Beerfest finished 53L back and was only slightly less preposterous as an entry in this race with a LS of 67.  He shouldn't ever go beyond 8F in my opinion, even though his last four races have been at 14F, 16F, 16F, and 12F.

Back to Secret Energy.  This is a sprinter.  His performance suggests it and his HRF speed attributes confirm it.  I would recommend that he go back to sprints and stay there.  He'll be much more successful, that I guarantee.

Moral of this story?  Use the published evidence on your horse to properly place him.  It's all there, you just gotta look at it and think a little bit.

So.... how much is a horse worth?

It really is quite entertaining to observe transactions that take place in Photo-Finish.  Whether the sales take place privately, or are done via auction, they all eventually end up published on the sales page for us to scrutinize; and I for one, find the information to be fascinating.

I look at some of these horses with myriad last place finishes, a history of poor speed scores, and consistently lousy odds, and for the life of me, I can't figure out what people are thinking by bothering to bid on them.  "Now wait a doggone minute there Jim", you might be thinking.  "You paid $30,000 for La Force, who was obviously a bad horse.  Isn't this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?" 

I don't think so.  La Force has an abnormally high, and fairly rare stamina rating and, based on that alone, I thought he might have some potential at longer races.  I was wrong, but I felt that his monstrous stamina rating merited spending the 30 grand.  In retrospect, I'm sure Laurie would have sold him to me for considerably less.

I marvel that one owner pays just $50 for a horse worth considerably more. Then I'll marvel again that another owner pays $10,000 for a horse that is worthless. They say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, right? Can the same be said for talent?  How do we put a price tag on potential?

Aadil recently posted that he was looking for a quality 2yo.  Aren't we all?  The difference though, is that he is willing to pay up to $5,000,000.  Now that can get your attention. 

Unfortunately, owners that think they have a 2yo horse that may have $5M in purses in him, usually won't sell.  They want the enjoyment of winning the money themselves and gaining the acclaim that goes along with it.  Owners that think their 2yo horse will not win $5M in their career though, are usually the ones that will sell.  Case in point:  Hutton offered up If The Cat Fitz for $3M and Aadil wisely turned him down. 

I recently paid $2,000,000 for Refractor, $3,000,000 for Methy Bus, $1,250,000 for Kayson, and $300,000 for Machine Gun.  Refractor hadn't done anything before I bought him, but he has shown that he is worth the investment.  Methy Bus cost a fair bit, but he is talented and has a long career ahead.  Kayson is just now maturing, so I felt the price was right, given the potential benefits.  Machine Gun is maddeningly inconsistent, but he may yet prove to have been a bargain. 

My point is... we all see things differently.  There are probably people out there who think I overpaid on some or all of these horses.  Time will tell.

Take cover. Buying spree continues...

A long-coveted racer became the property of Otsego Farms tonight when a deal was struck with Foxies Lodge involving the 3yo colt Machine Gun.

"We've had discussions with Rachel concerning Machine Gun on a couple occasions," Otsego owner Jim Webber confided.  "She has wanted to give him every opportunity Down Under, but as you all know, Foxie has a low tolerance for underperforming horses, regardless of their pedigree.  I think the 4th place finish by Machine Gun this weekend sealed his fate at Foxies Lodge."

The chestnut colt is by War Machine out of the super-staying filly Promised Land.  He has a current record of 7-1-2-0 with $205,000 in earnings.  

"I spoke to Foxie a couple times about this fella.  I've been following his career since the start and asked her again earlier this year if he was available.  At the time she said no, but a couple disappointing starts must have changed her mind.  I'm glad she's got a good memory and called me before selling Machine Gun via auction.  I owe her another favor," Webber promised with a smile.

Interesting Factoids (to me anyway)

I have a spreadsheet with data for all of my non-breeding horses.  It shows their age, maturity rate, length of career peak, best distance, and their rating on all surfaces.  I find it very handy.  In fact, I refer to it frequently when I am analyzing the horses and making entries.

I was glancing at it today and was noticing a few things.  I have 37 horses listed and:

• Three have a Very Long career peak.  5yo Shatterstar, 3yo Crossbones, and weanling French Twist all project to have careers spanning many seasons.  I also have four horses that project with Long careers.  They are 3yo Methy Bus, yearling Jack the Ripper, and weanlings Vinyasa and Zombieslayer.
• The vast majority of my horses are Quick to mature.  However, I do have a few who are growing up slowly.  They are 4yo Kayson, 2yo Mocha Milkshake, and weanling Slaya.  Those three will not be fully mature until 4-5 range.
• I've got a couple horses who absolutely hate dirt.  With 5/5 reflecting Prefer/Prefer on Hard/Soft dirt, 2yo Captain Britain and Weanling Anck Su Namun both check in at 1/1.  My worst on turf are 2yo Xtra Run and yearling Trebuchet, both at 1/2.
• 27 Males vs just 10 Females.  That surprised me a bit, especially since four of the ten fillies are weanlings and hence, a long way from racing.

Negotiations result in 3yo Methy Bus joining Otsego Farms

Methy Bus (far left) thunders down the stretch to finish 2nd in the Doncaster Handicap

Methy Bus, the compact 3yo colt by A Bus out of Annibynnol Meth was purchased today from Smokey's Stable for $3M, making him the most expensive horse ever purchased by Otsego Farms.  Methy Bus has a career record of 13-4-4-2 with earnings of $1.3M.  Recently, he finished 2nd in the $1,000,000 Doncaster Handicap.

"Finding quality horses that owners are willing to part with is not easy", Otsego owner Jim Webber stated in a classic understatement.  "We've had feelers out for quite a while for one more horse, and we were able to make a deal with our good friends from Smokey's.  Methy Bus projects to have a long racing career, so we felt that justified a significant investment."

Otsego Farms has loosened the purse strings this season with three high profile purchases.  First came 3yo stayer Refractor for $2,000,000.  Kayson, the 4yo sprinter then checked in for $1,250,000.  Now Methy Bus for $3,000,000.

That puts us in a great position for 2015 with solid veteran performers such as:

1. Shatterstar - 6yo miler/classic
2. Kayson - 5yo sprinter
3. House of M - 4yo filly classic
4. Crossbones - 4yo classic
5. Refractor - 4yo stayer
6. Methy Bus - 4yo classic
7. Nebula -4yo filly miler

Hopefully, a couple of our current 2yo's will blossom as 3yo's next season.  We remain very high on colts Captain Britain, Deep Magic, and Kit Fisto.