Oh hello! Nice to meet you. And you are.....?

I've got 16 two-year-olds who will be hitting the track this year and they are virtual strangers.  I was just checking them out and it's as if I'm looking at them for the first time.

When they were born, I poured over their AR's again and again, looking for strengths and weaknesses.  Slowly, the realization sunk in that it would be two seasons before they became relevant, so they slipped back into obscurity.

Now, on the cusp of a new racing season, they have sprung back to the forefront as a new source of possible excitement and potential disappointments.  Recently, I have spent a little time perusing those AR's, trying to re-familiarize myself with these horses... as I'm sure you are all doing.

The ones that jump out at me are:

Come What May - (Hepatic Flap x Nova)  I was expecting a sprinter/miler, but this colt appears to have more stamina.  However, he does have all the traits of a speed horse, so he may very well trend down to 8F if his stamina rating dips below 70.

Maleficent - (Union Jack x Ticket to Dance)  This filly will be a prototypical come-from-behind type, which is always a risky proposition.  However, she is born of two prodigious producers of Excellent stamina offspring, so I expect her to be a premier female 2-miler.

No Tears - (A Bus x Ace Of Grace)  His AR is eerily reminiscent of his sire's.  That alone is enough to generate optimism.  I expect him to be a dandy 12F horse, but perhaps just a bit under-powered to be elite at 16F.

Aha! Here they are!

Welcome to all new stables and hello to all old friends!

Here we are on the cusp of another Photo Finish racing season.  DJ's recent article and the arrival of my foals have awakened me from my long slumber, so it is time to dust off my spreadsheets and take a look at the situation for 2020.

Otsego Farms had one of it's most successful seasons in 2019, finishing 4th in earnings with $18.1M.  However, most of my top earners are getting on in years and I do not anticipate a repeat of the fabulous record of last year, which was spearheaded by an outstanding group of 3yo's.

My 3yo's this year are a mostly mediocre group.  There are a couple bright spots however.  Colts Tag You're It and Hella Good are both going to be on the Kentucky Derby trail, with Tag being the more likely to qualify.  Tesseract is also a talented colt, but his extreme surface sensitivity makes him unlikely to mount a serious challenge for the Derby.  The rest of my 3yo's have shown little to nothing thus far and may not make it through the season without significant improvement.

Of course, the entire 2yo batch is a mystery.  I like the look of a couple of the foals, but at this point the AR is all we have to go on, and as we all know, those can be misleading.

Let's race!

Well, hello Mr. Fancy Pants!

Since the new foals have hit the ground and reports are in the air that the new racing schedule is being worked upon, I figured that I'd fish out the keys to the site and see if they still fit in the lock. Awesome! Jim hasn't changed the locks on me...yet. Once everyone gets back into the swing of things, hopefully, the Insider starts bustling with activity. To kick things off, I'd like to introduce everyone to the first reported foal from new Otsego Farms stallion, Methy Bus. Say hello to Mr. Fancy Pants!

Mr. Fancy Pants (2020), 16.1 hand white colt By Methy Bus out of Brilliant Dancer by Brilliant
This horse will mature quickly and be at peak performance early (2-3).
This horse will enjoy a very long peak performance time, perhaps its entire racing career.
This horse is ok on hard dirt.
This horse is ok on soft dirt.
This horse is poor in mud.
This horse prefers hard turf.
This horse prefers soft turf.
This horse is of average soundness.
This horse has average ratability.
This horse always comes from midpack.
This horse has good acceleration.
This horse breaks well out of the gate.
This horse has average speed.
This horse likes a lot of distance.

 I figure that I should start taking reservations now for his first season at stud. Get in before his 2030 book fills up. Act now! Don't get shut out!