A.J.Bakes Ready to Assume the Throne? (5/10/2008)

The 2007 Canterbury 2-Year-old Champion A. J. Bakes will face older fillies and mares for the first time next Saturday in the $50,000 Lady Slipper Stakes. With the retirement of some of the best older MN bred fillies and mares like Sentimental Charm, Run With Joy, and Glitter Star, is this 3-year-old daughter of Boundary ready become the next big thing? She went 3 for 4 last year, beating the boys, winning in the slop, and capturing the top prize in the Northern Lights Debutante.

Her connections have high hopes; click here to see an interview with Scott Stevens and owner John Baker.

Ness Arrives in Shakopee (5/9/2008)

BY JIM WELLS Trainer Jamie Ness was back on the grounds Wednesday evening and pleased to have reached his destination."It's good to be home,'' he said.Even though the trip from Tampa, Fla., was a bit pricier than a year ago."I guess I'll start out about $40,000 in the hole,'' said Ness, who is undergoing the same gas pains that other trainers are experiencing this year.Ness figures the trip cost him about $1,000 a horse. (Do the math to determine the size of his stable!)That was up about 10 grand from last year.Ness arrived in Shakopee with a smile on his face just the same.A year ago, one of his owners put a sign outside Ness's barn informing passersby that Ness had just won the training title at Tampa Bay Downs.The sign is out-of-date now. Ness won the title again this year _ in convincing fashion.Last year, Ness claimed the title with the very last horse he saddled, his 38th winner. It wasn't so dramatic this season. He made 68 trips to the winner's circle, 35 in front of the man in second, Dale Bennett.Ness's total eclipsed the previous record at Tampa Bay. Don Rice, an eight-time training champ at Tampa Bay, had 44 in 2001-2. Ness's horses won nearly $1 million this season, also a record at the track.Despite his grand winter, Ness doesn't plan to update the sign in front of his barn. "No, I'm going to take it down,'' he said. "One of my owners put it up, but I want to stay humble. I'm the same guy I was when I went 0-for-56 one year.''Ness prefers to avoid the highs and lows that are a part of racing whenever he can. "I just aim for consistency,'' he said. "If you have good horses, good owners, good help and ride the good jockeys...whenever you put those things together, good things usually happen.''Ness likes to surround himself with solid, hard-working people, not necessarily home-run hitters, but people who produce day-in-and-day-out and enjoy what they're doing. "You know, the best thing about the last two years,'' Ness added, "is that we've had consistency month to month, track to track. That's what I like -- consistency.''Jockey Paul Nolan will have first call at Ness's barn. Ness likes Nolan's consistency, of course, but the two developed a relationship for other reasons."When I was first starting out I didn't have very good horses,'' Ness recalled. "I couldn't get many jockeys, but Paul always came over and helped me out. He rode my first winner _ Blue Rocket, the only horse that won for me the entire meet.''Nolan's helping hand opened the door to the relationship, but he had to prove himself nonetheless, something he's done time and time again for Ness."We have a very good rapport,'' said Ness. "Paul is about as competitive as you can get.''Competitive to a fault. If Ness has more than one horse in a race and Nolan isn't on the winner, Ness hears about it."Paul's very competitive and if one of my other horses beats him, he gets pissed. He'll ask me why he wasn't on the winner. That's something I like about him.''Ness is glad to be back in Minnesota, but he'll be tuned in to a race in Pennsylvania Saturday night.He has a three-year-old named Repenting running in a $100,000 six-furlong stakes at Presque Isle Downs. "He looks good in there,'' said Ness. "I'm thinking big things with this horse. We claimed him for $25,000 in Tampa.''The horse will catch a van to Canterbury on Sunday, but Ness says there's nothing for him here in the short term and he might send him to Iowa for a race. In the meantime, Ness has horses here to watch as well.He has four horses entered on Saturday's card and thinks they'll be just fine in spite of the long trip. "They should be OK,'' he said. "But a lot of them had a tough winter and are a little tired. I try not to run them too hard.''At the same time, he sure could use a couple of winners to get the meet here under way.Something about his latest gasoline bill.

MTA Sale Preview Today (5/9/2008)

Friday, May 9

BY JIM WELLS

The only thing missing today will be the balloons and hot dogs that automobile dealerships can't resist using as a sales gimmick.
Maybe carrots and sugar cubes would make a nice substitute.
The Minnesota Thoroughbred Assn. is back in the sales business after a lengthy hiatus. Need a never-raced racehorse?
The MTA will stage its first sale of two- and three-year-old horses in training in many years on Saturday.
"The MTA did a sale like this 15 or 20 years ago,'' said Kay King, executive director of the group. "They said at the time they would never do one again. For what reason, I don't know.''
"Never" will end this weekend.
Potential buyers can take a look at 27 horses up for sale today when they will be displayed under tack at noon. The horses will gallop or work one or two furlongs on the main track.
The works will be videotaped and shown continuously in the paddock gardens conference room on track level, beginning around 3 p.m. Those tapes will be shown until the sale at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, following the race card.
The horses were foaled in Minnesota, Iowa, Kentucky and Florida. Their sires include Frisk Me Now, Ghazi, Chapel Royal, Demidoff, Friends Lake, Gilded Time, Johannesburg, Late Edition, Mutakkdim, Proud Citizen, Put it Back, Whywhywhy, Quaker Hill, Shot of Gold, Strong Hope, The Cliff's Edge, Vicar, Victory Gallop, Wild Gold, With Approval and Zavata.
Seven of the sale horses were originally scheduled as part of a similar sale in Iowa that was linked to a stakes race there. The sale was cancelled when officials became concerned that several horses were named simply to qualify for the stakes race and were in fact not for sale.
"We benefited by getting those Iowa horses,'' King added. "We've had several people comment that they were happy with this, a cleaner sale. We were encouraged to go ahead with the sale after Iowa chose not to do it.''
THE BARNS ARE FILLING
The weather is warming and the stalls are filling on Canterbury's backside. The official head count surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday with more than 90 horses passing through the stable gate.
Stall superintendent Mark Stancato said the count had reached 1,041 on Thursday morning. "We had a 90-plus horse day with a whole bunch of Bernell Rhone and Jamie Ness horses coming in. This morning we got a few Keith Bennett horses."
Bennett, a newcomer to Canterbury, arrived from Phoenix, where he won the training title in the recently completed meet at Turf Paradise. Jamie Ness was on the grounds Thursday morning, just up from Tampa Bay Downs where he won a second consecutive training title.
Also new from Phoenix are Shawn Talbot and Manny Uriza. Talbot had 12 horses on the grounds Thursday. Fourteen Bennett trainees arrived Thursday morning. Ness, who already had 15 on the grounds, brought in 29 on Wednesday.
Other newcomers include Manny Troche from Florida and Joe Johnson from Phoenix, who is expected to arrive soon with a stable of six. Bobby Grissom is due in from Phoenix, too.
"Joe will be the last of the Phoenicians,'' said Stancato. "And next week, the quarter horses will start coming in.''
NTRA THOROUGHBRED NOTEBOOK
May 8, 2008
News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by NTRA Communications.
THE JOCKEY CLUB ANNOUNCES THOROUGHBRED SAFETY COMMITTEE
Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, announced today that the officers of The Jockey Club have commissioned a seven-member Thoroughbred Safety Committee.
Phipps said that the committee would be asked to review every facet of equine health, including breeding practices, medication, the rules of racing and track surfaces, and to recommend actions to be taken by the industry to improve the health and safety of Thoroughbreds.
The recommendations emanating from the two Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summits will serve as starting points for the committee. Three of the seven members of the newly formed committee were participants in both summits.
The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation coordinated and underwrote those summits in October 2006 and March 2008. A strategic plan developed after the first summit and a summary of recommendations proposed at the second are available at www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/summit <https://mail.ntra.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/summit> .
In addition to Phipps, the other officers of The Jockey Club are Vice Chairman William S. Farish and Secretary-Treasurer James C. Brady.
The seven members of the committee are Stuart S. Janney III (chairman), John Barr, James G. (Jimmy) Bell, Dr. Larry Bramlage, Donald R. Dizney, Dell Hancock and Dr. Hiram C. Polk Jr. Each is a member of The Jockey Club.
"All seven of these individuals have dedicated a major part of their lives to Thoroughbred breeding and racing and have shown a consistent and unwavering concern for the welfare of Thoroughbreds," Phipps said. "We will reach out to involve others in the industry and we will do everything in our power to encourage changes that will benefit the breed in any way. We will do this in a timely manner."
"The Thoroughbred Safety Committee is a major step that will provide the examination of the horse welfare and safety issues so badly needed in the wake of recent catastrophic injuries," said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA. "The NTRA supports the Committee's work and plans to work closely with it to build support for the Committee's recommendations with the many constituencies we represent. At the same time, we will redouble our efforts to promote Thoroughbred racing to core and target fans as the safe, responsible sport that it is. Now more than ever, no practice, policy or tradition is more important than those that best protect and promote the health of the Thoroughbred athlete."
BIG BROWN PREPARING QUIETLY FOR NEXT SATURDAY'S PREAKNESS STAKES
Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown will move on to the May 17 Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, but for now, Churchill Downs, the site of his Derby triumph is just fine.
"Everything's good here," trainer Rick Dutrow said this morning after the undefeated colt jogged a mile at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Preakness will be a homecoming for Dutrow, the son of legendary trainer Dickie Dutrow who was born in Maryland, and jockey Kent Desormeaux, who won the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice rider while based at Pimlico and Laurel Park in the late 1980's.
"Every time Preakness would roll around, dad would win a race on Preakness day," said Dutrow in an NTRA conference call this afternoon. "Naturally I would love to win a race like that. It's where I grew up. Most of the traits of the game are right there at Pimlico, Bowie, Laurel. I'm going to see a lot of my friends. I can't wait to get there."
When he does get there, the only other Derby horse Dutrow will see is fifth-place finisher Recapturetheglory. Co-owners Ronnie Lemarque and Louis Roussel, the colt's trainer, captured the Preakness 20 years ago with Risen Star. This morning Recapturetheglory jogged a mile and galloped a mile shortly after 7 a.m. over a muddy Churchill Downs racing surface. E.T. Baird, who never has ridden in the Preakness, retains the mount.
Pimlico officials expect a field of at least nine for the 133rd running of the Preakness, which will be televised by NBC from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (ET) Post time for the Preakness is slated for 6:15 p.m.
TOMCITO USING PETER PAN AS SPRINGBOARD FOR BELMONT STAKES
When buyers at Keeneland's September 2006 yearling sale looked at Tomcito, all they saw was an awkward, barrel-chested colt who, frankly, walked like a duck. When trainer Dante Zanelli Jr. looked at the son of Street Cry, he saw something more.
"I saw a Derby horse," said Zanelli, who paid $7,500 for the colt and sent him to Peru, where he won four of five starts including the final two legs of the country's Triple Crown. "His walk was not the prettiest, but he had such a nice stride."
Tomcito was one of four who did not make the cut for the Kentucky Derby, but the final leg of racing's Triple Crown is definitely on his schedule. Saturday, the big brown colt heads a field of nine 3-year-olds in the 55th edition of the $200,000 Grade II Peter Pan Stakes at nine furlongs, a traditional prep for the $1 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday June 7. Also Saturday is the 33rd running of the $100,000-added Bold Ruler Handicap for three-year-olds and up.
"He's been special since Day 1," said Zanelli of Tomcito, who finished third in the Florida Derby behind Big Brown in his American debut, but then failed to earn enough money to enter the Derby when he finished sixth as the favorite in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. "The Lexington wasn't that bad, considering he gave six pounds to everyone and the Polytrack was not to his liking. The ride wasn't what we expected, either. He didn't run a terrible race but he didn't make any money.
"It's too bad, because I think he would have run a heck of a race in the Derby."
Bypassing the Preakness because of Pimlico's reputation for tight turns, Zanelli next targeted the 1 ½-mile Belmont, a distance at which Tomcito has already won. Sent by Zanelli to his uncle in Peru after failing to find a taker, Tomcito began his career beating older horses at the age of two and then wrapped up his 2007 campaign with the Group 1 victories at a mile and a quarter and then a mile and a half at Monterico Racetrack in Peru.
"The bigger the track, the better," said Zanelli. "We are hoping to have a good showing on Saturday that will set us up for the Belmont. That's the goal."
The Belmont Stakes is on the radar of several of the horses in the Peter Pan, notably Casino Drive, the Japanese sibling of the past two Belmont Stakes winners, Rags to Riches (2007) and Jazil (2006), and his stablemate, Spark Candle. Also going are Illinois Derby runner-up Golden Spikes and Cosmic, winner of two straight for Shug McGaughey, who trained last year's Peter Pan winner, Sightseeing.
"His last three races have been pretty good," said McGaughey of Cosmic, who broke his maiden going nine furlongs in Florida and then took an allowance at the same distance April 16 at Aqueduct. "We'll see how he sizes up with these. At the point we are not aiming for the Belmont but it's certainly up for discussion."
Executive Fleet, who was second to Bustin Stones in the Grade I Carter Handicap, heads a field of seven for the Bold Ruler at six furlongs. Trained by Linda Rice, the five-year-old son of Northern Afleet has won two of his four starts this year, both optional claimers over the inner track at Aqueduct.
Also expected to attract support are Forefathers, fourth in the Grade II Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in his last start; Man of Danger, second to Sir Greeley in the Grade III Toboggan Handicap on March 8, and Callmetony, no worse than third in his last six starts.

FRANKEL SEEKS ELUSIVE SEVENTH JIM MURRAY VICTORY
Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel has won the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap a record six times at Hollywood Park but he has found number seven to be elusive.
Since last winning the distance turf test with Skipping in 2002, Frankel has settled for a second-place finish with Denon in 2003, third with Gassan Royal in 2004, second and third with Vangelis and Exterior respectively in 2005, and third with Notable Guest last year.
Frankel hopes to put an end to that mild drought Saturday when he sends out Champs Elysees, the 119-pound high weight and probable favorite, and Sudan in the $250,000, Grade II test at 1½ miles on grass.
The Jim Murray, named in memory of the Los Angeles Times Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, headlines a stakes tripleheader that also includes two $100,000-added Grade III races, the Los Angeles Handicap and Senorita Stakes.
With Frankel in New York, long-time assistant Humberto Ascanio has tightened the screws on Champs Elysees and Sudan for the Jim Murray.
Champs Elysees, a Juddmonte Farms homebred, is named after a famous street in Paris, but "champs" has a significant English connotation as well. The 5-year-old horse is a full brother to two North American champions, Banks Hill and Intercontinental, and a European champion, Dansili. By Danehill out of Hasili, he is also a full brother to Grade I stakes winner Cacique and a half-brother to Heat Haze, another Grade I stakes winner.
"He reminds me a lot of Cacique, very kind," said Ascanio Thursday of the English-bred who was a Group III winner in France for Andre Fabre before joining the Frankel stable last autumn. Runner-up in the Hollywood Turf Cup, winner of the San Marcos Stakes and third-place finisher in the Santa Anita Handicap, Champs Elysees appears poised to follow in the footsteps of his brothers and sisters not only as a top turf horse, but one who can handle synthetic surfaces as well.
Ascanio also expects a much-improved effort from Sudan, who finished a distant eighth in his U.S. debut in the San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita in February. "He has been training a lot better," said Ascanio of the 5-year-old French import who has recorded a solid series of drills here the past two months. Owned by Gary Tanaka, the Irish-bred import was a Group I winner in Italy last year.

ONLINE BELMONT STAKES CONTEST ANNOUNCED
The New York Racing Association is launching an online contest - the Belmont Stakes Prize Package -- centered around the 140th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7.
"This year marks a new era in the Belmont Stakes fan experience," said Gavin Landry, NYRA Senior Vice-President of Sales and Market Development. "We have built an entire festival around our premier racing day, featuring the Movin' Out Band live in concert and a variety of family-oriented games. To help celebrate this exciting event, we are offering one lucky fan the chance to win VIP tickets to the Belmont Stakes along with travel and accommodations provided by Delta Air Lines and the Garden City Hotel."
Fans may enter online at www.nyra.com before 6 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 24. The contest is free, but all contestants must be at least 21 years of age as of May 26, and must supply correct e-mail, telephone and address information.
The Belmont Prize Package winner will receive two VIP tickets to the 2008 Belmont Stakes, two round-trip Delta Air Lines tickets, and a two-night stay at the Garden City Hotel.
Two runners-up will have the choice of either two VIP tickets to the 2008 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 23rd, or a $200 Gift Certificate to the online NYRA Store, redeemable for Officially Licensed NYRA Merchandise.

More Notes, May 7, 2008

BY JIM WELLS

Conversation about the Kentucky Derby wasn't hard to find on the backside Wednesday morning. Big Brown's impressive performance was still on the minds of just about anyone you cared to ask.
Trainer Doug Oliver was standing at the desk of stall superintendent Mark Stancato when the subject of the Derby and the upcoming Preakness Stakes was broached.
"There's not going to be a Preakness,'' Oliver said. "This horse is a total freak." The way Oliver sees it, the Preakness folks can mail the trophy to Big Brown's connections right now. Ditto for the chaps at Belmont Park. Oliver is certain that if Big Brown stays sound, the racing world will have its first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.
He expects the Preakness to be a romp in the park for the bay colt.
"Second in the Derby was the filly (the deceased Eight Belles),'' Oliver continued. "She was five lengths back and won't be in the Preakness. How far back were the rest of them?''
For the record, Eight Belles finished 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Denis of Cork finished third, 8 1/4 lengths behind Big Brown. Tale of Ekati was next, by a full 11 lengths to the winner.
Big Brown overcame his place in the No. 20 hole on the far outside, made a strong, commanding move to the wire and had more in reserve as Kent Desormeaux galloped him out.
It was truly an amazing performance.
Big Brown is by Boundary, a son of Danzig from the Nureyev mare Mien. Stancato, although admittedly impressed by Big Brown's dazzling Kentucky Derby victory, is not ready to jump on the Triple Crown bandwagon quite yet.
"What about the quarter cracks,'' he said, referring to Big Brown's earlier infirmity. "And somebody's got to convince me about his pedigree.''
Oliver says you can throw the standard pedigree analysis out in this case.
"Go back in the pedigree seven or eight (generations),'' Oliver said. "This is a horse that reached back for just the right combination of genes. He's an absolute freak.''
Richard Grunder, Canterbury's jockey agent extraordinaire, was equally impressed by the Derby winner.
"When have you seen something like that?'' he asked. "That horse went from a maiden special weight to an allowance, to the Florida Derby to the Kentucky Derby, and won them all, just like that.''
Big Brown has ascended to the top in just that fashion. "He was like a man among boys,'' Grunder added.
"He's a monster, the real deal.''
` So much so, that Grunder recalled another horse with similar strength and ability to put away his opponents.
"He's remindful of Seattle Slew,'' he said.
Maybe _ just maybe _ Oliver is on to something.
THE PHOENICIANS ARE ALMOST HERE
The Canterbury Park-Turf Paradise loop has has evolved into the ideal arrangement for a number of stables. The Canterbury meet kicks off just about the time the meet in Phoenix ends. Last year, for example, a trainer who left here after the meet ended on Labor Day could reach Turf Paradise and get settled before the meet began there on Oct. 5. In the spring, the two meets don't overlap more than a couple of days at most, if at all.
Dave Van Winkle and Doug Oliver have been doing the Arizona-Minnesota connection for years now. Both have found good clients here and kept those relationships for years. The two trainers have had their share of success in Minnesota, too. Oliver has won three training titles; Van Winkle has won two.
Other horsemen from the sunbelt are giving Minnesota a try this spring, too.
Foremost among them is Keith Bennett, who won the training title at Turf Paradise, and will have a stable of 45 horses or more at Canterbury. "His horses are due in today (Wednesday),'' said Stancato. "He'll arrive Thursday night.''
Valorie Lund is another trainer giving Canterbury a try. "She has 15 in now,'' Stancato said, "and another five or six to come.''
Shawn Talbot was due in Wednesday night, also a first timer from Phoenix. "He'll have 25 to 30 horses,'' Stancato said. "Shawn's a former Steve Asmussen assistant from Texas.''
` Stancato and local HBPA president Tom Metzen, who is the executive officer of the branch in Phoenix, had a hand in convincing the Phoenicians to give Minnesota a try.

News & Notes May 7, 2008

Nolan featured on KARE 11

Jockey Paul Nolan got off to a good start on opening weekend winning three races including the meet’s first stake, the $50,000 Shot of Gold, for trainer Jamie Ness and Web Gems Stable. Nolan had fifteen mounts. He was featured on the 6PM news on KARE 11 Tuesday. Reporter Dave Schwartz, a horse racing fan himself, was on the backside Tuesday to interview the veteran rider.

Click here for the KARE 11 video.

Ry Eikleberry to return to CanterburyJockey Ry Eikleberry is expected to return to Shakopee next week. Currently stationed at Sunray Park in New Mexico, he will finish up there this weekend and make his way north. Turf Paradise leading trainer Keith Bennett has offered Ry an opportunity to ride first call for his 45-horse stable. “When you’re given the opportunity to ride for a barn like Keith’s, you’ve got to go,” Eikleberry said.
jm

History Repeats Itself (5/5/2008)

The handicappers at Canterbury Park got off to an impressive start on opening weekend as the post time favorite won 9 of the 18 races. Most of the races were won from on or just off the pace, which is right in line with the Canterbury historical track profile. Speed dominates in sprints at this racetrack!
In addition to the track playing similarly to other years, certain horses also repeated their historical pattern in results that can be instructive. Here are two examples from the first two days of racing:
1) On Saturday, Jane’s Gold scored at 25-1 in her third career start and first start since last August. She repeated her pattern of scoring at huge odds first time out as she dusted off a maiden field last year in her career debut at 33-1. Interestingly enough, in both races Minnesota Mafia was the heavy race favorite.2) On Sunday, a horse named Bertando’s Victory was defeated at 3 to 5 odds after setting a pretty soft pace to the half-mile. Even though heavy favorites lose all the time, it’s noteworthy that this particular horse lost several times last year at Canterbury as the post-time favorite. I wrote about this phenomenon last year, how the public just loves to bet this horse and the public came right back to bet Bertando’s Victory on Sunday. He looked like lone speed on paper and the way the track is playing it seemed like a logical play. Horses like this create a lot of good value on the other race entrants and you see them every day at the track.
One final note, a horse named Innisbrook ran in the same race Sunday that Bertando’s Victory was in. He broke behind the field and made up some very good ground to finish a game second. It was rare to see a horse close like that this weekend. He looks like he will be extremely tough to beat next time out with a clean break.
Derby Notes: Two thumbs up to Big Brown, who overcame several historical trends to win the Kentucky Derby in stylish fashion on Saturday. Big Brown is clearly the best of his generation at this time. Two thumbs down to Churchill Downs for failing to show the probable Oaks-Derby Daily Double payoffs before or the will pays after the Kentucky Oaks. I searched the internet for an hour looking for the payoffs before Hollywood Park finally posted them on their simulcast feed. Churchill posts the over/under payoffs with a $500 pool every five minutes but won’t show the probables for the Oaks/Derby Double? Hello McFly?
The Oracle

In The Neighborhood (5/4/2008)

BY JIM WELLS

Matt Wiebke stood in the winners' circle Saturday after the first stakes race of the 2008 racing season, the $50,000 Shot of Gold stakes, offering details of how he got there and how he got involved in the sport in the first place.
He thought back to that spring of 2001, a few months after he moved into his Bloomington house. Occasionally, he spotted his next-door neighbor running an errand, doing a chore. The fellow had a familiar look to him, and so Wiebke finally approached the man.
Wiebke had been to Canterbury enough times to put two and two together. "Hey, are you Paul Nolan?'' he asked.
Yes, his next door neighbor was the fellow he has seen ride many times in Shakopee. Conversations ensued. Wiebke craved any information Nolan could provide.
"If nothing else, I figured I might get some good betting tips,'' Wiebke recalled.
The relationship grew into a friendship. Wiebke began following the horses Nolan rode. "I'd go to Canterbury and cheer for him,'' he said.
And in the days after a good weekend at the track, the Bloomington neighbors would continue their talks. "Paul's a story teller, you know,'' Wiebke added. "I would soak in anything he said.''
Wiebke wanted more.
"Paul told me I should get into owning a horse,'' Wiebke said. "It had never crossed my mind. I had a certain stereotype of an owner in my mind and it wasn't me.''
It is now.
The first thing Wiebke wanted was a trainer who was reliable, trustworty and good. Nolan directed him to Jamie Ness. "I think we all know the story with him,'' said Wiebke. That was the start.
Wiebke is the investment business, so the next step he took paralleled what he does frequently in the financial world. "I'm used to pooling assets,'' he said. "Forming partnerships.''
Originally, there were three investors in Web's Gems Stable.
"It's now grown to 14,'' Wiebke said, moments after the stable's 4-year-old gelding, Tytus, nosed out Prospective Kiss to win the first stakes race of the season.
Tytus is the star of the stable and there is a story here as well.
Web's Gems Stable had a tough start.
The group bought a horse that was claimed right away. They claimed another but an injury prevented him from running for six months.
In January, Web's Gems latched onto a couple of money-makers that enabled them to expand the stable. "We kept buying and buying,'' said Wiebke.
Last October, Wiebke got a call from Ness. The stable had just lost a horse in a claim. "When we lose one, I want to get another one right away,'' said Wiebke. Ness told him there were were nine horses to keep an eye on at Hawthorne, including a Michael Stidham horse named Tytus"We don't go to auctions. We don't breed. We have to take other people's rejects,'' said Wiebke, who zeroed in on Tytus and made the choice after receiving two decision-making signs.
It was Breeders' Cup day and Wiebke liked Tale of Ekati in the Juvenile. Tytus had the same sire, Tale of the Cat. There was a diamond on Ekati's silks. There was a diamond on Web's Gems silks. Enough said.
Web's Gems Stable claimed Tytus for $25,000 at Hawthorne that day.
Web's Gems got Tytus in a two-way shake with another trainer, who immediately offered them $35,000. "Jaime called to tell us we could pick up a $10,000 profit in just minutes. I figured the trainer was low-balling us,'' said Wiebke.
The deal was nixed, and the decision to do so validated after Tytus set a track record (1:16 and 1/5) for 6 1/2 furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs last December and avoided a claim at the same time "We figured we had something then,'' said Wiebke.
Tytus validated that belief on opening day and is being considered for the Brooks Fields Stakes on June 7.
` On Saturday night, following the horse's first stakes win, there was a gathering in the barn to toast Tytus. "The sun was setting,'' said Wiebke, who then offered to take the group of 12 to dinner. .
Wiebke, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nolan nine other investors in the stable headed to Ruby Tuesday. This time, it was Wiebke's turn to spin a tale.
"I had a story about how far we've come," he said.