We expect July – September to be very busy and exciting for Kenwood Racing, with a lot of action for our horses at Monmouth Park (and elsewhere, but particularly at Monmouth) and so far, July has lived up to its billing! It took a little while to come up with the claims we wanted and two year olds need time to train before they can make their debuts, but the reward for our patience should be a lot of runners for the heart of the summer racing season. We have a nice group of older horses to race in NJ-NY who have been pointed and primed for these months, plus seven two year olds stabled at Monmouth. Trainer Steve DiMauro has tentatively scheduled Aug. 5-7 as possible debut dates for several of the two year olds.

A fine day at the office on July 17th at Monmouth Park, with two horses running. When the dust had cleared, we had an impressive win and a good third. First up was Dance N Denae, who was coming off a game 2^nd in her Kenwood debut on June 26^th. The race was taken off the turf due to heavy rains the night before and we were a bit concerned, as even though she’d been training very well and had shown decent past dirt form, she is a better grass horse. When old friend Awesome Challenge (claimed from us off a thrilling win opening weekend at Monmouth) made the lead on her early and Dance N Denae found herself in tight on the rail for most of the race. It didn't look good, but jockey Jose Ferrer had a lot of horse all the way and when Awesome Challenge began to tire turning for home, he made a dramatic move to grab the lead from the inside. She quickly opened up a large lead and coasted to the wire almost 2 lengths to the good of a late closing runner, far ahead of the remainder of the field. She may not have looked like a good buy when she finished a dull 8th the day we claimed her, but we always say it's not how they run nearly as much as how they come back to the barn, and that was proven once again here. This is a nice filly who runs on both dirt and turf and we think the best is yet to come here. A hearty congratulations to all the members of our NJ based active racing group. With this filly and Little Cherie who we claimed recently and the NJ bred Silver Bouquet we have a lot to look forward to in the weeks and months to come.

Then it was Scuba Sue’s turn, a horse we purchased in Ocala in April of 2014 who did well for us as a three year old, returned to Kenwood again via (re)claim on March 10th, 2016, this time for our active racing group in New York. Claimed out of an impressive winning effort at Gulfstream Park, she ran very poorly for us under the care of Jeremiah Englehart in three starts. We moved to her trainer Mark Salvaggio after her last race (a tired 5th at Penn National on June 24^th), and Mark did his usual fine job to get her back on track. We decided to run her at Monmouth, the site of many of her best previous efforts and were pleased to see her finish a game 3rd after running hard and well every step of the way.

Kenwood’s record so far for the Monmouth meet is 2 wins, 1 second and 1 third in four starts. Obviously a limited number of runners but there’s a LOT more action to come the 2^nd half of the meet and we are certainly off to a red hot start!

Previously, a really nice workout for El Botas as he readies for his Kenwood debut, which should come shortly at Saratoga. He worked fast without being asked

El Botas (5-Year-Old Gelding)

Date: July 16, 2016
Track: BELMONT PARK
Distance: Four Furlongs
Time: 47:85 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt training
Rank: 3/73

Recent claim Little Cherie is expected to make her Kenwood debut July 23^rd at Monmouth Park.

On Thursday, July 7^th America’s Best Racing visited Kenwood’s barn at Monmouth Park to follow the story of our two year old filly Pink Cashmere, who we purchased at the OBS April sale this year. This lovely filly by the hot young sire Eskendereya was bred by the international model Esther de Jong at her farm in New Jersey. Take a look at this must see 3 minute video.

Pink Cashmere is training very well. Trainer Steve DiMauro feels she’s advanced quickly and if her next two works are as good as her previous ones, she’ll be ready to run in a race at Monmouth on August 5^th . As mentioned so many times previously, selecting two year olds is like trying to decide who the future NBA or NFL all-star will be from a group of 14 year old high school kids. Bobby Blue Eyes trained very poorly the first couple weeks at Gulfstream and has been training really well for the last month (see work eblow). Until they run a few races, it’s a guessing game!

Bobby Blue Eyes (2-Year-Old Colt)

Date: July 13, 2016
Track: GULFSTREAM PARK
Distance: Four Furlongs
Time: 49:05 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 8/22

On July 9^th, one race away from retirement, kept in training and brought back on 8 days rest on the advice of trainer Mark Salvaggio, Huamantla woke up with a vengeance at Penn National, flying from near last turning for home after being bumped at the break to finish 2^nd by a long nose in a photo finish. While it was a lower level race, it was also a 12 horse field, she had to make up a ton of ground from far back in a very short race, and they finished in a super-quick time for the level, 57.30. While she’s still not about to become a good horse, we are in a totally different situation than we had been off her horrible race the previous week, when it appeared giving her away to a good home was our only option. Mark insisted she just couldn’t handle the dirt; we agreed to take one last shot on grass with the right spot sitting there 8 days away, and it worked.

The final seminar of the year at our office on Saturday, July 9^th was as always our most popular subject. “Purses & Claiming” had an overflow crowd in attendance in person and online via GoToMeeting. Look for our seminar series next year!

The following day, July 10^th,  our 2^nd “Business of Thoroughbreds” seminar of the year in conjunction with Monmouth Park was another sold out affair. Guests enjoyed morning training, followed by an afternoon of racing in a private Parterre Suite, along with visits to the paddock and the racing office. Our final tow seminars of 2016 are August 7^th and September 10^th, both are nearly sold out.

Our annual meeting for partners and co-owners will be Saturday morning, August 6^th at 10am, please mark the date in your calendars.

Exchanging Fire is still IN-FOAL at Daydream Farm and her yearling filly is lovely!

It was a while coming and it was hardly the level of race we were looking for but Sonny’s Pharoah is a maiden no more as she won the first race of her career on June 30^th at Penn National. While it was against a field of lower level claiming fillies, she won easily, wire to wire without being asked much in a very decent time for the level, beating the heavy favorite in the race.  With this one under her hoofs, perhaps she’ll have a little confidence now and can get back to the winner’s circle again shortly. Congrats. to group #23 as both of their horses have now reached the winner’s circle.

Saratoga is just around the corner, opening week is July 22^nd. Several of the Kenwood partners have rented a house for the entire meet and we plan to run several horses there this summer!