Details

Long A$$ day at Fair Grounds yesterday started at 12 PM Central with the 1st race, to Risen Star going off at 6:31 PM Central.

The track was a mess despite only getting about 3/10 of an inch on Saturday and on tracks like that attention to details matter.

Details? Details? We talking about Details?

As the day went on it became a soup, the kind that pulls your shoes right off. Tough track.

I was criticized by one person that I went in without a plan.

A very unfair accusation, only two races were affected and in both of those races I used horses that had main track and off track experience, the 2nd race, Freedom's Way, whom finished 2nd and the 8th race, Minnesota Ready, who had dirt form and actually won.

I don't know what there was to plan for ?

I wore my coat, my rain hat, three layers, I paid attention to details.

Maybe I should have known about the 6, eventual, vet scratches on the card, but not an easy day, even if you know it's coming.

We have also seen tracks get much rain, drain quickly and be good to fast by end of the day. All CDI tracks, Tapeta not included, drain well. Good surfaces when wet.

The interesting horse I am going to follow out of yesterday's card is DISCREET MISCHIEF out of Race 7.

He ran 2nd behind the highly touted DRIP, more on him later, but DISCREET MISCHIEF, big, burly, Dortmund-like three-year-old, is out of BRUSHWORK, a Discreet Cat mare, but a daughter of MANISTIQUE.

MANISTIQUE was the original amazon for John Shirreffs, She was the prequel to ZENYATTA.

MANISTIQUE won 11 of 15, three Grade 1's and earned over a million dollars.

She was a towering, athletic mare. She started her career in May of 3yo season and won 7 of her first 8 starts with a Grade 1 win and 4 Grade 2 wins.

FOLLOW Discreet Mischief, I think 6f was awful short for him, and he is bound to get better with distance, if stays sound.

The Risen Star was run at supper time.

Track looked like a soup by then, the type that sucks your shoe right off.

TRACK PHANTOM once again dug in and fought bravely, but SIERRA LEONE came with a big wide rally, as did POINT PROVEN early in the card, and was very well behaved with the blinkers on. Tossing the time out the window, the Top 4 finishers all ran well, including RESILIENCE.

The day was a long one, a fun one, a cold one as the wind whipped up and drove temps down.

We had some chances but most of them didn't trip out, even our $22 winner MONEY SUPPLY had to work hard for it.

Thought CORNISHMAN ran well but had to overcome a wide trip, and ran against the grain.

OUR PRETTY WOMAN in race 5 threw her bonnet in the Oaks picture and finally, DRIP, who is sure to get a very fast fig out of his maiden win, is worthy of being examined further.

He was well touted, largely because of his morning exploits with HONOR MARIE, whom ran poorly in the RISEN STAR, as we expected.

DRIP was an interesting case because he had worked well, switching leads, handling himself professionally thru the January 21 work.

After that work started he showed reluctance to switch leads, in fact both of his last two works he refused to switch leads. I got from showing a yellow card, immediately to a red card, when a horse, who usually switches leads, doesn't.

He didn't switch leads in the race either, finishing thru the left lead thru the stretch.

He is likely to be thrown to the wolves next out, maybe even the Louisiana Derby.

I need to see him show he is capable and is comfortable to switch leads, sprinting is one thing, routing and going 9 furlongs vs top class competitors is another

It's the little things that make you a winner.

Attention to detail matters.