$%&#*!!!

- I was driving to my brother's house in Jersey yesterday when I got the call from Bob. Actually, there were two calls; one with 17 minutes before Primal Peak went to the post for the 9th at Philly to give me the encouraging news that closers had been doing well there thus far. He was pretty excited, and so was I. The Head Chef shook her head, counseling restraint; but it was far too late as far as my wagering investment went.

So then he called again right before the race to give me the live update. We exchanged good lucks, and they were off. "OK, he's fifth, and he'll soon be last." All according to plan thus far. That remained the case for awhile; and I must say that Tom Durkin, Bob is not. Then I heard, "here he comes." The reporting became more urgent as he took off four wide around the turn, and then simply degenerated into frantic screams of "GO, GO, C'MON, C'MON!!" I sensed that he was getting kinda close. I was waiting for the cry of "YES!! HE DID IT"

But instead, I heard.........a really bad word. I don't print shit like that on this blog. Primal Peak had fallen short, by a head in the original report, and then, when he composed himself and called back a few minutes later, a nose, which was the official chart call. He was five lengths in front of the field on the gallop out by the time he got to the turn. That nose cost us some $20,000 in purse money, me the exacta and triple, and Bob the double and pick three. (I at least had a saver exacta and won $8 on the race.)

But it was obviously an excellent effort by the horse off a major jump in class. Whatsmore, we all think that he actually prefers the grass. He has a record of 7-2-2-0 on that surface, and won a NW2X allowance at Laurel last year. And he's 2 for 3 on synthetics too (Presque Isle and Turfway). Keith Lebarron has a $100,000 PA-bred grass stakes this summer in mind as a long term goal. Nice horse, and a very sharp claim by Kasey K Racing, having haltered him for $25,000 three races back; he's already easily exceeded that tag.