I just watched that race on replay. Exxel was very wide on the turn. The rider never used his whip. Time was 1:16.37 for 6.5 furlongs and he won by 3 lengths. I think that is impressive. Maybe a stakes race is next.
Tale of Ekati Foals
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Dark Vader (7 year old gelding) finished 3rd in an AOC race at Santa Anita today. Dark Vader had a 50K claiming price on him which is what got him into the race. He was claimed. The claim was voided and it said Vet as the reason. So, it appears that something is wrong with him. Maybe he was hurt in the race. Wonder if he will race again this year?
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Exxel (3 year old colt) won a 6.5F 35K AOC race today with a time of 1:15.92 at Canturbury Park. Exxel had just won an allowance race at Canterbury about a couple of weeks earlier. He went off as the 2 to 5 favorite in today's race. I would like to see him in a stakes race someplace. He appears to be too good for Canterbury Park.
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Tale of Ekati is a 5K stallion, so he does not get the mares most likely to produce top notch race horses. Most of the mares he is bred to have little chance of producing anything other than a small track claiming horse. His best horse, Girvin, and some of his better horses like Verve's Tale, Tale Of Verve, Tale Of S'avall, Dark Vader, Avalina, and Total Obsession were bred to mares that were not thought to be good producers until later.
So, with mares known to be good producers, Tale Of Ekati would likely have sired more graded stakes winners and generally better horses. I guess this is the way with some other low priced stallions. BTW, I like a couple of his 3 year old colts, Exxel and Winston Blue.
So, with mares known to be good producers, Tale Of Ekati would likely have sired more graded stakes winners and generally better horses. I guess this is the way with some other low priced stallions. BTW, I like a couple of his 3 year old colts, Exxel and Winston Blue.
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I was rooting for Exxel (3 year old colt) in the 7F 100K Housebuster Overnight Handicap at Colonial Downs on 8/1/22. Exxel, in his first stakes race going 7F for the first time got in a speed dual with the winner, Conagher. Conagher not only won, but almost broke the track record with a time of 1:21.42
Exxel faded at the end but still managed to finish 4th. I hope Exxel's connections don't give up on racing in stakes races. He is entered in an allowance race at Canterbury Downs on 8/17. I think he is a potential stakes winner and maybe a graded stakes winner. Anyway, I am keeping an eye on Exxel. Go Exxel!!
Exxel faded at the end but still managed to finish 4th. I hope Exxel's connections don't give up on racing in stakes races. He is entered in an allowance race at Canterbury Downs on 8/17. I think he is a potential stakes winner and maybe a graded stakes winner. Anyway, I am keeping an eye on Exxel. Go Exxel!!
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Totally Obsessed (6 year old mare) finished 2nd in a 6F $41,500 allowance race at Thistledown today. Totally Obsessed is a full sister to multiple graded stakes placed 7 year old gelding Dark Vader, who is in Ohio now after racing in Southern California for most of his career. He recently was claimed in a AOC race at Del Mar and was brought to Ohio. Totally Obsessed has won 3 stakes races herself in Ohio and placed in some others.
This is typical of some of Tale of Ekati's best foals. They sometimes get a couple of good horses from mares that not much is expected from. After that, the mares are usually bred to more expensive stallions after they are known as good producers.
This is typical of some of Tale of Ekati's best foals. They sometimes get a couple of good horses from mares that not much is expected from. After that, the mares are usually bred to more expensive stallions after they are known as good producers.
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Exxel (3 year old colt) finished 2nd by a neck in a 6F 32K AOC (N2X) race at Canterbury Park on Wednesday (8/17). Exxel had already won a couple of allowance races, but was allowed to enter because it was also for colts that had not won 4 races. Exxel led for most of the race but was caught at the end of the race. Time was 1:09.79
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Exxel (3 year old colt) finished 3rd in the 6F 50K Tom Metzen H.B.P.A. Sprint stakes at Canterbury Park a few hours ago. A little disappointed, but Exxel did have some excuses. He was very wide in the turn and lost lots of ground. Also, he was the only 3 year old in the race and was in with 8 older horses. Still, he is now stakes placed and I expect to see him win stakes races, hopefully some graded. Just stay healthy Exxel, and I think that good things will happen for you. BTW, the winning time was 1:10.07
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Sermononthemount (4 year old colt) - The bad news is that Sermononthemount, after placing in 3 stakes races as a 3 year old including a second place effort in the grade 3 Indiana Derby, was entered in a 5K claiming race yesterday at the Fair Grounds. He also was claimed, which I think was the idea of the race in the first place. Sermononthemount finished up the track in his previous couple of races, so I guess that his connections figured it was time for him to go.
The good news might be that he was claimed by Joe Sharp, who I believe is a very good trainer. Maybe he has some good plans for Sermononthemount. Could be that he plans to put him in starter races until Sermononthemount reverts to his old form, if he ever does.
BTW, Sermononthemount finished second in the 5K claiming race yesterday.
The good news might be that he was claimed by Joe Sharp, who I believe is a very good trainer. Maybe he has some good plans for Sermononthemount. Could be that he plans to put him in starter races until Sermononthemount reverts to his old form, if he ever does.
BTW, Sermononthemount finished second in the 5K claiming race yesterday.
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Joe Sharp, the new trainer and owner of Sermononthemount, was also the trainer of Girvin, who was the best son of Tale Of Ekati on the racetrack and it looks like as a stallion as well. The fact that Girvin is off to such a good start at stud may be part of the reason that Sharp claimed him, as well as 5K being so cheap.Saban wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 3:09 am Sermononthemount (4 year old colt) - The bad news is that Sermononthemount, after placing in 3 stakes races as a 3 year old including a second place effort in the grade 3 Indiana Derby, was entered in a 5K claiming race yesterday at the Fair Grounds. He also was claimed, which I think was the idea of the race in the first place. Sermononthemount finished up the track in his previous couple of races, so I guess that his connections figured it was time for him to go.
The good news might be that he was claimed by Joe Sharp, who I believe is a very good trainer. Maybe he has some good plans for Sermononthemount. Could be that he plans to put him in starter races until Sermononthemount reverts to his old form, if he ever does.
BTW, Sermononthemount finished second in the 5K claiming race yesterday.
Maybe Sharp is planning to make Sermononthemount a stallion, even if he proves to not be able to be a decent racehorse any more. After all, going by how well Girvin is doing as a stallion, and the fact that Sermononthemount is by the same sire and is from the powerful Storm Cat sire line, Sharp may feel that Sermononthemount is worth taking a chance on.
Obviously, Sermononthemount does not have the race record that Girvin had, but he has a better record than many other stallions. He is graded stakes placed and has placed in a couple of stakes races. His pedigree looks OK to me as he is inbred 5S X 5S X 4D to Northern Dancer, 5S X 4S to Mr. Prospector, and 5S X 4D to Secretariat. There are also crosses of Halo, Sunday Silence, Sadlers Wells, Seattle Slew, and Nijinsky in his pedigree.
For now, all we can do is wait and see what happens. I don't think it is a coincidence that the former trainer of Girvin would claim another son of Tale Of Ekati that finished second in a graded stakes race.