Adore Me Second By A Head in $150,000 M4YOKYSS Final
May 29 - Not satisfied with finishing second by a pixel in a blown up win photo last week, Adore Me (Father Patrick - Sleep Tight My Luv) once again fell barely short of victory in the $150,000 M4YOKYSS Final at Oak Grove today. Despite last week's super photo finish, bettors sent Adore Me to her outside post 7 with unconvincing 8/1 odds. However, as the gate left odds-on favorite and Track Record holder Yanaba immediately broke stride. Driver Andy Miller alertly steered Adore Me to a very comfortable second position, which she maintained around the track in fractions of 27.1, 56.3, and 1:24.1. However, soon after the 3/4 mark Adore Me found herself blocked by Eternal Lee and eventual race winner Pioneer As on the outside. After shaking free, Adore Me made a determined rush to the finish, only to finish second by a head in 1:52.3f. Nevertheless, Adore Me finished a successful KYSS campaign with two seconds and two fourths, raising her lifetime earnings to $236,476. Coverage of the race can be found at Harnesslink.
Adore Me is in foal to the great Muscle Hill, last bred 3/17/23.
Adore Me Second By A Whisker In $50,000 M4YOKYSS
May 22 - Adore Me (Father Patrick - Sleep Tight My Luv) has been knocking at the door in the lucrative M4YOKYSS series at Oak Grove, but bad racing luck and powerful opponents have held her to several 4th place finishes. Today, the door was opening more than just a crack for her. Leaving from post 3 for driver Dexter Dunn, Adore Me settled into perfect stalking position behind Stakes/Track Record Holder Yanaba, who led the field through early fractions of 27.2, 55.4, and 1:23.1. This week however, the race wasn't going to be won without a fight. In mid-stretch Adore Me and Pioneer As made a determined attack on a tiring leader. Adore Me equaled Yanaba in a too-close-to-call finish, which on photo showed Yanaba had prevailed by a flare of a nostril in another 1:51.4 Stakes and Track Record. USTA coverage of the race can be found here.
Next week is the $150,000 Final. With a favorable post and some racing luck, Adore Me could be a major factor for trainer Julie Miller, regular driver Andy Miller, and owner Windsong Stable.
Adore Me is in foal to the great Muscle Hill, last bred 3/17/23.
Climb The Pole Ascendant In $25,000 SBOA Prelim at Mohawk
May 13 - Initially overlooked by bettors and racetrack commentators, a 6-1 Climb The Pole (Kadabra - Legzy) led a strong field from the quarter pole to the finish line to win the $25,000 3TF SBOA preliminary by a confident length in 1:55.3 at Mohawk. Post 6 did not deter driver Jody Jamieson from pursuing an early lead, as Climb The Pole assumed command in a 28.1 first quarter. Aided by a brief second quarter breather, Climb The Pole was well prepared for the long Mohawk stretch, turning back several determined challengers in a 27.3 last quarter. Climb The Pole is now the winner of all three starts in 2023, with lifetime earnings of $29,255 for Steve Heimbecker and co-owner/trainer Amanda Fine.
Windsong Stable sells Long Legs, a Green Manalishi - Legzy 1/2 sister to Climb The Pole, in the Concord consignment at Harrisburg.
Moonlight G Passes at Hanover Shoe Farms
March 25 - Though everyone in harness racing knows Windsong's Legacy, only a few know his Super Bowl older brother, Moonlight G. Their dam Yankee Windsong was the first broodmare purchased by Windsong Stable. She was in foal to the great Super Bowl, and sentiment dictated that we retain that first colt for racing. His name was inspired by the "Moonlight Graham" character in the Kevin Costner baseball movie, "Field of Dreams." Graham was purportedly the only player in Major League history to play in a game but never have the chance to hit. If you believe that a name influences its owner, then you can already imagine where this story is going.
"Moonie" was quite a character. At 2, he was very reluctantly gelded after becoming almost unmanageable upon reaching puberty. Thereafter he became extremely depressed, eating and training poorly, and refusing most interactions with people. But his developing friendship with a very young Martin Lagas, the son of Edwin Lagas, then second trainer for Jan Nordin, turned his life around. Another example of Moonie's antics; one night, he somehow opened the outer latch to his stall door, and was discovered in the morning calmly enjoying grass in a paddock behind the barn.
Although he won 16 races lifetime, Moonie was resolute in his refusal to win when I was present at the track. Once in a 3YO PASS at Pocono, Moonie gave me quite a thrill coming around the last turn with a full head of steam and dead aim on the leader, Brumal Hanover. Inexplicably, Moonie decided to bolt for the draw gate and the comforts of the race paddock instead of completing his quest for racing glory. All in attendance were dumbfounded, not the least his driver and trainer, Jan Nordin.
No Yonkers trotter was quicker than Moonie leaving the gate, and none were as likely to run out of gas in the last 100 feet of a race. Moonie also required his groom to run along with him to the gate, letting go of his halter just upon arrival. If the groom dropped him too early, Moonie would just stop. Watching Moonie go to the gate with his groom was always a bit frightening. I don't know why the track and his groom put up with his antics.
Nevertheless, despite his quirks and eccentricities, Moonie won 16 of 142 lifetime starts for $151,062, taking his lifetime mark of 1:58.2f at Pocono. He retired at age 8 after his second significant suspensory injury from the Jim Doherty stable.
He spent the next 17 years enjoying the sun and the grass and the companionship of a herd of retired mares at Miller Shed of Hanover Shoe Farms. Moonie's special buddy for years was a mare named Royal Ambition, a Royal Strength mare that had only a couple foals that were racetrack failures before she refused to have any more. Like Moonie, she enjoyed the kindness and generosity that Hanover extended to even the most modest of horses.
Rest well, old friend. Your brother might have been better, but you will always be very special to Windsong Stable.
2023 Racing Highlights for Horses Bred by Windsong Stable
