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Country Star -- That's Saying Enough

posted by Mac McBride on April 03, 2008 Tags: , , , ,
Country Star Wins the Hollywood Starlet (Photo by: Benoit)Country Star Wins the Hollywood Starlet (Photo by: Benoit)

So it’s that horse trainer deluxe, one Robert Frankel, on the telly from Kentucky. It is raining – markedly so – in the Blue Grass, but our man from the Hall of Fame in somewhere safe and dry. He is also not in the mood to be verbose, which is the $5 way of saying “go ahead and ask me but let’s keep it short pally.”

That can be arranged.

The five-time Eclipse Award winner is queried about his ace filly Country Star, victorious in two Grade I’s in a short three-race career so far, yet a non-starter since last December 15. She’s scheduled to run Saturday at Keeneland in the Grade I Ashland, a race that ostensibly (another $5 word that means roughly it’s-probably-going-to-be-that-way-but-then-again…) is a stepping stone to the Grade I Kentucky Oaks on May 2.

Are you happy, Mr. Frankel is asked, with where you have your filly coming up to the mile and a sixteenth?

“Very.”

Well, yes. And on to the next question. This will be the Empire Maker’s filly’s first afternoon test in more than three and a half months. True, she’s worked well of late – including a :59 on 3/12 and a 1:11 bullet on 3/25 (in company with champion mare Ginger Punch) at Hollywood Park – but fact of the matter is she’s giving away a serious recent racing edge to several sharp fillies, notably Proud Spell and Bsharpsonata. Does this lack of recency against the kind of company he’s got to face concern the conditioner?

“No.”

Right. Carry on. So the boy from Brooklyn who – like the Dodgers – headed west and made an even bigger name for himself in the process must think the daughter of the horse he won the Belmont Stakes with is an exceptional young miss, capable of many wonderful things. True?

“Hopefully.”

Uh, huh. Well, what about all that rain. They’re talking about bringing out the arks near Lexington over the next couple of days and there’s lots of green on the Weather Channel. And though Keeneland has Polytrack and therefore should be able to withstand the deluge, there well could be concern about her ability as a racehorse to deal with the wet. Is Mr. Frankel concerned about that at all, or does his vote go to the positive because of the condition of the racetrack?

“Racetrack.”

Gottcha. Finally then, a supposition (we’re up to $15 now – this one means something like “let’s pretend that”) is offered that his homebred lassie blows their doors off Saturday, just wins for fun and sets the racing world all abuzz. Would Mr. Frankel consider passing go (which would be the Kentucky Oaks) and keep right on going (to the Kentucky Derby)? Is there a chance?

“There’s always a chance, but it could be a million to one.”

Now there’s a real statement, as good a one as you’re going to get for this day.

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Stacey-Jo

04/05/2008 10:13 am

I'm still not sold on Country Star. I watched her previous races, but didn't really see anything that would make me think she's the best filly out there. Her current works are impressive (improving by about three seconds at each distance), but still, she hasn't raced since December. Besides her recent workouts, what exactly is it about her that everyone else can see that I can't?

mac

04/05/2008 10:42 am

Two Grade I wins -- in relatively easy fashion -- in her first three starts aren't bad. She's bred purple and her trainer is one of the ones. Those are a couple of the things, Stacey-Jo.
But you're allowed your opinion and today out of the racetrack you may get proof -- one way or another -- that yours is a good one.

Stacey-Jo

04/05/2008 1:05 pm

Hi Mac -- thanks for writing. I forgot that her races were both Grade 1s. Like I said, I'm very impressed with her workouts. Leading up to the Derby and Oaks, I always check a horses workouts to see if they are improving at a distance or just staying steady. Usually they works improve by a second or second-and-a-half, but to improve by three seconds at each distance is incredible. Is that something that you've seen before? I'm looking forward to seeing her in the Ashland, but personally I like Bsharpsonata :-)

scooter811

04/05/2008 7:06 pm

I have always liked County Star, not quite sure what happened to her in this race with how well she had worked. Maybe she just needed the tune up. Will be interested to see if she still points to the Oaks.

Stacey-Jo

04/05/2008 8:56 pm

Well, Country Star definitely didn't the race I expected her to, given her workouts. You're probably right, Scooter, that she needed to tune up some, since she hasn't raced since December. Proud Spell didn't seem to run a great race either. I was rooting for Bsharpsonata and I thought she had the race. Maybe next time ;-)

mac

04/06/2008 12:11 am

Hard to know about Country Star's race today. We may find out more in the next day or two.
Would think the Kentucky Oaks is still a possibility, but the earlier talk of the Kentucky Derby is now hushed. Guessing that Frankel may want to take her over to Churchill and see how she trains on it before making that Oaks decision.

mac

04/06/2008 9:33 am

Word out of Kentucky this morning is that Frankel will aim for the Kentucky Oaks with Country Star. He now thinks he might have overtrained her.

Stacey-Jo

04/06/2008 11:07 am

Interesting about the training aspect -- thanks for the update. We'll keep an eye out for her on Oaks day.

moon exalt

04/06/2008 7:32 pm

I like Country Star, but I really didn't expect to see her win off the layoff with the other sharp fillies in there (though wouldn't that have been great?). I also am a fan of Bsharpsonata - I really thought she had it! As for Proud Spell, I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on her performance in the race? I really like her, and wonder if this was a bounce off her last race - will she move forward again on Oaks day? Also, Absolutely Cindy looked nothing like she did winning the John Battaglia. . . was that just a freakish performance or, as some think (and I am sort of leaning towards this this year) are these girls just better than the boys? Haha, so many questions, so little time. Well, it seems like that anyway.

derbyme

04/06/2008 9:35 pm

Still some room on the Eight Belles bandwagon, all though it's filling up quick. The form of Country Star's races hasn't really held up. Watch the replay of the Fantasy and see how Eight Belles absolutely dwarfs her competitors. She is a huge rangy long-legged beauty. Despite the Unbridled Song, looks like the further the better.

Mac,
Zenyatta is the most enormous mare I've ever seen. Have you ever seen any bigger, that could still run? She's a monster in every meaning of the word.

mac

04/06/2008 10:09 pm

For your numbers folks, here are the Beyers coming off the Ashland:
Little Belle -- 88
Bsharpsonata -- 88
Proud Spell -- 83
Country Star -- 79

That race, along with today's "all out" Fantasy at Oaklawn, tells all concerned that these fine fillies are just that, and that they want no part of the colts in the Derby. The Eight Belles fans may put up a fuss, but the cold hard facts in the light of day say we don't have any Rags to Riches on the scene (yet) this year. (And you'll get more than a few to argue that that phrase should read "any year.") The Kentucky Oaks is going to be a ripper, full of good fillies who want to be known as "the one." Eight Belles now appears a likely favorite, but she better tie her shoes tight come May 2.

(Derbyme -- Zenyatta is an Amazon. The undefeated filly got her best Beyer yet -- a 104 -- for her crusher in the Apple Blossom. She just turned 4 this month, so she's eligible to get bigger yet. Recall that her trainer -- Shireffs -- had a massive stakes filly named Manistique -- someone should ask him which one was bigger -- and remember that Richard Manella had a huge star filly in Phone Chatter. Zenyatta biggest ever? Am sure someone could come up with a larger one, but she's surely the biggest and best on the scene right now.)

derbyme

04/07/2008 11:12 am

Mac,

I agree with you on the Filly Division staying together. Eight Belles was impressive in her ability to win a dog fight, but she hardly won with the ease that was expected after that big move entering the stretch. As an Unbridled's Song, she probably wanted no part of 10f anyway. She'll be tough in the Oaks, but she'll need her best. The other Jones filly will take a huge step up on dirt at 9f. Bsharp continues to impress, what an honest filly.

I think maybe everyone is simply missing Rags. A showdown between her, Zenyatta, and synth monster Nashoba's Key for the distaff could have been one for the ages. Let's cross our fingers for 2 of the 3.

scooter811

04/17/2008 3:36 pm

I am sorry to see people still not talking on here about the girls. I am still more excited about the filles. I must say I have never been one to make a pick by looks, but I do like a bright eyed alert filly prior to a race. I will have to start looking at that a little more. I just came back from Keeneland and had to go looking for Eight Belles and Proud Spell to see them up close and personal. Found them, but unfortunately Proud Spell wouldn't even stick her head out of her stall. Eight Belles did, but that's all I saw.