by Ron Gurfein
Saturday was a picture-perfect south Florida winter day — 87 degrees 55 per cent humidity, 6 mph breeze and nary a cloud could be seen. However, we were pleasantly surprised by an overwhelming group of celebrities.
Although Bill Bigler and Nick Salvi were not on the needy list for attention, they did some superior work helping with numbers in all the rapid-paced action. Joe Sbrocco made a rare stop while emigrating from the midwest. I like him as he sold a horse we owned as partners for about 10 times what he was worth. Joe Barbera made a return today, he was also another one of my fun owners in the Monticello days. Also appearing was Tom Grossman of Bluechip Farm, Marvin Katz and Perry Soderberg, Al Saul of the famed Big Al Stable, my good friend Jim Winske, the famed New England milliner (hat maker), Ernie Martinez of Lazarus fame — who obviously had found his hat in the lake — the great
It was quite the congregation.
For the first week in March I am not seeing the speed we normally have at this time of year. I think the amount of rain that has been more than intense has actually slowed things to a walk, which at this time of year is most likely a good thing.
There were some great looking future champions on display. I didn’t clock one set faster
With Rick Zeron back in south Florida, Team Zeron was stepping on the gas with two very good sets. In the first Valhalla (f Chapter Seven—Yankee Naila), Fortune Tellin Lindy (f Trixton—For A Dancer), Burberry (c Father Patrick—High Heels Kadabra), and Megan Scran with her own American Ideal colt Levine from
In the second, Sixteen (c Donato Hanover—Mets Inn), Miss Willa (f Andover
Billy Bigler caught an outstanding colt with Peter Wrenn, number 80,
As my girl has returned to Philadelphia for cataract surgery, my time this am was limited because I had to return to care for my own menagerie, but I did manage to see two groups of youngsters from Tony Alagna’s barn that got some high praise from the denizens of The Deck. The first was Force N Fury (c Captaintreacherous—My Little Dragon),
Keep the questions coming along with the kind words. Have a wonderful week.