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 sports writer Leon Zimmerman, the head of the Breeders’ Cup and crossover breeder himself, the well-spoken Fred Hertrich III, future Hall of Famer Tim Tetrick, and last but not least, my good friend and King of The Meadowlands Jeff Gural.

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 that 2:28 and none slower that 2:43, so at those speeds I will leave the times for a later date Fred Grant’s two top colts looked good again today — the AJL-syndicated EL Titan from On With The Show, Oxford Hall was neck and neck with the Murray Brown and partners’ good Power Play Goal a Muscle Mass from Finesse Hanover. Paul Kelley had a nice trio Amos Hart (Trixton—Zeta Jones), Tumult (Father Patrick—Graceful Kelly) and Cover Girl f (Muscle Hill—To Dream On).

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 Sangall.

In the second, Sixteen (c Donato Hanover—Mets Inn), Miss Willa (f Andover Hall—Miss Athens), Tennessee Rain (g Father Patrick—Rustic Rosie) and Disclosure Hanover (f Chapter Seven—Dornello) all looked good. Peter Wrenn showed off a lovely pair of trotting fillies: Guinevere Hall a Cash Hall from Garbo Hall and Skyway Tenacious (Swan For All—The Magic Of Paris).

Billy Bigler caught an outstanding colt with Peter Wrenn, number 80, however I can not find him anywhere. The aged contingent from Lindy Farm was out and marching this morning. Kings County, SignorCardin and Lindys Crazy Hall all looked impressive they were followed by Lindy TheGreat, Eurobond, and Magic Joe Lindy and finally the top fillies from last year Lindy Pearl, Mother Teresa and the very swift Taylor Swiftly.

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), Hopefully Inclined (c Mach Three—Artistically Inclined), It’s Showtime (c Captaintreacherous—Uffizi Hanover), and Chief Mate (c Captaintreacherous—Heaven Forbid). In the second, Captain Barbossa (c Captaintreacherous—Swinging Beauty), What The Luck (c Artspeak—Calvados Hall) and ChoirMaster (c Mach Three—Ideal Helen) all got rave reviews.

Keep the questions coming along with the kind words. Have a wonderful week.