I admit I am one of those people who will miss Octave on the racetrack. She never quite garnered the passionate following of stablemate Rags to Riches, but in any other year Octave would have been a STAR—I don’t even recall anyone mentioning going into the Distaff this year that she had been the runner-up in last year’s Juvenile Fillies! Of course, that bridesmaid role dogged her—in 13 starts, she finished second 7 times…but she also never finished out of the money. She won at 6.5 furlongs and 12 furlongs—an all-around gutsy, hard-working horse who always tried.
Here are some highlights of her racing career:
The G1 Coaching Club American Oaks (7/21/07, Belmont):
The G1 Mother Goose (6/30/07, Belmont):
The G1 Ashland Stakes (7/4/07, Keeneland): probably my favorite race since I loved the winner Christmas Kid, but Octave was strongly closing on her.
The G1 Kentucky Oaks (5/4/07, Churchill): losing to Rags to Riches in the mud
The $4 Million Question is, which Darley boy gets first crack at her? I’m rooting for Hard Spun. I have yet to understand the intricacies of dosages, but their offspring would produce the following:
DP = 2-7-14-0-1 (24) DI = 2.00 CD = 0.38
Comments? Other better guesses as to whom she will be bred to first?
5 comments:
I saw Octave race at Saratoga as a two-year-old and liked her immediately...can't remember the details, but Pletcher had two fillies in the race (Cotton Blossom the other one? too early to go look at PP's), and I had bet the one that didn't win (now there's a shocker). I'm sad to see her go; it's bad enough that the colts disappear at three; now the fillies, too?
As for future stud partners, surely there's a nice SGC out there for her?
she got respect from the TBA only finishing 5 points behind Rags to Riches, and if some crazy things had happened in the BC (unlikely), but she had a shot of HOTY, this is why something needs to be done w/ the Graded Stakes to bring attention to these type horses.
So true, Patrick, and if my brain were quicker these days instead of frying from nearing-the-end-of-the-semester work I would have noted thusly. She finished ahead of every older male including Lawyer Ron and even English Channel in the turf division. Maybe because she actually RAN in RACES this year, unlike most top horses. Kinda amazing considering she was a trainee of the Toddster...she always struck me as a kind of Cinderella, or poor step-sister to R2R. A go-to horse if there ever was one. She would be a near lock to get some money.
Teresa, you know I thought of Holy Bull, but his offspring just don't seem to do much. There's always Smoke Glacken, but he's at Gainesway.
I got confirmation back in January, along with an article that has since been published, Octave will be going to Discreet Cat. I'm one of her BIGGEST fans, and that mating made me sick. Breed a daughter of Unbridled's Song (However sound she is) to Discreet Cat? YUCK. They're trying ridiculously hard with him, obviously. Regardless, I will love the baby as I loved it's mom.
I got to spend time with Octave at FTNov last year, a complete DARLING. I might try to visit her and another favorite of mine, Ashado, after the breeding season.
I’m jealous, Suzanne! And depressed about Discreet Cat :( I thought a mating with Bernardini would have been so much better…that AP Indy/Fappiano cross produced Bernardini himself, as well as Tapit and Cool Coal Man. Still, you’re right; we’ll love her kids anyways. Let me know when you visit her. I’d love to see some photos :)
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