BACK ON TRACK: WILLIAM’S KITTEN

Does anyone remember William’s Kitten?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t recognize his name---after all, he hasn’t raced since January 2010, when he ran third behind Winslow Homer and Jackson Bend in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III).

I have always been fond of the fine colt, partly because he ran in the first race that I covered on this blog, and partly because during his short career he proved to be a colt who always tried. He is a stakes winner, having won the off-the-turf Sunday Silence Stakes at Louisiana Downs. But perhaps his best performance came during a losing effort. In November of 2009, he ran second to future Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

It was at this time that I realized William’s Kitten could be something special, and so I decided to keep close tabs on his career. Unfortunately, he has only made one start since the Kentucky Jockey Club, that coming in the aforementioned Holy Bull Stakes. However, those two performances were enough to give me the impression that William’s Kitten was a colt who would excel at longer distances--a Belmont Stakes type colt; a horse capable of thwarting the Triple Crown. A Birdstone/Empire Maker/Victory Gallop type colt. Therefore, I placed him seventh on my “Keelerman’s Top Twenty” for several weeks in February.

Things seemed to be going fine when he worked four furlongs on February 6th at Gulfstream Park, breezing the distance in :48.15.

Unfortunately, it would be his last workout for many months. I realized that a setback of unknown type had occurred, and I reluctantly removed him from my Top Twenty. Still, I kept him in the back of my mind, hoping that he would be able to return to the races someday in the future.

Finally, on October 4th, the news came. William’s Kitten had at last returned to the work tab. That day, he breezed three furlongs in :35 3/5 over the Churchill Training track. He was on his way back at last!

The workouts continued steadily, typically coming once a week. Slowly, furlong by furlong, they in increased in distance. In December, he moved from the Churchill Training track to Gulfstream Park, where the workouts resumed. On January 20th, he breezed a half-mile in :48.50.

Now, at long last, months of breezing, months of hard work, and months of waiting are about to pay off. William’s Kitten is entered to run in the ninth race on January 23rd at Gulfstream Park, a one-mile allowance optional claiming race. It won’t be the easiest race to win, for the race has drawn a solid field. In gate two is Homeboykris, winner of the 2009 Champagne Stakes (gr. I). In gate seven is Mission Impazible, winner of the 2010 Louisiana Derby. To win, William’s Kitten will not only have to beat these horses, but his own style of running. In my opinion, he is a true two-turn colt who is unable to run his best race around just one. Also, he is a closer--and closing isn’t the easiest thing to do over Gulfstream Park’s speed-favoring track.

But the point is that William’s Kitten is back. He will have plenty of chances throughout 2011 to try his hand at races which suit him better. Perhaps he will even put together a championship campaign!

Welcome back, William’s Kitten!

-Keelerman