First Training Mile Of 2009 For Shadow

Shadow Play went his first training mile of 2009 today, since the weather forecast sounds bad for tomorrow, at his home farm track in Winsloe, PEI.

Rather than trying a free legged mile for the first time, I thought he might relax more with the hopples on and he was great, although he did take a pretty snug hold going in 2:40 (imagine how we used to train them in 3:00 years ago and nowadays we can hardly hold them to 2:45 - is it breeding or progress or faster watches?).

I did let his hopples out 1 inch so they are now at 58 1/2" - not much but consider that he wore a 54" hopple as a 2 year old and would not gait up and would make breaks without them that tight. They were 57 1/2" last year after he had to learn to pace all over again the first couple of times I trained him. I will try going free legged with him next week. He seems very strong and raring to go.