To sell or not to sell? If William Shakespeare had owned a promising Hambletonian contender, that might have been the question.
Eugene Kurzrok, a partner in the Our Horse Cents Stables, which owns three-year-old Hambletonian eligible gelding Jacks To Open, is grappling with just such a question.
Jacks To Open (2,1:55.1, $118,452), who’s been first or second in five of his last six New York-bred races, has post position three in race eight at the Meadowlands on Saturday, a prep race for Hambletonian eligibles.
He’s also Hip number 73, less than 24 hours later in the Tattersalls Sale, to be conducted at the Meadowlands, post time 12 noon, on July 28.
So, is he selling or is he not?
“There’s nothing that’s absolutely, positively about this business at any given time,” said Kurzrok. “Burke [trainer Ron Burke] thinks he might, he might be a Hambletonian horse. He thinks he’s very close and we should give him a shot. I myself am somewhat skeptical. Though Ronny, if anything, has gone the other way. He’s been more conservative than I, as most of the time trainers are.
“So I’m somewhat up in the air, I’m not sure. I frankly thought if Burke is right and then I’m wrong. I felt maybe he’ll peak tomorrow night. If he peaks, it’s a perfect time to sell him. If he doesn’t, then maybe I’m a fool. It seems almost like a win/win proposition at any rate.
“We have about 20 horses right now -- Golden Receiver, Rocklamation, a bunch of real nice horses -- and it’s a matter of trying to find out the best thing to do. I’ve been in the business a long time and I still haven’t found the best thing to do, so we keep trying.”
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.