Ugly Duckling.

One of the cool things about OTTBs is that a lot of the time, their history is out there for you to find. Old race records, videos, pictures etc. George has tons of information about out there on the interweb. There are articles, youtube videos, and one of my favorite finds was the pictures that Wendy took and posted of him on her blog, From Race Horse to Showhorse. The pictures Wendy took, were the very first pictures I saw of my monster. But finding baby pictures seemed to be harder to come by. Everywhere I went seemed to lead to dead ends... until I contacted the Jockey Club.

A simple email, and about 45 minute wait, they had sent me his registration pictures! What a derpy looking baby. 

He was so dark as a baby, and quite honestly... an ugly duckling. I think he is so much cuter now that he is almost all white. He was also built very up hill as a baby. I did happen to stumble upon one of his professional yearling sale pictures, and a write up that said "Medium sized, strong, deep, solid colt. Slightly plain head and a little immature over topline, strong chest with deep shoulder and rib. Strong back and muscular hip and quarter. Toes out slightly both front, excellent mover, will improve a lot. 

This is a young looking, slightly immature, backward colt by the phenomenal sire, Cozzene, who has been one of the most consistent and successful sires for the last eight to ten years. He is an April 30th foal and will strengthen,mature and develop tremendously over the next six months." That little monster went on to sell at Keenland April yearling sale for $65,000. I had emailed someone at the barn that purchased him before selling him a year later for $160,000, and they remember him well. The gal I talked to said that he was a bit of a devil before they gelded him. I can believe that. She also told me that they had seen the article about us in the Paulick report and were thrilled he found his forever home. They extended an offer to me, that if for whatever reason  he needed a home, they would be happy to help find him one. It's so fantastic to hear that. George has been offered a home by so many people. And who knows, if training doesn't work out for me and George, I might have to reach out to these people.