2/5/2023 - 4 Starts

2/5/2023 @ 8:50 am, 8:54 am, 10:00 am, 10:05 am

Location: Holly Ridge Farm

Weather 1st 2 starts: 36 degrees (feels like 30), Sunny, 8 mph winds from the S

Weather 2nd 2 starts: 39 degrees (feels like 33), Sunny, 10 mph winds from the S, humidity 43%

Cover: Grass

Age: 1:40, 1:45, 2:55, 3hrs

Tracklayer: Kelly

My plan was to run 4 starts at 1:30, 2 hrs, 2:30, and 3 hrs. As you can see from the track ages, I did a bastardized version of that. The starts were exactly as outlined in the training exercises.

She blazed through the first start. I tried to play with her and occupy her but she saw the next start flag and REALLY wanted to go. So, I let her. After all this is her game. So we ran the first two back to back. Then went back to the barn for some chuck it and chores before heading back to run the last two.

Once thing I have realized I am doing is feeding her everytime she indicates her start article. So she indicates, looks to me for her reward and then gets to tracking. This developed because her indications weren't great. I think this could get us in trouble at a trial, so today we stopped that cold turkey. She indicated all four start articles. We tugged a little, I told her she was a good girl and let's find it. Off she went. Admittedly the first couple of times she looked at me like she was getting stiffed. And I guess she kind of was.

The first start had no food. I did reward her for indicating the end article. She blazed right threw the first two starts. The second and third starts she did check out options at the turns. When I put in the 4th start I was a flag short. I knew I counted 8 because I wanted to flag 10-15 steps before my turns. Anyway I put a random flag down on the 3rd start. I have not idea what I was thinking. Matt was walking behind me videoing and asked if I knew where the turn was. I did know my line up but it didn't really matter because Saber knew where the turn was. She finished strong.

Here it is on video: https://youtu.be/FtiXSQRPLB0