12/4/14 LRC R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Back on September 21 Paralyzing Eyes, the Bruce Jackson mare that we've been following since June 2012, made the fourteenth start of her career; but her first ever at Los Alamitos Race Course.  Paralyzing Eyes, with Jockey Iggy Puglisi on her back, ran the best race of her career that day, taking the Place at Final Odds of 46.30-1.  On Thursday Paralyzing Eyes returned to Los Alamitos to see if she could duplicate that effort in her second career start over the Los Al main track.  However, despite once again having Jockey Iggy Puglisi holding the reins, she could not.

Paralyzing Eyes (23.00), breaking from Post Position # 6 in Race 2, flashed some early speed, but then retreated the rest of the way, losing more ground with each successive call, until finally crossing the wire seventh, over a dozen lengths behind the winner, Vocalist (6.40).  The loss brings Paralyzing Eyes career mark to oh-for-seventeen.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/19/14 SA R1 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

They gave her a quick six day turnaround; they moved her back to the turf; they moved her back up to MSW; and they brought back Jockey Iggy Puglisi to sit on her back.  A lot of changes; but the result was pretty much what you've come to expect.  

Paralyzing Eyes, the five year old maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson and owned by Marie Jackson that we've been following, made her third start of 2014 in Race 1 at Santa Anita Sunday after having just competed the previous Monday, October 13.  After being fractious in the gate, Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 98.20) was second at the break, fell back to seventh by the time they hit the first quarter mark, and crossed the wire after eight furlongs last in the field of eight, twenty lengths behind the winner, Demonica (3.80).  The loss brings Paralyzing Eyes career mark to oh-for-sixteen.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/13/14 SA R5 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, the maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson that we've been following, made her second start of 2014 Monday, in Race 5 at Santa Anita.

In her first start of 2014, in September Paralyzing Eyes had achieved her best career result, taking the Place in a field of ten.  Perhaps because of the strain of that effort; perhaps because she had preferred the surface at Los Alamitos; or maybe because she enjoyed having Jockey Iggy Puglisi on her back that day; whatever the reason, Paralyzing Eyes did not build off that effort, but rather regressed to a result which we're more accustomed to on Monday; as Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 36.30) was no closer than seventh at any point in the running, and finished ninth, over seventeen lengths behind the winner, Full of Spice (6.30).

So it remains to be seen if the September success was just an abnormality, or if Paralyzing Eyes simply bounced off that effort, and can be expected to improve next time out.  Either way, we'll be following.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/21/14 LRC R9 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

My apologies for being late out of the gate on this, but Paralyzing Eyes, the maiden mare trained by Bruce Jackson that we've been following since June 2012, made her 2014 debut Sunday.  Competing in the final race of the September meet at Los Alamitos Race Course, Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 46.30), ridden by Jockey Iggy Puglisi, posted the best result of her fourteen race career.  Running against fellow maidens for a $20k price tag, Paralyzing Eyes ran a stalking trip where she finished well behind the winner, Acategoryfivestorm (2.10*), but over a length clear of the rest of the field for the Place.

We'll be watching to see if Paralyzing Eyes can improve off that effort her next time out and perhaps shed the "Career Maiden" label.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

11/21/13 BHP R3 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

This past Thursday Trainer Bruce Jackson intended to have Paralyzing Eyes race on some California grass, moving up the class ladder to compete against non-claiming maidens.  It would have been the four year old filly's first start on turf since her second career start back in July of 2012.  

However, as sometimes happens with the best laid plans of mice and horsemen, such was not to be; as the rains came to Southern California, washing Race 3 at Hollywood Park off the turf and onto the synthetic main track.  And since she has been somewhat less than competitive against cheaper stock when running on the main track (as we've seen as we've been following her career) it came as a surprise to virtually no one that Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 53.30) finished well out of the money, a comfortable twenty-five and a half lengths behind the winner, Tiz Zoe Cee (2.90).

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

10/18/13 SA R8 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, whom we've been following since June 2012, returned to the track Friday in Race 8 at Santa Anita, competing for the first time since achieving her first ever in the money finish,  

Making her eighth start with a $20k price tag on her head (and her twelfth start overall), Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 38.70) flashed some early speed, breaking first of the pack from the gate.  But it was all downhill for Paralyzing Eyes from there, as she found herself fourth after the first quarter; fifth at the half; seventh entering the stretch; and eighth at the finish, fifteen and a half lengths behind the winner, Magic Maya (7.70).

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/22/13 BSR R12 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

The last time I wrote about Paralyzing Eyes I had this to say:

"So it's clear that [Trainer Bruce] Jackson's holding tight to Paralyzing Eyes for the time being, being careful not to let her go at too cheap a price, even though it means running her at a class level in which she does not belong."

Well Sunday, in Race 12 at Fairplex, Paralyzing Eyes offered her rebuttal to my remarks.  Coming back on less than two weeks rest, the Oklahoma bred filly achieved her first ever in the money finish, taking the Show in a seven furlong event in which she went to Post at Final Odds of 44.10.  While she was no threat to the winner, Miss Judged (7.10), finishing six and a half lengths back, Paralyzing Eyes most definitely was third best in the field of eight, crossing the wire seven full lengths in front of the fourth place finisher, Warren's My Queen (41.20).

So perhaps Paralyzing Eyes is turning a corner; some horses just take longer to figure out what's going on.  Or, somewhat more pragmatically, perhaps she just caught a really weak field, one in which only one runner had finished in the money in her last start.  We shall see, as we continue to follow this four year old.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/11/13 BSR R1 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

The last time we looked in on Paralyzing Eyes, we wondered if Trainer Bruce Jackson would drop her down from the $20k Maiden Claiming ranks in which she had been "competing" (I put competing in quotation marks as Paralyzing Eyes has hardly been competitive; indeed, she has yet to finish in the Superfecta).  The answer is no, as Wednesday in Race 1 at Fairplex (aka Barretts Sales and Racing; just in case you were wondering how BSR translates into Fairplex) saw Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 24.30) again enter the gate with a $20k price tag on her head, and again finish well out of the money, approximately nine and a half lengths behind the winner, Royal Weekend (2.30).

So it's clear that Jackson's holding tight to Paralyzing Eyes for the time being, being careful not to let her go at too cheap a price, even though it means running her at a class level in which she does not belong.  I think it's fair to presume that her connections' long term plan to use Paralyzing Eyes for breeding supersedes any desire they may have for short term purse earnings.

At least for now.  We'll continue to follow Paralyzing Eyes to see just how this story plays out.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/4/13 BHP R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, the Bruce Jackson filly that we've been following, made her ninth career start Thursday, in Race 2 at Hollywood Park.  The event was for $20k Maiden Claimers, marking the fifth race in which Paralyzing Eyes has competed for that price tag.  The distance was eight and a half furlongs, run over the main plastic track.

Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 33.20) broke well, and was in second, just a length behind the leader, at the six furlong mark.  But she soon ran out of gas, finishing last, over a dozen lengths behind the winner, Bas (2.30).

So we'll see if Jackson continues to hold Paralyzing Eyes at the $20k level, or if he drops her down in class the next time she enters the starting gate.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

6/8/13 BHP R2 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, the four year old filly that we've been following, made her eighth career start Saturday, in Race 2 at Hollywood Park, a $20k Maiden Claimer.  The distance was seven furlongs, a first for Paralyzing Eyes; however, it had no effect on the result, as once again Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 85.50) finished out of the money.

So this was Paralyzing Eyes fourth race in which she was in for a tag of $20k.  We'll continue to follow to see if she drops down further in class, or simply calls it a career.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

4/14/13 SA R6 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

We continue to follow the exploits of four year old filly Paralyzing Eyes.  And I'm sure many of you who are new here (along with several of you who are not so new here) are wondering, "Why?".  So I'll begin with a brief recap.

Paralyzing Eyes made her debut in this race, a State-restricted MSW at Hollywood Park in June of 2012 that was won by Horsesanddivorces (who, incidentally, has not won since).  After the event I commented that there may be two coming out of the race that would be worth watching: Gypsy Friday (who has not raced since) and Paralyzing Eyes.

Well, after watching Paralyzing Eyes in her second career start, it became pretty clear that this was not a horse to be put on any tickets; certainly not at the MSW class level, even when restricted to state-bred only. [By the way, Paralyzing Eyes in not a California bred; she's an Oklahoma bred; but because her sire stands in California, she's allowed to compete in California state restricted contests.  Just in case you were wondering.]  Indeed, even competing in the Maiden Claiming ranks, running with a price tag of $20,000 on her head, Paralyzing Eyes, in three races at that level (including Saturday's contest) has yet to finish better than fifth.

So the question remains: Why are we following this horse?

Here's why: Paralyzing Eyes was sired by Decarchy, out of an In Excess (Ire) mare; those are some pretty good bloodlines for a thoroughbred to have flowing through her.  So while Paralyzing Eyes has little value as a runner on the track, she potentially has significant value as a broodmare; a fact which you can be sure her trainer Bruce Jackson and her owner Marie Jackson (who, together, were also her breeders) are well aware.

So this is the game, a significant part of the overall game, yet a very under-reported part of the game.  Every time the Jacksons run Paralyzing Eyes in a claiming race they risk losing her to another owner; another owner who may have zero interest in running Paralyzing Eyes in another race, but is rather thinking long term as to her potential as a broodmare.  So while Paralyzing Eyes is not worth $20,000 to someone looking to win races, she may be worth that much to someone looking toward the next generation of thoroughbreds.  This is the gamble the Jacksons take every time they enter Paralyzing Eyes in a Maiden Claiming event.

And as the story unfolds, the question becomes: how much more of a gamble do the Jacksons take?  Do they drop her even further down the Maiden Claiming ranks?  Such a move would certainly give her a better chance to get that first win; but it would also greatly increase the probability that she would be led to someone else's barn after the race was over.  Or perhaps the Jackson just call it a day and decide to race her no more.  After all, in addition to the risk of losing ownership over Paralyzing Eyes, there's always the danger every time she competes that she may get injured.

Anyway, this is why we follow Paralyzing Eyes.  Maybe I'm alone on this, but I find this story fascinating, and I'm quite interested in seeing how it plays out.  Hopefully, at least a few of you reading this find it interesting as well.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

3/28/13 SA R3 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

We continue to follow the saga of Paralyzing Eyes, the four year old filly trained by Bruce Jackson.  We noted that her last time out, on January 11 was her first time running for a tag, being put into a $20,000 Maiden Claiming event.  Thursday Paralyzing Eyes made her second start of 2013, staying at the same class level ($20k Md Clm) for a five furlong sprint.

Paralyzing Eyes (Final Odds 19.90) did show some early foot, being just a length behind the leader at first call.  But it was all downhill from there, as Paralyzing Eyes steadily lost ground, eventually finishing fifth, a little less than ten lengths behind the winner, Post Time Favorite (and first time starter) Suances Luck.

So Paralyzing Eyes remains a maiden, as her record falls to oh-for-six.  Certainly the early foot she showed today has to be seen as a positive to her connections; though that could have as much to do with this being a rather weak field for the level (three of the eight who went to post were first time starters; only one of the five horses in the field who had raced previously finished in the money their last time out).

So what comes next?  Do her connections give Paralyzing Eyes another shot at this level?  Or do they drop her even further down the class ladder, thus increasing the possibility of losing her to a claim?  Stay tuned, and I promise I'll do my best to keep you posted.

For those interested, the Equibase chart of the race is available here, while those who prefer their charts DRF style can view that one here.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

1/11/13 SA R8 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

A new year; a new track; a new surface; a new jockey; a new class level; what will be the net result?

Paralyzing Eyes, the Bruce Jackson-trained filly that we've been following since her debut in June, made her first start of 2013 Friday.  It was her first career start at Santa Anita, and her first ever start on a fast dirt track.  Paralyzing Eyes also got a new rider for the occasion, as Jockey Orlando Mojica was on her back for the first time.  There was even a change in the tote board, as Paralyzing Eyes' odds dropped below 50-1 for the first time in her career, with her going to post at Final Odds of 14.5-1.

But the big story is that Paralyzing Eyes made what many call the biggest class drop in racing, going from Maiden Special Weights (well, state bred Maiden Special Weights) to Maiden Claiming.  For the first time in her career, Paralyzing Eyes ran with a price tag on her head, specifically $20,000.  And, whether it was the class drop, the new track, the new surface, the new jockey, or some combination thereof, Paralyzing Eyes did show improvement Friday over her previous performances.

But not much.

For the first time in her career, Paralyzing Eyes was able to beat more than one competitor to the finish line.  But that's pretty much it as far as the positives go, as Paralyzing Eyes crossed the wire eighth in the field of eleven, fifteen and three quarter lengths behind the winner, Warren's Gussie (8.0-1).  The full chart of the race, Equibase style, is available here.

So now we know that Paralyzing Eyes' connections are willing to put her in for a tag, and thus take a chance on losing her at the claim box.  Will they drop her further down the class ladder her next time out, in order to increase their chances of finally getting her that first win (while also increasing their chances of losing her to another owner)?  And just how many more starts will they give Paralyzing Eyes before retiring her to broodmare status?  I'll continue to follow Paralyzing Eyes in this blog, because (as I've written before) I find this type of story quite fascinating; hopefully, at least a few of you do as well.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

9/3/12 DMR R10 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

As promised in my post of August 18, we continue to follow the exploits of Paralyzing Eyes (with our bankrolls safely tucked away in our pockets).  Paralyzing Eyes made her fourth career start Labor Day, in Race 10 at Del Mar, going six furlongs on the synthetic main track.  The mount went to Jockey Martin Pedroza, who had been aboard for Paralyzing Eyes' debut back in June.  The result was predictable.

Here's some interesting consistencies in Paralyzing Eyes' career:  All four of her starts have been at the same class level (State Bred/Sired Maiden Special Weight); in her three sprints, her Post Time odds have been 56.X-1 (56.1-1 in her debut; 56.7-1 in the August 17 contest; and 56.4-1 on Monday); and in all four career starts, Paralyzing Eyes has finished next-to-last, each and every time.  To be honest, I'm not sure which I find more impressive: the fact that she manages to get virtually the exact amount of backing relative to the total pool each time she sprints; or the fact that every time she's run, she's managed to find one (and just one) other horse in the field to beat to the wire.

As I wrote previously, I find this kind of story compelling; perhaps because it's a part of the game that gets so (relatively) little coverage.  I'm curious to see just how many more starts at this level Trainer Bruce Jackson will give this filly before either retiring her for breeding purposes, or dropping her in for a tag and taking a chance on losing her on a claim.  I'm genuinely interested in seeing how this all plays out.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

8/17/12 DMR R1 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Paralyzing Eyes, first mentioned on this blog back on June 29 after her debut, made her third career start in Friday's curtain jerker at Del Mar.  The good news for fans of this three year old filly is that she finished ahead of the debuting Fabulous Fit, who had gone off at final odds of 3.1-1.  The bad news for followers of Paralyzing Eyes is that Fabulous Fit was the only horse she beat to the wire, finishing as she did fifth, a comfortable thirteen and three quarter lengths behind the winner, Quizzical ($4.40 / $2.80 / $2.10).  Since Paralyzing Eyes went to post at Final Odds of 56.7-1, I think it's fair to say that her finish towards the rear of the pack came as a surprise to virtually no one.

As I wrote in my July 20 entry (posted after Paralyzing Eyes' second career start) I'm not following this horse for investment purposes; so there were no funds wagered here (and, hopefully, none by you) on this filly.  But I intend to continue to follow this young horse, because I'm curious to see how her connections (Trainer Bruce L. Jackson and Owner Marie Jackson) handle Paralyzing Eyes' future.  

So far, all of Paralyzing Eyes' starts have been in MSWs for California bred or sired horses [note that while Paralyzing Eyes is an Oklahoma bred, she qualifies for these contests because her sire, Decarchy, stands at Magali Farms in California].  Will Paralyzing Eyes be kept at this level?  And if so, for how long?  Do they drop her in for a tag in order to get a win?  Or would they rather not risk losing ownership, in order to keep her for breeding purposes?  If their long-term goal is to maintain her for breeding, how many more starts do they give her?  Do they further experiment with surfaces?  Paralyzing Eyes' first two starts were on turf, while yesterday she competed on the synthetic; do they put her back on the grass?  Or do they give her a shot on real dirt when Fairplex Park opens in September?  Do they take her up north, or out of state?  Perhaps I'm alone on this, but I find this kind of story quite compelling; and will therefore continue to follow it as best as I can.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

7/20/12 DMR R4 - Horse Watch Follow-Up

Back on June 23, I recommended Paralyzing Eyes as a horse to keep an eye on.  For those too lazy to scroll down that far, my recommendation was based on the fact that Paralyzing Eyes, after blowing the start, had run the final four furlongs of her debut at a speed closely approximating that of the race winner.

Friday, Paralyzing Eyes ran in her second career race.  The class conditions were the same as the debut (state bred MSW) as was the surface (grass).  Friday's race was a mile in length, which represented a stretch out for Paralyzing Eyes from her six furlong debut.

Paralyzing Eyes went to post at Final Odds of 71.3-1.  She broke well from the gate and raced mid-pack for a half, before running out of gas and finishing ninth, seventeen and a half lengths behind the winner, Zanbo. 

So while Paralyzing Eyes did not take the big step forward that I was hoping (perhaps unreasonably) that she would, her race Friday was an improvement over her initial try.  I think I'll keep an eye out for her in her next race; not for investment purposes, but just to see if she continues to progress.

The Equibase chart of the race may be viewed here, while the DRF version is available here.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo

6/23/12 BHP R7 - Two To (Potentially) Watch

Saturday, June 23, Hollywood Park, Race 7, was a $50K MSW for state bred fillies and mares three years old and up, covering six furlongs over some California grass.  Two horses coming out of that race may bear watching in the future.

Gypsy Friday, a three year old filly sired by In Excess, was steadied twice, but managed to improve position in the stretch and finish fifth.  This was her eleventh start, so Gypsy Friday may just be a career maiden; but she's been in the money in half of her last six races, so it could be that she's just starting to figure it out.  Her dam sire is Royal Academy, so there's definitely class in the bloodlines.  She's never run on dirt (nine times on grass; twice on the plastic) and she's never been in for a tag.  She's bred, trained, and owned by Edward Freeman.  Gypsy Friday could be close to breaking out; perhaps a change (surface, class, and/or barn) may give her the spark she needs.

Paralyzing Eyes, a three year old filly sired by Decarchy, made her debut Saturday, and showed herself to be totally green, as she completely blew the start, and manged to be twenty (yes, twenty) and a half lengths behind the leader at first call.  When the winner crossed the finish line forty-seven and four-fifths seconds later, Paralyzing Eyes was way,way back, twenty-one and a half lengths away from the finish line.

Now, following horses that manage to lose by over twenty lengths in a six furlong sprint is rarely a winning strategy.  But remember where Paralyzing Eyes started, and you see that she lost only one length on the leader over the final half-mile, covering those four furlongs in approximately forty-eight flat.  So if Trainer Bruce Jackson can teach her to break with the rest of the field when the buzzer sounds, I would expect Paralyzing Eyes to be listed much higher on the chart her next time out.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo