Three weeks ago, they were rivals in one of the richest races in the world.
These days, Country Grammer and Life is good were friends at WinStar Ranch in Versailles, Ky., resting there before embarking on summer campaigns that would take them to opposite ends of the country.
According to Elliott Walden, CEO, president and race manager of WinStar, 1st class winners with a combined income of more than $14 million will stay on the farm for at least another 4-6 weeks before they continue training. Life Is Good is targeting $1 million in Whitney (G1) shares on August 6 at Racecourse Saratogawhile Country Grammer targets $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (G1) on September 3 at Del Mar.
Both horses, ranked 1-2 in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll, last raced on March 26 in the $12 million Dubai World Championships held by Emirates. Airline (G1) sponsorship, where Country Grammer scored a quarter-length win for Zedan Racecourse, WinStar Ranch, and Commonwealth Hybrids and trainer Bob Baffert. China Horse Club and WinStar’s Life Is Good ranked 4th as the most popular.
“Both are doing well and are resting and relaxing at WinStar with some light exercise,” Walden said. “It’s been a long ride for both of you.”
Life Is Good, a 4-year-old son of Into Mischief coached by Todd Pletcher, entered the Dubai World Cup after consecutively winning the highest level of the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirters (G1) and the $2.9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes due 1 / ST BET (G1) presented.
The good life at WinStar farm
Considered the unstoppable horse on his first attempt to go 1 1/4 mile, he set the pace early in the Dubai bet but couldn’t resist an offer from Country Grammer in the final game, and then dropped. fourth at wire .
“Life Is Good has been training quite a bit since June,” Walden said of the foal. “So if we want to get through the year, we need to give him a break now. We’ll give him a bath and then bring him back in the summer.”
Walden said it has yet to be decided whether the winner of six of the eight starts will train to the Whitney or have a prep race ahead of it.
“Whitney would be a reasonable target, but we haven’t talked about how he’s going to get there,” Walden said. “When he gets back with Todd, we’ll discuss that. He gets along well with Todd and can run a new run if needed.”
Raised in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West during the Dist–Humor mare beach walk, Life Is Good was a $525,000 takeaway from Paramount Sales at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing. He made $3,414,200.
Country Grammer’s victory at the Dubai World Cup added an exclamation point to a highly successful journey to the Middle East that also included a second in the $20 million Saudi Arabia Cup (G1) and saw 5-year-old son of Tonalist His career earnings skyrocketed to $10,837,320.
Country Grammer pursues the perfect piece of grass
“Country Grammer is doing well,” Walden said. “He’s not in the same boat as Life Is Good because he’s only run twice (since late May). He’s been there for a month and has two tough races. It’s good to freshen him up. and the Pacific Classic is a race that’s going to be right up his alley. So we’re going to train him here for at least another month and then figure out what the next move will be.”
Baffert is currently serving a 90-day suspension that will last through July 2, adding another review of summer plans for the 5-year-old who was purchased by WinStar for $110,000 through Lane’s consignment End at Keeneland January Horses of All Ages 2021 Sold after the death of original owner Paul Pompa Jr.
In the Forest Mare’s Arabian Song, the top-rated Country Grammer was bred by Scott and Debbie Pierce in Kentucky. The 2021 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) winner, he has a 4-2-1 record in 10 starts.
Life is good grazing cattle at WinStar Farm
