KIPPER KEY, a 6-year old dark bay gelding, is our first acquisition of 2016 in what may be a record for how quickly we were able to pick up a horse.
K2 is an Oklahoma bred son of Kipling, whose claim to fame is sire of multiple Grade 1 and Breeders’ Cup Champion Kip Deville, and the Cryptoclearance mare Ethel (yes, really – Ethel!).
K2 has run 30 times (including today), racking up 5 wins, 4 seconds and 5 thirds and over $120,000 in earnings. He’s won as high as an allowance and we picked him up for $7500 today at Oaklawn, winning a 15-way shake for him. This means that 14 other claim slips were dropped and we were able to come out on top. Let’s hope that this is a good omen!
There is definitely a chance that we will take a shot with him before we come north, we just don’t know what kind of spot it will be. It will take him a few days to come down from the race and Clay will be walking him for the next four or five days to stretch his legs and let him relax. We’ll get a better sense then how he came out of the race and if there is anything we need to work on. Then he’ll head to the track to jog for a week or so before he gets back to galloping and we get a sense of where his next placement might be.
Jeff happens to be heading down to Hot Springs for a little time away himself and is going to try and get us some photos of the new guy around the barn.
Below are his lifetime past performances so you can take a look.
Congratulations and good luck!
Canterbury Racing Club 
We look forward to the start of the Racing Club season. The Club has already had it’s first win of the season….A 15 way shake for Kipper Key. It will be nice to see Jeff’s photos of Kipper. Just a note that the PP’s link doesn’t seem to work. Thanks for a good and early start.
I have been trying to get as much info about K2 as possible. Is there a way someone could fix the link to the Kipper Key PP document?
It should be all set now.
Thanks so much!
THis is so exciting!! I have him on my virtual stable!!
What is a Virtual Stable? Could be fun!
GREAT question! See new post for info!
If you want to watch Kipper Key’s 2nd place finish in Sunday’s Race 3 at Oaklawn, you can go to their website and click results. The bad news is they want $5.25 to view today’s races.
Watching some of Kipper Key’s past races at Oaklawn. I noticed that he ran within a week on 2/14 and 2/21 any concerns with that? I also saw that the 2/21 race was called a waiver claiming race. What does that designation mean? I don’t think I have seen that before.
No real concern with races a week apart. I wouldn’t advocate it but as long as the horse came back okay and got enough rest after that, then it’s okay. You certainly can’t make a habit of it, though.
I waiver claiming race entitles an owner/trainer to enter a horse that has been on an extended layoff (usually 180 days) to enter a horse at a claiming price at or under his last race before a layoff in a claiming race without being eligible to be claimed. The reasoning behind it is to try and reward folks that take care of their horse and don’t risk a claim after taking care of it for months off the track. However it can only be used once – the 2nd race back and you’re eligible for a tag. Specific rules vary from state to state (and many states – including Minnesota – don’t have this rule at all).
UPDATE! Minnesota DID adopt this rule late last year. Here are the specifics courtesy of Andrew Offerman!
Waiver claiming rule.
At the time of entry into a claiming race, the owner may opt to declare a horse ineligible to be claimed provided:
A. the horse has been laid off and has not started for a minimum of 120 days since its last race;
B. the horse’s last race as an official starter was a claiming race in which the horse was eligible to be claimed; and
C. the horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price at which it last started.
Failure to declare the horse ineligible at the time of entry may not be remedied and the ineligibility shall apply only to the first start following each such layoff.
Is there any update on how Kipper Key came out of his race? Hope all is well with him.
He came out fine. I was waiting on some possible pictures before I posted, but he’s just fine with no apparent issues at all.