Here is an update on jockey Niall McCullagh. I chatted with him on Friday. “I am coming along. I am 80% ready. The pace of recovery has been fast. I should be ready to ride in the second half of January.”

“I am going to India. The exact date, I have not decided yet. Mid-January, I suppose. I love going to India and riding there. I have been going there for many years. There is no question I miss riding in India but most of all, I miss riding winners.”

Asked to comment on the Irish riders now in India, Niall was full of praise for Colm O’Donoghue. “Colm has been sensational. He is winning everything.”

“I am not riding for any specific trainer. I will be a free lancer. Given my reputation, I am hoping to pick up good mounts.”

In America, the final Grade I event of 2007 was contested on Saturday at Santa Anita. The 1,400-metre ($250,000) La Brea Stakes for sophomore girls was won by Dearest Trickski who made it all in the smart time of 1 21.09 seconds. The return was $10.80. Mike Smith was aboard. The winning margin was a length and a half.  Unspoken Word was second all the way. Glorified took third. Cindy With An S was fourth and well-placed and beat a hasty retreat when the heat was on.

Dearest Trickski raced with $10,000 claimers in Texas in April. A claiming race in America is a race in which horses can be claimed (bought) for designated prices. The higher the price the better the quality and therefore, a $10,000 claimer winning a Grade I stakes is a rare accomplishment. In August at Del Mar in California, Dearest Trickski was claimed by (owner) Tom Mankiewicz for $32,000. John Sadler took over the training duties. It was in Mr Mankiewicz’s colors that Dearest Trickski won the La Brea Stakes.

Dearest Trickski is by Proudest Roman out of Trickski who is by Peteski. The breeders are Dr K K Jayaraman and Dr V Devi Jayaraman, a husband-wife team of doctors in Arkansas.

It was the fourth consecutive win for Dearest Trickski who was winning her eighth race from 12 outings for earnings of $280,500.

Trainer John Sadler was delighted. “We saw room for improvement. She kept winning as she was asked to take on better company. I knew she would make an easy lead.”

There were two other Stakes races run at Santa Anita on Saturday. Yankee Bravo, making his US debut, rallied off the pace to win the $79,500 Eddie Logan Stakes for freshman boys. Yankee Bravo paid $8.20 and covered the 1600-metre journey in 1 37.64 seconds.

Alex Solis, the winning jockey, said, “he showed a lot of class. I have ridden him in the workouts. I have been waiting for him to run.”

The winning trainer is Paddy Gallagher. Yankee Bravo is by Yankee Gentleman out of Victory Jane who is by Royal Academy.

The other  race was the $139,500 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for two year-old girls. Spring Awakening, Garrett Gomez up, was the half money favorite and won by a length over Onebadkitty who came from far back. Spring Awakening tracked the pace-setting Lovehi and gained the edge in the final 200 metres. The time was 1 22.09 for 1400 metres.

Spring Awakening is trained by Mike Mitchell. In Excess is the sire. The dam is Catchofthecentury who is by Carson City.

Garrett Gomez who has had a sensational year, spoke about the professionalism of Spring Awakening. “I had her in a decent spot. We turned for home and she did what she had to do. I hollered at her a little bit and when I did, she got to running. She has tactical speed and puts you right into the race.”

Curlin’s future is mired in controversy. Judges decided who would be the American President in 2000. Judges are likely to determine what Curlin will do in 2008. The C
Breeders’ Cup Classic winner is trained by Steve Asmussen. Curlin is doing light work in Louisiana.  Asmussen made this comment. “He (Curlin) is in training until he is not in training. I have speeded him up a little bit. The Dubai World Cup is being considered. I would be looking for a race before that, no more than one.”

Jockey Pat Valenzula is in trouble again. Valenzula’s career has been plagued by substance abuse problems. After a year on the sidelines because of knee and rib injuries, Valenzula returned to action in southern California recently. Just over a week ago, Pat Valenzula was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The California authorities reacted swiftly. Valenzula’s licence was revoked. What Valenzula did was a violation of the conditional licence, according to a spokesman for the California Horseracing Board.

Pat Valenzula, 45, won the 1989 Kentucky Derby with Sunday Silence. He has seven wins in Breeders’ Cup races.

End of December 28, 2007, Jorge Ricardo has 9,979 winners and Russell Baze has 9,952 winners.

I am ready for my trip to India. The weather in America has disrupted airline schedules. My wife and I are leaving on January 2 and we are keeping our fingers crossed.