I was reminiscing about Scherzi today and decided she more than deserved a write-up in my blog. Anyone who worked with this mare loved her. She was a complete pleasure to have in the barn and will always be an amazing horse!
Scherzi is by Brahms out of Happy Scene, a Dehere mare. Our owner had claimed her out of Golden Gate for $5,000. Scherzi already had four wins out of seven starts and then also won the day the owner claimed her. I think she had around $30,000 in earnings by the time we got her.
When she arrived in Denver she wasn't all that impressive looking. Scherzi isn't very big and she had that overfit with no reserves look going on. She also kind of looked like an Arab (no insult intended to Arabians at all). In fact, I jokingly told my friend that she was an Arab and she believed me. When a person took a step back and really looked at Scherzi though, she had very good angles and you'd be hard pressed to find something wrong with her conformationally. We never had any soundness issues with her.
On top of that, she is unbelievably intelligent. Scherzi is a complete diva, but was always extremely professional on the track and in races. She was like a little Zenyatta in the paddock and post parade, stomping as she paraded around. People loved her! She was little, but that was the last thing anyone noticed while watching her before a race.
The best part about this mare is her heart. If Scherzi got beat, it was just because she got outrun (or an occasional bad ride). She never lost because she didn't try or made a mistake. She would go through any hole without hesitating. She never just gave up, no matter how tired she got. We haven't had many horses over the years that were as bold as her, if any. An owner once referred to her as an "ATM machine" due to the fact that it was rare for her to not get a good check.
In the two and a half years Ty and I had her, Scherzi won seven more races, ran five seconds, and six thirds. She made just over $100,000 in that time. Her lifetime record was twelve wins, five seconds, and eight thirds out of forty lifetime starts. Not bad for a cheap claimer.
Stakes wins and placings
1st Molly Brown Stakes Arapahoe 2010
3rd Columbine Stakes Arapahoe 2010
3rd Columbine Stakes Arapahoe 2012
2nd Princess of Palms Stakes Turf Paradise 2012
In the summer of 2012 Scherzi's half sister, So Many Ways won a Maiden Special Weight at Parx and then went on to win the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes and the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. The calls started to come in to buy Scherzi as a broodmare. She really should have been running at a claiming level at this point, but was now worth more than what she could have been claimed for. The owner turned down offers, waiting to see if and how well So Many Ways would run in the Breeder's Cup. When So Many Ways didn't end up running, he decided to sell Scherzi at the Keeneland Sale.
It was so amazing to have Scherzi in the barn. When she left, it was the only time I couldn't keep from crying over one of our racehorses. I loved that mare!
Knowing that she would have a good home and be happy as a mother made her leaving a little easier. I can't wait to see how her foals end up doing! If they have her heart and professionalism, they should do very well.
 |
| Scherzi enjoying turnout in El Paso. |
When she arrived in Denver she wasn't all that impressive looking. Scherzi isn't very big and she had that overfit with no reserves look going on. She also kind of looked like an Arab (no insult intended to Arabians at all). In fact, I jokingly told my friend that she was an Arab and she believed me. When a person took a step back and really looked at Scherzi though, she had very good angles and you'd be hard pressed to find something wrong with her conformationally. We never had any soundness issues with her.
 |
| Miss Poser |
 |
| So elegant. |
On top of that, she is unbelievably intelligent. Scherzi is a complete diva, but was always extremely professional on the track and in races. She was like a little Zenyatta in the paddock and post parade, stomping as she paraded around. People loved her! She was little, but that was the last thing anyone noticed while watching her before a race.
The best part about this mare is her heart. If Scherzi got beat, it was just because she got outrun (or an occasional bad ride). She never lost because she didn't try or made a mistake. She would go through any hole without hesitating. She never just gave up, no matter how tired she got. We haven't had many horses over the years that were as bold as her, if any. An owner once referred to her as an "ATM machine" due to the fact that it was rare for her to not get a good check.
 |
| Winning the Molly Brown Stake at Arapahoe in 2010. |
Stakes wins and placings
1st Molly Brown Stakes Arapahoe 2010
3rd Columbine Stakes Arapahoe 2010
3rd Columbine Stakes Arapahoe 2012
2nd Princess of Palms Stakes Turf Paradise 2012
 |
| A claiming race at Sunland |
In the summer of 2012 Scherzi's half sister, So Many Ways won a Maiden Special Weight at Parx and then went on to win the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes and the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. The calls started to come in to buy Scherzi as a broodmare. She really should have been running at a claiming level at this point, but was now worth more than what she could have been claimed for. The owner turned down offers, waiting to see if and how well So Many Ways would run in the Breeder's Cup. When So Many Ways didn't end up running, he decided to sell Scherzi at the Keeneland Sale.
It was so amazing to have Scherzi in the barn. When she left, it was the only time I couldn't keep from crying over one of our racehorses. I loved that mare!
Knowing that she would have a good home and be happy as a mother made her leaving a little easier. I can't wait to see how her foals end up doing! If they have her heart and professionalism, they should do very well.
She sounds like a super mare, hope you have fun keeping track of her foals and who knows maybe one of them will end up in your hands one day...how awesome would that be? :-)
ReplyDeleteI've actually thought about that a lot. I'll definitely be watching the sales and been thinking of ways either we could by one or an owner could. It would be so AWESOME!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely girl. :-)
ReplyDeleteshe is a looker!
ReplyDeleteThanks. She always carried herself so well and had a good presence :)
Delete