Kosher Dill is a sweet pickle for the Bailey Family

from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

Kosher Dill’s feet may be tender but her heart is tough, a quality that may help her reach the winner’s circle in the $44,500 White Ruffles Final on Tuesday night at the Meadowlands.

The daughter of No Nukes has drawn post nine in the finale of the three-week White Ruffles, a condition event for four-year-old mares. The 7-2 second choice in the seventh-race field, Kosher Dill will be driven by Stephane Bouchard.

Kosher Dill has been a labor of love for owner Richard Bailey of Pittstown, New Jersey. Bailey bred Kosher Dill out of his broodmare In A Pickle, while his son, Richard Jr., trains her. The elder Bailey sees a definite resemblance between mother and daughter.

“She was foaled out here [in our field], 15 minutes after I put her mother out,” Bailey said. “I walked back to the house, and I didn’t even have time for a cup of coffee before she laid down. I missed it.

Her mother foaled her right out there in the field. Her mother is a real pain in the neck. She’s very protective, so it took me two hours to get them into the barn. She takes a lot after her mother. She’s tough. That’s where she gets that kick at the end of a race.”

Kosher Dill hit the board in 13 of 15 starts in 2003, despite battling problems with her feet.

“She has thin walls on her hooves which causes problems with the farrier putting nails in them,” Bailey explained. “Her feet are very sensitive. For a long time we were gluing the shoes on her because she had such tremendous problems with nails. My son has been putting patches on regularly to add room to the wall.”

After an early miscue in the first leg of the series, Kosher Dill overcame post 12 and flew home to win her White Ruffles round two division in 1:57.1 last week.

“She tries very hard,” he said. “I’m not sure what she has talent-wise, but she doesn’t quit and that’s something I really like on a horse. I prefer one that can come home over one that can leave like a jack rabbit. We’ve already gotten offers to sell her, but we’re going to try to sit back and just enjoy her for the year.”

Bailey, who worked in the airline industry up until 10 years ago, has been an active owner and breeder of horses since 1978.

“One of the local farms went out of business, and we bought a few of the mares,” he said. “We decided to breed the horses, but we knew absolutely nothing about it. We’ve learned all our lessons the hard way. We’re finally getting to the point where we know what we’re doing, but now we’re getting too old to be doing the work. We’ve done everything ourselves, foaled all the horses. We’ve always done things hands on.”

Despite Bailey’s protests, his son Richard Jr., 27, was drawn to a career in the horse business. The younger Bailey has been on a hot streak, winning his last four races at the Meadowlands and Freehold.

“My son was a year old when we got our first horses, and he’s grown up with them,” the senior Bailey said. “He decided that he wanted to try training. I guess after having other people train for us, he wanted to give it a try. He’s got only four horses, but he works very hard at it, and he’s very diligent. He started off the year very good.

Her stablemate, Yule Log, won on Wednesday night [January 14], so he has back-to-back wins at the Meadowlands. I hope things continue to go the way they have.

“We would have much rather him go to college and become a doctor or lawyer, but the more you push one way, the more they drag their feet,” he continued. “We figured he’d get tired of it one day, but so far he hasn’t.”

The draw for the $44,500 White Ruffles Final

PP Horse Driver Trainer ML
1 Lady Chelan Jack Moiseyev Mark Jordan 12-1
2 Carson Jane Jay Randall Randy Giglio 15-1
3 Ex Libris Hanover Stephen Smith Karen Garland 15-1
4 Sheer Sahbra Cat Manzi Steve Bauder 8-1
5 Tripleplay Hanover George Brennan Bruce Riegle 3-1
6 Midnight Art Ron Pierce Brett Pelling 7-2
7 Madonna Hanover Brian Sears Paul Kelley 6-1
8 Four Starzzzz Ittt Mike Lachance Dave Sabatelli 10-1
9 Kosher Dill Stephane Bouchard Richard Bailey Jr. 9-2
10 Millenium Missle Jim Morrill Jr Thomas Gummerson 10-1

MEADOWLANDS PHOTOGRAPHER TAKES TOP HONORS IN HTA COMPETITION

Meadowlands track photographer Michael Lisa of Lisa Photo Inc. has won Harness Track of America’s first award as Track Photographer of the Year for 2003.

The competition was designed to recognize and foster creativity among HTA track photographers. Lisa’s winning entry was a snow scene shot at the Meadowlands, titled Tracks, showing circles and hoof prints left in the snow by sulkies and horses.

MEADOWLANDS TO SIMULCAST PRIX D’AMERIQUE

The Meadowlands will simulcast France’s premier trotting event, the Prix d’ Amerique from the Hippodrome de Paris Vincennes, on Sunday, January 25.

The simulcast will include races four through seven from Vincennes. Post time for the fourth race Prix d’Amerique is 9:40 a.m. ET.

Meadowlands gates will open at 9:15 a.m., with free admission until 11 a.m.

Advance wagering will be available on the Prix d’Amerique race only, beginning at noon on Saturday, January 24. The hub for all North American wagering on the Prix d’Amerique is Hippodrome de Montreal.

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