Still Having Fun showing potential, points to Miracle Wood
The promising Maryland-bred 3-year-old Still Having Fun turned in the best effort of his brief career last Saturday, pulling away in the stretch of the $100,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes at Laurel Park to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
Despite not having broken cleanly in any of his races and having lead-change difficulties, Still Having Fun is now 2 for 3 and only a neck away from being undefeated. His Beyer Speed Figures have been on a steady climb from a 75 to an 83 to an eye-popping 92.
Still Having Fun was purchased for $12,000 by trainer Tim Keefe on behalf of the Terp Racing of Jim Scott and partners at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale. In his November debut at Laurel, he broke slowly but looped the leaders to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths.
Following that race, bloodstock agent Don Brauer contacted Keefe on behalf of Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel about a possible sale. Barber, the chairman of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, and Wachtel ended up buying two-thirds of Still Having Fun, with Scott keeping a third and Keefe continuing on as trainer.
“Jim wasn’t really interested to sell at first,” Keefe said. “He was saying, ‘What will I do with the money, buy another horse?’ But we counteroffered and reached a deal. Jim wants to keep the horse in Maryland for the time being, and we wrote a clause into the contract that the horse will stay here for an undetermined period of time, and then Gary and Adam will decide where he goes.”
Still Having Fun made his second start in the $100,000 Maryland Futurity. With Feargal Lynch back in the saddle, he was a step slow from the gate and then rushed up to take the lead during the opening quarter-mile. He battled the length of the stretch with the more seasoned stakes winner Whirlin Curlin but came up a neck short under difficult, snowy conditions.
“He broke slow again, and Feargal was a little aggressive with him,” Keefe said. “This horse really listens to his rider, and he ended up on the lead. Coming into last weekend’s race, we wanted to be a little more patient and keep him off the pace.”
Still Having Fun bumped with a rival at the start of the seven-furlong Whiteley and was well back early. He moved up between horses nearing the far turn, and Lynch had to steady on the turn before swinging Still Having Fun to the inside.
Still Having Fun was moving to the front inside even-money favorite Wentz in midstretch when that rival ducked out sharply, losing his momentum. Still Having Fun pulled away while covering his final furlong in a good 12.23 seconds despite being on his left lead.
“The neat thing to me is that he was able to start-stop like three different times and then still finish like he did,” Keefe said.
Keefe plans to bring Still Having Fun back in the $100,000 Miracle Wood at Laurel on the Feb. 17 Barbara Fritchie/General George card. The Miracle Wood is a one-turn mile.
“Right now, we’re trying to keep him in his comfort zone and stretch him out slowly,” Keefe said. “He’s only started three times, and we don’t want to overmatch him too soon. He’ll be able to just walk over and run.”
Still Having Fun is by the stallion Old Fashioned, who was sold to South Korean interests in 2016. Keefe trained Still Having Fun’s dam, Casual Kiss, for his longtime client Arnold Heft, who died in 2014.
“I bought Casual Kiss as a yearling for Mr. Heft,” Keefe said. “She was fast, and we gave her a load of chances but couldn’t get her to the races.”
Charles and Cynthia McGinnes, the breeders of Casual Kiss, said they would welcome her back if she didn’t make it on the track, and Heft gave her to them.
“As a thank you, they list me as a co-breeder on her foals,” Keefe said.
Keefe also trains Still Having Fun’s 4-year-old half-sister, Honey Bun, who recently raced in a $10,000 conditioned claiming race.
Keefe said Still Having Fun reminds him of Celtic Innis, who won five stakes and $648,000 between 2004 and 2010.
“He has that deep-down desire to win,” Keefe said. “You can’t teach them that.”
