Lost In The Fog--Story

[eurobounce]

I went to Churchill to see Lost In The Fog race on Saturday and here is a couple of funny things.

1) Before the race the were walking Fog around the paddock right before the call for riders up. The 1st time around I took tons of pictures of Fog. The 2nd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me expecting me to take some more pictures. Of course I did. The 3rd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me and posed once again.

2) After the race, we went to the backside to see him. Of course no one was there so got to get real close to his stall. He was in Holthaus's barn who is a buddy of the man I was with. Anyway, they were trying to get Fog to pee for his post race test. Well after about 2 hours they gave up and called the vet. Fog spots the vet coming and he gets all nervous because he knows that they are going to draw blood. The vet gets about 10 feet from Fog and Fog pees.

I am thinking that Fog is one smart horse. He understands his surroundings and is very professional. I was more impressed with his behavior off the track than I was with his performance on the track.

[oracle80]

I went to Churchill to see Lost In The Fog race on Saturday and here is a couple of funny things.

1) Before the race the were walking Fog around the paddock right before the call for riders up. The 1st time around I took tons of pictures of Fog. The 2nd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me expecting me to take some more pictures. Of course I did. The 3rd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me and posed once again.

2) After the race, we went to the backside to see him. Of course no one was there so got to get real close to his stall. He was in Holthaus's barn who is a buddy of the man I was with. Anyway, they were trying to get Fog to pee for his post race test. Well after about 2 hours they gave up and called the vet. Fog spots the vet coming and he gets all nervous because he knows that they are going to draw blood. The vet gets about 10 feet from Fog and Fog pees.

I am thinking that Fog is one smart horse. He understands his surroundings and is very professional. I was more impressed with his behavior off the track than I was with his performance on the track.



Euro you are talking to the charter member of his fan club. I always said he looked like a very intelligent horse who rates himself, knows where the finish line is, and understands his goal out there. Hes quite special, and we should be grateful that Aleo has raced him this year.

[Skip away]

This is his year to dominate the sprint division. No one will touch him and he will go undefeated from now through the BC Sprint, where he will culminate the year in dashing fashion. You guys thought he was good at 3, you aint seen nothing yet.

[eurobounce]

Euro you are talking to the charter member of his fan club. I always said he looked like a very intelligent horse who rates himself, knows where the finish line is, and understands his goal out there. Hes quite special, and we should be grateful that Aleo has raced him this year.
Oracle, you prob know more than anyone, but how many times do you see a very talented horse than is as dumb as a box of rocks and cant run or learn worth a crap--then you get an average talented horse who has smarts and they do pretty well on the track. Luckily, Fog is both and I am with you that I am grateful for Aleo.

[oracle80]

Oracle, you prob know more than anyone, but how many times do you see a very talented horse than is as dumb as a box of rocks and cant run or learn worth a crap--then you get an average talented horse who has smarts and they do pretty well on the track. Luckily, Fog is both and I am with you that I am grateful for Aleo.


Have seen so many like that, and so many more who are simply what the old timers called "common". By common I mean that they will win at times, but that the horse doesnt really care whether or not he or she does win and will just as easily run 2nd. They aren't fighters, they just do what they do.
The true greats know what it is that they are doing out there, they know what their purpose is, and they love to win. These horses are few an far between, and many of them arent blessed with the natural talent needed to compete at the highest level. It is the Smarty Jones' and LITF's of the world that are rare.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

I am thinking about going to the Summit of Speed down in Florida to see him. I probably won't make it though. My mother and I have been a huge fan of this horse since Sunshine Millions day last year. He is all class. Not to mention he has a lot of "sex appeal"...LOL. I want to see him race once before he retires. Here is a painting of him by Pat DeLong. I just love her work, and I especially love this painting. I bought my Barbaro painting from her which is now also up on her website. I'm so proud to own that thing I don't know what to do.

http://www.finalturngallery.com/SmartyJones/lostinthefog_005

[eurobounce]

Have seen so many like that, and so many more who are simply what the old timers called "common". By common I mean that they will win at times, but that the horse doesnt really care whether or not he or she does win and will just as easily run 2nd. They aren't fighters, they just do what they do.
The true greats know what it is that they are doing out there, they know what their purpose is, and they love to win. These horses are few an far between, and many of them arent blessed with the natural talent needed to compete at the highest level. It is the Smarty Jones' and LITF's of the world that are rare.
One fighter I will always remember is Tiznow. His 2nd Breeders Cup win was a thing of beauty.

[31lengths]

Yeah....he knew he was getting his picture taken. Here are some of when I visited him in Ocala last November. Some of you may have seen these before.

http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06h8ro.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06g1vx.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06i8ef.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06f7du.jpg

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Yeah....he knew he was getting his picture taken. Here are some of when I visited him in Ocala last November. Some of you may have seen these before.

http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06h8ro.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06g1vx.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06i8ef.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06f7du.jpg

Those are some nice pictures. God, he is such a gorgeous animal! I like the last picture where you are standing there with your family the best.

[31lengths]

Those are some nice pictures. God, he is such a gorgeous animal! I like the last picture where you are standing there with your family the best.

Thanks. It was a good time. My mother was so happy (Foggy is her fave).

[Cajungator26]

Yeah....he knew he was getting his picture taken. Here are some of when I visited him in Ocala last November. Some of you may have seen these before.

http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06h8ro.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06g1vx.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06i8ef.jpg
http://img290.imageshack.us/my.php?image=litf06f7du.jpg

He looks happy as a clam in that last picture! How cute is that?! :D

[31lengths]

He looks happy as a clam in that last picture! How cute is that?! :D

Funny that you say that. It's the only time that he did not shy away from me.
And if you look at it enough, it does look as if he is. I really got the impression that he did not care for me too much. (I showered before going to visit, lol).

He loved my mother, though (mutual feeling, of course).

[Cajungator26]

Funny that you say that. It's the only time that he did not shy away from me.
And if you look at it enough, it does look as if he is. I really got the impression that he did not care for me too much. (I showered before going to visit, lol).

He loved my mother, though (mutual feeling, of course).

Some horses don't like men for one reason or another. He may have been manhandled as a youngster (a lot of young horses are, unfortunately.) My horse didn't like men... his previous farrier had beaten the **** out of him with a 2 x 4 because he wouldn't hold still. Turns out he had quicked his hoof with a nail and it hurt him. :( It took 6 months for MY farrier to be able to put shoes on his rear hooves.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Thanks. It was a good time. My mother was so happy (Foggy is her fave).

He is my mother's favorite too.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Some horses don't like men for one reason or another. He may have been manhandled as a youngster (a lot of young horses are, unfortunately.) My horse didn't like men... his previous farrier had beaten the **** out of him with a 2 x 4 because he wouldn't hold still. Turns out he had quicked his hoof with a nail and it hurt him. :( It took 6 months for MY farrier to be able to put shoes on his rear hooves.

Yeah, I've had quite a few horses that haven't liked men for whatever reason. I hate dealing with most farriers. I have switched farriers so many times in the last few years that it is getting really old. Most of them are idiots that don't know what in the hell they are doing. One farrier got mean with an abused horse at the barn one day after I had repeatedly told him not to get rough with that particular horse. She couldn't take it. Then I had another one put quarter clips on a horse that I said could not have quarter clips on him in case he threw a shoe because he was such a strong good moving horse that every once in a while he would step on the heel of the shoe and it would just pull straight off. Well, guess what, he pulled the shoe, and it didn't come straight off. The quarter clip went up into his damn sole. He was lame for three weeks.

[31lengths]

Some horses don't like men for one reason or another. He may have been manhandled as a youngster (a lot of young horses are, unfortunately.) My horse didn't like men... his previous farrier had beaten the **** out of him with a 2 x 4 because he wouldn't hold still. Turns out he had quicked his hoof with a nail and it hurt him. :( It took 6 months for MY farrier to be able to put shoes on his rear hooves.

I hate to hear things like that . I wonder if that was a the case (or similar). He did not have a prob with my dad. Maybe it was the hat.

[Cajungator26]

Yeah, I've had quite a few horses that haven't liked men for whatever reason. I hate dealing with most farriers. I have switched farriers so many times in the last few years that it is getting really old. Most of them are idiots that don't know what in the hell they are doing. One farrier got mean with an abused horse at the barn one day after I had repeatedly told him not to get rough with that particular horse. She couldn't take it. Then I had another one put quarter clips on a horse that I said could not have quarter clips on him in case he threw a shoe because he was such a strong good moving horse that every once in a while he would step on the heel of the shoe and it would just pull straight off. Well, guess what, he pulled the shoe, and it didn't come straight off. The quarter clip went up into his damn sole. He was lame for three weeks.

We switched farriers a lot too, but finally found a good one down here. I haven't seen him in years, but Michael Matz used him when he brought his jumpers down for the winter, so he was good. (AND EXPENSIVE.) We used to pay over a hundred bucks every 5 weeks... :eek:

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

We switched farriers a lot too, but finally found a good one down here. I haven't seen him in years, but Michael Matz used him when he brought his jumpers down for the winter, so he was good. (AND EXPENSIVE.) We used to pay over a hundred bucks every 5 weeks... :eek:

Yeah, I've used an expensive one like that too before, but it is really ridiculous to have to pay that much money for one, and I couldn't do it for so long. The one I am using now is pretty good. I have been happy with him so far. Shoeing horses is very hard I know, and I am extremely picky. So many farriers round off their hooves or toe them in or toe them out...etc. It is really hard to find one that has the knowledge and ability to do it right.

[Cajungator26]

Yeah, I've used an expensive one like that too before, but it is really ridiculous to have to pay that much money for one, and I couldn't do it for so long. The one I am using now is pretty good. I have been happy with him so far. Shoeing horses is very hard I know, and I am extremely picky. So many farriers round off their hooves or toe them in or toe them out...etc. It is really hard to find one that has the knowledge and ability to do it right.

Ron (farrier) had a tough time with one of our ex racehorses... I guess they shoe racehorses different than they would a hunter/jumper. Teddy was so down on his fetlocks, it was hard to keep his frog healthy. You have to be so careful with horses and their hooves because if you try to shape their hooves too much, you can cause serious lameness. We had a good horse in the barn ruined because his owner didn't like the fact that his hooves were at a sharper angle. She told the farrier to change it, and he did... he ended up foundering.

[miraja2]

Nice pics. My favorite thing about this horse's connections is that they had the good sense to recognize a nice 3 year old sprinter when they had one, and so they kept him going 6 and 7 furlongs. A lot of people would have seen a 3 year-old of his quality and started trying to chase the TC dream. They might have ruined this horse if they had tried to stretch him out last year. Instead they kept him doing what he did best and the result was an eclipse award.
Then they thankfully bring him back and run him at 4. I think the sport needs more people that make those kind of decisions. I'll always cheer for this horse for those reasons.

[Downthestretch55]

Have seen so many like that, and so many more who are simply what the old timers called "common". By common I mean that they will win at times, but that the horse doesnt really care whether or not he or she does win and will just as easily run 2nd. They aren't fighters, they just do what they do.
The true greats know what it is that they are doing out there, they know what their purpose is, and they love to win. These horses are few an far between, and many of them arent blessed with the natural talent needed to compete at the highest level. It is the Smarty Jones' and LITF's of the world that are rare.
Mike,
That there is one of the greatest, smartest, ohhh uummm....profound things I've ever heard you say! Thanks!!!!!
So many are "common", so many don't fight.
Many horses just know they have a job to do.
And then when we find the rare ones that love to look to the side and see who's coming, and find that last bit of energy to make them concede defeat...
yes, few and far between.
You can't breed that kind of attitude into a horse.
They either have it or they don't.
When it shows up...watch out!
It's what we wait for because it's so rare.
Native Dancer had it. Northern Dancer too.
Bold Ruler, Ruffian, Secretariat...
That's why they were great.
Thanks for a really good post.
DTS

[Danzig]

I went to Churchill to see Lost In The Fog race on Saturday and here is a couple of funny things.

1) Before the race the were walking Fog around the paddock right before the call for riders up. The 1st time around I took tons of pictures of Fog. The 2nd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me expecting me to take some more pictures. Of course I did. The 3rd time around, Fog stopped right in front of me and posed once again.

2) After the race, we went to the backside to see him. Of course no one was there so got to get real close to his stall. He was in Holthaus's barn who is a buddy of the man I was with. Anyway, they were trying to get Fog to pee for his post race test. Well after about 2 hours they gave up and called the vet. Fog spots the vet coming and he gets all nervous because he knows that they are going to draw blood. The vet gets about 10 feet from Fog and Fog pees.

I am thinking that Fog is one smart horse. He understands his surroundings and is very professional. I was more impressed with his behavior off the track than I was with his performance on the track.

some horses are tremendous hams. we got a kick out of rahy when we went to three chimneys. he knew he was on camera. stopped and posed several times.

[Dunbar]

My mother and I have been a huge fan of this horse since Sunshine Millions day last year. He is all class. Not to mention me has a lot of "sex appeal"...LOL.

KRIM, that was a funny freudian slip that no one has yet commented on. I'm sure both you and LITF have plenty of "sex appeal"!

FWIW, I'm a big fan of LITF, too.

--Dunbar

[westcoastinvader]

eurobounce, 31 lengths, and kentuckyrosesinmay......

Thanks for those pics and stories. Much.

Last fall I linked a film clip from ktvu.com out here of a live morning interview with Russell Baze at the door to Lost In The Fog's stall in his race before the Breeder's Cup.

The horse had incredible "stage presence." He really did. I truly truly believe he knew what was going on around him.

I went pack riding in the Sierras last year, and talked to my rented horse the entire way......as he slid down slopes, and we walked ledges above multi-hundred foot dropoffs.

I'm pretty sure the horse knew what I was saying. Real sure, in fact.

And I really liked the original "Dr. Doolittle" movie, too!

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

KRIM, that was a funny freudian slip that no one has yet commented on. I'm sure both you and LITF have plenty of "sex appeal"!

FWIW, I'm a big fan of LITF, too.

--Dunbar

Well now, that's what you call an embarrassing typo. I went back and fixed it.

[Dunbar]

Well now, that's what you call an embarrassing typo. I went back and fixed it.

Well, this year marks Freud's 150th birthday, so your post fit right into the celebration!

--Dunbar