Favorite fun moments in racing

[irishtrekker]

These are more personal moments, but it had to be going to the track with my Dad when I was about 10 or 11. I got a lot of those "what's that girl doing here?" looks, along with some patronizing remarks...and then I put my allowance on a horse with nice odds in the third or fourth race who annihilated the competition. No more patronizing remarks, plus one very annoyed Dad who'd lost on the same race. Back then, I actually read some of the racing forms.

I wish I still had an allowance to use, because I might still be betting if I did.

The other fun one had to be taking our therapy horses to the track for a fundraiser. The kids from our barn who came with us had such a blast, and the local trainers were just awesome: came out to meet the kids, let them pet a few of the track ponies...Really, really class people. It's also probably the only time I'll stand in a winner's circle, especially with the world's crankiest Norwegian Fjord (although even she seemed to enjoy being the literal center of attention -- we had to drag her out of there before they ran the next race, and she was not happy to leave).

[Independent George]

I saw a horse eat a groom once in three bites as he was being led to the paddock. It was kinda bitter-sweet...I mean it wasn't funny for the groom---totally gone.The horse was a late scratch--never ran again. I remember the quote from the trainer the next day, "Jeeze, he never did that before."