Beaver's Last Race
Sunday morning and I'm reviewing past performances rather than the newspaper. Didn't sleep exceptionally well and wished we could have run the race at 8:00am. Didn't want to mess around with the machines at the track. Wanted to get down on the race and have a morning beer. Left the TVG account almost cleaned out betting superfectas. A little after 9:00am, Pat, aged 92 called to say she would be going to church, letting me know she needed a ride. The beer would have to wait, dropping her off at church at 11:00am was no problem, more than a few folks could give her a ride home.
440 yards with a claiming price of $3,500, three year olds and up, Beaver could win this race easily or he could have a problem at the starting gate. Hopefully, Shanley Jackson would get the horse out of the gate without too many problems and run straight.
When I got to the track there was an hour before the first race. Since this was most likely his last race this season, I bought $2.00 tickets for the program girl, a bar maid at the Casino Bar, an old lady at the Moose Lodge, the bar maid at the 2nd floor lounge and the church secretary. Somehow or other I didn't want to tout the horse and leave someone with a loser.
Down to the paddock, the horse seemed calm and ready. Randy said the horse seemed ready and I was given the horse's halter, made a final bet and went to the Winner's Circle. No drama in the warm up and then they're in the gate.
"Racing". The Beaver seemed to hop a little bit but didn't stumble. A kind of slow start. Crap, but then he gets rolling, then the #6 moves over a lane and the horse has to slow down again. The #6 is in the clear but Shanley gets the horse rolling again and in 4th gear he almost finishes 2nd, looping the field losing in a very close photo.
It didn't go as planned and was disappointing to the Thunderstruck connections. There was almost a $1,000 difference in the purse between 2nd and 3rd. To the good, there was not an emergency call to the vet to sew up a cut, no one got hurt and everyone got paid.
Retreating to the bar for that beer I had put off since about 10:00am, I really had a difficult time smiling about a 3rd place finish. Friends who had come to the races seemed happy, maybe they keyed the horse in 1st and 3rd.
By the 6th race I'm no longer thirsty, friends have gone home, and I figure I better go see the horse and tell him he ran a really good race. Just inside the backstretch gate I see Randy walking with two guys who are looking for a horse they can use in barrel racing at rodeos. Nice guys and they were impressed with Hialeah and how pretty the place was and they were interested in Cruisn on By.
The 8th race was a betting failure.
The day's final race left me with $12.00 on bar and a $13.00 voucher to be cashed with a mutual clerk. Randy and I boxed 4 logical horses in a superfecta, the ticket cost $24.00.
I was the only one at the bar carrying my social security card and was elected to cash the ticket.
440 yards with a claiming price of $3,500, three year olds and up, Beaver could win this race easily or he could have a problem at the starting gate. Hopefully, Shanley Jackson would get the horse out of the gate without too many problems and run straight.
When I got to the track there was an hour before the first race. Since this was most likely his last race this season, I bought $2.00 tickets for the program girl, a bar maid at the Casino Bar, an old lady at the Moose Lodge, the bar maid at the 2nd floor lounge and the church secretary. Somehow or other I didn't want to tout the horse and leave someone with a loser.
Down to the paddock, the horse seemed calm and ready. Randy said the horse seemed ready and I was given the horse's halter, made a final bet and went to the Winner's Circle. No drama in the warm up and then they're in the gate.
"Racing". The Beaver seemed to hop a little bit but didn't stumble. A kind of slow start. Crap, but then he gets rolling, then the #6 moves over a lane and the horse has to slow down again. The #6 is in the clear but Shanley gets the horse rolling again and in 4th gear he almost finishes 2nd, looping the field losing in a very close photo.
It didn't go as planned and was disappointing to the Thunderstruck connections. There was almost a $1,000 difference in the purse between 2nd and 3rd. To the good, there was not an emergency call to the vet to sew up a cut, no one got hurt and everyone got paid.
Retreating to the bar for that beer I had put off since about 10:00am, I really had a difficult time smiling about a 3rd place finish. Friends who had come to the races seemed happy, maybe they keyed the horse in 1st and 3rd.
By the 6th race I'm no longer thirsty, friends have gone home, and I figure I better go see the horse and tell him he ran a really good race. Just inside the backstretch gate I see Randy walking with two guys who are looking for a horse they can use in barrel racing at rodeos. Nice guys and they were impressed with Hialeah and how pretty the place was and they were interested in Cruisn on By.
The 8th race was a betting failure.
The day's final race left me with $12.00 on bar and a $13.00 voucher to be cashed with a mutual clerk. Randy and I boxed 4 logical horses in a superfecta, the ticket cost $24.00.
I was the only one at the bar carrying my social security card and was elected to cash the ticket.
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