So here I am, 58 years old and never been blogged. And that all changes now. This is the first blog for Down The Stretch, the horse racing paper that I edit. You can get Down The Stretch at Woodbine – at the west entrance near the Horse Racing Hall of Fame – or read it on-line at www.downthestretchnewspaper.com. Anyway, Rogers has asked me to blog horse racing stuff, so I guess this is where you go to read my ramblings.
What do I know about blogging? Do people write back and comment? Guess I’ll find out.
I was at Woodbine last night, more or less double tasking. I needed a shot of jockey Chantal Sutherland for a story I’m writing on her five win day last Saturday. I had also been asked to attend the meeting of the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club on the third floor in Champions and since I was tossing the odd bet into the mutuels, I guess I was triple tasking.
The Chantal part of the equation was solved almost instantly. As soon as I entered the jockey’s quarters, there was Sandy Hawley and his camcorder interviewing the somewhat photogenic Sutherland. These clips would be used a little later on The Score’s live coverage of the Wednesday night racing. I grabbed a couple shots of Sutherland, then raced up to the sixth floor to find a gratuitous form in the media office (rule#1 – never pay for a form if someone has a free one!).
I bet on Chantal in the first, but Robert Landry, who is having a resurging season came roaring through the stretch on the longest shot, Sligo King and paid $43.90 to win.
I presented myself to the Toronto Thorougbred Racing Club and was warmly recieved by directors Don Burton and Sam Lima, both of whom have incredible passion and love for racing. Also attending last night were trainer Les Frost and jockeys Jackie Wyatt and Cory Spataro. Sorry Corie, is that Corey or Corry or Corrie – it was the first time I’ve met the rookie.
Then ensued a very enjoyable hour and half of racing conversation with the TTRC members – we touched on the difference between poly and real dirt, the issues of weight for jockeys, which riders were doing very well – Sutherland, Tyler Pizzaro and leading rider Jim McAleney. There was even a few minutes dedicated to Somebeachsomewhere and we all agreed he was very important to horse racing even if he is a standardbred.
I impressed the full gathering in Champions when I hit both the second and third race exactors ( $61.90, $70) but came up empty in the fifth after declaring no one should really bet it. Constant Montpellier came from out of the clouds to win it with Witness to All, after all in attendance had witnessed me insisting the front runners would prevail.
I begged off after the fifth race, looking at my watch and realizing I had to wake up in a few hours to tell the world that Canada had still not won any medals.
At home, before I nodded off, I think I picked the late double – Emma-Jayne Wilson by nose in the 7th on 11-1 shot Ky Bluz Girl onto McAleney in the 8th on favoured Holborn ($2.45-1) but I might have been dreaming. I’ll have to check my account to know for sure.
Give me some feedback on this…what should I be blogging.
And if you see me later today, just call me….blogger.
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