Saturday, October 2, 2010

Lovey Is Locked Up

It's halftime at the home field in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. My Gator team is down 3 to 24. *Sigh* But I'll continue to root for them. Meanwhile, two blocks from my apartment, I can hear everything happening at Folsom Field, where the Colorado Buffaloes are facing the Georgia Bulldogs. Currently, in the 3rd quarter, the Buffs are leading, 29 to 24. I haven't yet checked up on my other teams.
Lovey is under lock and key tonight, as we have the football game going on. I called her multiple times Thursday night, and finally went out searching for her. She was a block away, on the Boulder Creek Path, which is not lighted. Luckily, she called back to me as she ran in my direction, so I could figure out where she was. Neddy, in the meantime, was curled up quietly asleep in bed.
Zenyatta raced again today, winning by a half-length. She has now won all nineteen of her races. With her win in today's race, the Lady's Secret, she was automatically qualified for the Breeders Cup Distaff. Her owners and trainer, however, say if she recovers well from today's race, the final race of her career will be the Breeders Cup Classic, which she won last year, against the boys. Lookin at Lucky won the Indiana Derby this afternoon, and Haynesfield won an uncontested Jockey Club Gold Cup.
In 1998, we almost had a Triple Crown winner: Real Quiet won the Kentucky Derby by a half-length, won the Preakness Stakes by two-and-a-half lengths, and lost the Belmont Stakes by a nose. He has a a very decent record as a young and coming sire. Unfortunately, he died in a paddock accident earlier this week. Most people can't believe that a horse is a delicate creature. This is proof. Real Quiet was turned out in his paddock for his daily rest and recreation time. Once his lead was removed, he took a few steps, looked at some mares in an adjoining field, and reared. His groom said he usually reared and then ran around his paddock a few times before settling down and grazing. This time, his hind feet slipped as he reared. He fell heavily on his left shoulder, rolling onto his neck. His own shoulder broke five of his vertebrae, paralyzing him instantly. He was put down immediately. The thoroughbred scene has lost another good, young stallion.

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