Bits and Pieces

I will have reports and photos from the Chincoteague pony Spring Round-Up shortly, and plan to post a lot of photos, thanks to many friends.  I will definitely credit the photographers, if they identify themselves!
   I'm finally starting to feel as if my spring sap is being to run.  Waking up with a good humor and looking forward to getting my jobs done.  Unfortunately, I also just looked at my calendar, and the only day I do not have anything scheduled to do is April 24th.  I guess that will be my day off this month.
  Horse racing -  Nyquist and Mohaymen raced each other for the first time in yesterday's Florida Derby.  Mohaymen met his first defeat, finishing fourth, with Nyquist the winner by 3 1/4 lengths. (Mohaymen had been the betting favorite.)  ...  Jockey Calvin Borel, three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, has announced his retirement.  ....  The great race mare Zenyatta celebrated her 12th birthday on Friday.  She has a "foal watch party" going on, as she is due to deliver a new foal by War Emblem at any time.
  Today, one of the most iconic and world renowned businesses began.  The Pony Express was only in operation for 19 months, with the inaugural rider starting his journey on 3 April 1860.  The Pony Express was closed on 26 April 1861, two days after the completion of the transcontinental telegraph line.  The route ran between Saint Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California.  Using the regular mail, delivery time from one place to the other took 21 days.  The Pony Express guaranteed delivery in 10 days - and charged a whopping $2.50 per letter.  It's hard to imagine those days with no radio, no television, no transcontinental railways or telegraph.  (Just think how today's children would respond to a time without cars, telephones, computers, televisions, airplanes, and instant communication!)