The Belmont Stakes and Other Items

We knew there would be no Triple Crown Champion when Cloud Computing won the Preakness Stakes.  I was surprised that neither he, nor the Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, were in the Belmont.  The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year was Lookin At Lee - who finished second in the Derby and fourth in the Preakness.
   Twelve were entered in the 149th Belmont; Epicharis could not pass the veterinarian exam in the morning, and was scratched, so eleven horses went to the starting gate.  The race is/was 1 1/2 miles on the main dirt track; the purse was $1.5 million, with $800,000 going to the winner.   Meantime led the way out of the starting gate and at the first turn, Hollywood Handsome was caught charging up into traffic, clipped heels, and almost lost his rider.  Irish War Cry took over the lead in the back stretch, and looked to be the winner, but Tapwrit came charging up, stayed stride for stride, then passed the chestnut, and won by two lengths in 2 minutes 30.02 seconds. Patch was third; Gormley fourth.  Lookin At Lee finished seventh. Hollywood Handsome walked off the track, but had surgical staples applied to a laceration behind his left knee.
   If you made a $2 bet to win on Tapwrit, you received $12.60; a $2 place on Irish War Cry paid $4.70; and a $2 show bet paid $6.50 for Patch.  A $2 perfecta bet paid $45.20; a $2 trifecta paid $624.00; and a $2 superfecta paid $4,486.00.
    Tapwrit won by two lengths over Irish War Cry, who was 5 3/4 lengths in front of Patch, who was 4 1/4 lengths in front of Gormley.  This is the full order of finish:   1 - Tapwrit; 2 - Irish War Cry; 3 - Patch; 4 - Gormley; 5 - Senior Investment; 6 - Twisted Tom; 7 - Lookin At Lee; 8 - Meantime; 9 - J Boys Echo; 10 - Multiplier.  Hollywood Handsome did not finish; Epicharis did not start.

  I apologize for having gotten so lax in keeping this blog up to date.  I find myself fascinated by the monkeyshines occurring in the 45th administration, and I keep spending more time in front of the television, instead of the keyboard and monitor.  My television is in another room, just so I cannot stare at it and try to type and research...  Thursday I watched the testimony of James Comey in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee; Friday, I celebrated my birthday by driving over Trail Ridge Road, through Rocky Mountain National Park (where we saw elk, elk, more elk, moose, and a large variety of birds). Yesterday I tried to catch up on household things, and watch the Belmont.
  Today, I'm taking care of three houses full of pets, whose owners are on vacation...  I have pet duties through the 29th of June, followed by a few days off (if nothing comes up).
  And, of course, I'm also trying to keep up with all the new foals on Assateague Island - the ones belonging to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.  As of last night, there had been 54 births (and 2 deaths)... including a palomino pinto baby born on my birthday to Marsh Mallow.

Assorted Photos

Bluebirds

Still snowy deep inside Rocky Mountain National Park

Who's that?

In Mongolia, a fish-shaped cloud

Aurora borealis over a smokehouse on the Porcupine River in the Yukon Territory of Canada

Mike Is Leaving...

My thermostat says it's 65 degrees here in the apartment, but my body doesn't believe that - it feels more like 55... When I arrived home last night, I let the kids run outside for 10 minutes before I got cold enough to close the door, and both kits were back inside. Then we watched the end of the Packers-Lions game, and went to bed and snuggled all night. When I went out at 7 this morning, it was 17, and the wind was blowing... Chilly! They say we'll have seasonal temperatures this week, but no snow. That means highs in the low 40s and lows around 20, so I guess I'll have to dig out my long johns so I can stay warm while walking the dogs.

   Mike is due to move to Hawaii on Friday, and I don't know when I'll see him before he leaves. Normally, we'd have a family get-together - at least a close family dinner - before he leaves, but he's scheduling times to see friends and folks that he grew up with, so Kathy, Jim, Sarah, and I might not really get to spend time with him before he flies away. Just last New Year's eve, he asked Annie to marry him, and had purchased a 1.5 carat solitaire for the engagement ring. Annie said yes, they had a quiet weekend together, and then she shipped out for Basic Training. Mike and she had discussed their life together, including kids, and Mike's being the stay-at-home Dad, while Annie got her medical degree via the Army. She didn't read the fine print in her contract, and now wants out. She didn't save any part of her salary, and has spent all her pay on clothes and new gadgets. Mike had a big spring bash for Annie, at his folks' house, to celebrate her finishing training and their engagement. After the party, she admitted that she had had to borrow the plane fare from her parents, had already sold her engagement ring, and was sorry, but didn't think she could spend her life with Mike. (She had been asked about the whereabouts of the ring, and had told him that she couldn't wear the ring while doing her Basic, had gotten into the habit of not wearing it, and had forgotten it and left it back at camp.) Mike felt like he had been rolled over a cliff and stomped by buffalo at the bottom. He decided to get rid of all extraneous belongings and start over - in Hawaii. One of his best friends has family there, and they will help him settle in and get a job... I'll miss the young man.

  The Fern Lake fire up in Rocky Mountain National Park has been covered by over six inches of snow - but some large trees and areas are still smoldering. Officials said that the fire is 80% contained today, and that they expect it to be burned out and dead by December 31. Only one cabin was burned in the fire, but over 7 square miles of pasture, brush and trees has been burnt. The following photo was taken last week of the only burned building; it is copyrighted by Scripps Media:

 

Vote! - Pets - Wildfire - Horse Racing

Today you'll receive a deluge of bits and pieces: little things that I haven't included in the past few weeks. Today is my last day of vacation, and I'm going to watch the Redskins game, followed by the Jets game, and then I have to do laundry. I'll walk Rosie and Remy tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon, I move in with Aiko and Yoshi. I sent a note to the boys' owner, asking her to have the boys' coats available, as the weather folks are calling for rain and snow Thursday and snow on Friday. The boys had a short clip last month, and I don't want them to catch cold while in my care. Our high yesterday was 78; they say the high Friday might be 35...

   Frankel is being retired, having raced 14 times and being undefeated (including 10 Grade I races), at the age of 4. His last start was Saturday, and he was left standing in the gate, but was in fourth position by the half-mile. He left a great and lasting impression at Ascot. Meanwhile, Camelot, the previously undefeated hopeful for the British Triple Crown, placed seventh in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and had colic surgery that night. Camelot's return to racing is questionable.

   With temperatures being warmer, and with the wind cropping up, the Fern Lake wildfire in Rocky Mountain National Park is producing a lot of smoke and haze along the Front Range. The fire is 30% contained, but is now at about 700 acres; sleet and rain last week had helped the fire die down. Today is the 13th day of the fire, and certain hiking trails and roads are closed because of it. One can easily see and smell the smoke here in Boulder. Trail Ridge Road, which crosses the Continental Divide, was closed last week due to snow blocking the road.

   I put my Presidential ballot in the out-going mail box this morning. I used to dread voting day because I hated standing in line and slowly inching forward... I have never missed casting my vote in any election, but I hated the waiting in line. With the mail-in ballots we have in Colorado, I'm very happy. You don't have to stand in line; you don't have to worry about the weather while you're standing in line; you can take your own sweet time in marking your ballot; you can verify that the Clerk of Court's office has received your ballot; and, somehow, I usually ended up having a nasty headache, verging on a migraine, on voting days - no worry about that now. ... And, now that I have actually voted, I wish the Presidential debate tomorrow night was over, and that all of the negative campaign ads (against every single candidate) were gone from TV, and no longer something that I have to watch through November 6th. I have to admit that I turn the volume off during all political ads right now, and make up my own very silly, and, sometimes, downright rude commentary.

   Lovey has been very vocal the last few days, while Nedi has not wanted to come back inside when I want him to. He used to come at a run when I called him, but I think that the fall air, the leaves, and the birds and squirrels have enchanted him. Once we have a couple of days of snow, he'll not want to go out, except to confirm that the white stuff is cold and wet... And I thoroughly enjoyed my two college games yesterday - the Gators did me proud!

RMNP Fire; Jessica Still Missing

The Fern Lake wild fire in Rocky Mountain National Park has spread to over 400 acres and is completely uncontained.  Due to windy conditions, the fire was allowed to burn in all directions today.  The fire was watched, but no fighting could be done.  Winds are supposed to be calm tomorrow, and 120 fire fighters are scheduled to work on containing the fire, with air support from one heavy-lift helicopter and a large slurry tanker.  Small pieces of ash were falling in Boulder today from the RMNP fire; the air was very hazy.
   Jessica Ridgeway is still missing. Tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. MDT, she will have been missing for 1 week - 168 hours.  She could be anywhere in the United States, or in another country by now.  The FBI has cleared her parents and relatives of any wrong-doing.  This 10-year-old girl disappeared within a 3-block radius of her home, walking to join friends, to walk to school.  Please stay alert for any possible sighting of this young girl.