What a Year!

It has been an incredible year on all fronts...  In 2013 we have had record fires, floods, and typhoons. A host of heroes have passed away, sports records have been broken, and there have been more multiple killings than I really want to contemplate.
   The big news in Boulder was what folks are now calling "The 1,000 Year Flood" in September.  Luckily, both my apartment and my sister's home (where I was staying) weathered the rain and flooding without damage -and, in both cases, it was plain old luck that helped me escape.   I am here, safe and sound, via the love and blessings of friends, family, and my two cats, Leofgifu Glyndwr (Lovey) and Zephraim Cenedi (Nedi).  Without their love and forbearance, I wouldn't be around.
   Over this past week end, the big racing news was from Australia - again, about troubled BC3 Thoroughbreds.  Jimmy, the registered, but un-named, half brother of Champion Mare Black Caviar, was put down due to chronic pain from laminitis.  The colt was purchased as a yearling by BC3 Thoroughbreds for a record $5 million from Inglis Bloodstock.  Inglis has never received payment for the colt.  Quite a few people have stepped forward with papers, claiming a share of Jimmy, and/or his insurance.  However, it seems that Bill Vlahos never filed the ownership papers, and, seemingly, just pocketed the money that the "co-owners" had given him.  ** I am very happy that Jimmy is no longer suffering the intense pain of laminitis, and have no problem with him being put down to stop his suffering. ** But I do feel sorry for the people who have been taken in by BC3 Thoroughbreds and all it's shell company connections.  It's a very sad comment on the state of our society, and on the nature of Bill Vlahos.  Vlahos did not appear at a court hearing last week, stating that he was destitute, bankrupt, and could not afford to travel from his home to Melbourne for the law proceedings.
   At least the Mayo Clinic was able to say that brother-in-law Kent has a type of small cell carcinoma that generally reacts well to radiation therapy.  Kent is home from the hospital in Rapid City, and will have his third radiation treatment this week, on an out-patient basis.  "There's no man like a Snow man!"
   And, today, the last day of 2013, brings beautiful blue skies to Boulder, with an anticipated high of 55 degrees.  At 8 a.m. today, it was 30 degrees in Boulder, and 0 degrees in Gunnison.  And our forecasters say that we will probably get "a shot" of snow on New Year's Day morning, between 5 and 7 a.m.  We'll see.  I plan on staying in and reading tonight.  Tomorrow I want to watch the Rose Bowl Parade on HGTV without commercial interruption, and then I plan on seeing the South Carolina Gamecocks beat the Wisconsin Badgers on ABC.  (Sigh, no Gator bowl game this year...)  But - Tim Tebow has been hired as a NCAA football analyst by ESPN, for this years BCS Championship game, and then to follow up with the new SEC Network in August!  Yippee!!  (But I'd much rather see Tim play!)

Bits and Pieces

Laminitis updates on St Nicholas Abbey and Jimmy (Black Caviar's brother):  St Nicholas Abbey is being slowly weaned off pain medication for the laminitis in his left forefoot (he had surgery on his right fore, followed by colic surgery this summer).  His vets say this is the "critical" period, seeing if he can move freely without any changes to his pedal bone.   ....  In Australia, Jimmy, the $5 million colt, is also being weaned off his pain meds.  He developed laminitis in both of his fore feet after an adverse reaction to antibiotics for a spider bite.  ....  I hope both colts continue to improve - hopefully, both of them will be able to proceed with a career at stud.
  Immortal Verse, in foal to Dansili, sold at Tattersall's for a record $8.09 million.  The beautiful 5-year-old bay mare, who was a Grade I winner in both England and France, was sold to BBA Ireland, which is going to establish a new partnership for her ownership within Coolmore.
  My kits are crazy.  It's 10 degrees outside, snow is falling (and has been since 5 p.m. yesterday) and the wind chill is -5.  They keep going outside, running through the snow, then coming back to my desk to spray me and the PC with snow attached to their coats.  I just closed the door, and they are looking at me like I'm a horrible spoil-sport.  (My toes were getting cold, even though I have on wool socks and mukluks - of course, a tile floor on a concrete slab does not conduct heat.)
   We are still awaiting results and doctor consultations regarding my brother-in-law's (Kent Snow) medical condition.  He was suffering from a severe headache and was admitted to the hospital for bleeding in his brain.  The MRIs and Cat scans were inconclusive, and none of the MDs is sure what is happening inside Kent's brain.  He's taking a medically-ordered vacation and is taking it easy at home.  His wife Vanessa was recuperating from lymph-node surgery (luckily, the mass was benign) in the hospital, when Kent was admitted.  Vanessa is not dealing well with the stress.  Prayers for that part of the family are appreciated.
 
 
 
 

Black Caviar's Brother

When I think of Australian horse racing, I remember the great Phar Lap, and, more recently the fantastic mare, Black Caviar.  Black Caviar has been retired and is getting ready to assume her duties as a broodmare - one that was never beaten in 25 races.  The racing world was intrigued when Black Caviar's half-brother was sold for $5 million Australian dollars ($4.65 million American).  Now the racing world is waiting to see if the colt will be able to survive.  The two-year-old hasn't been officially named, but is called Jimmy in the barn.  The colt was bitten by a poisonous white-tailed spider about two weeks ago; he was treated with antibiotics.  Jimmy was allergic to the antibiotics, and had to undergo a lot more therapy; now he has developed laminitis in both of his fore feet.  The veterinarians say his chances of surviving are about 50%.

Please send healing thoughts and prayers to this magnificent young horse who is fighting for his life.