Going to Saratoga
October 18, 2012
My friend Don
November 5, 2012
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Back from Saratoga

On Friday, the night before we left for a quick Saratoga sojourn, Numismatic broke stride in his race for the second time in a row. We felt ready to throw in the towel when Eric said the horse has been exhibiting excited “male” signs and suggested gelding Numismatic for one last chance to get him focusing on his races. After hearing that, I thought I’d never want to ever cross Eric!

Saturday was very busy. We went to Belmont to support Pat Symons’s Gitchee Goomie who was running in the Ticonderoga Stakes. This was to be her last race before being sold as a broodmare. She looked good at the top of the stretch but could not maintain her momentum. Still, fininshing third in a $175K race still gets a decent pay check. It would have been really sweet if she could have won and beaten her nemesis, Hessonite, who was the odds-on winner.

That gave us 1 ½ hours for what the GPS said was a half-hour trip to NYC for dinner with good friends before seeing the original Frankie Valli on Broadway. An electronic sign on the approach to the Midtown Tunnel said it would take 26 minutes to get through the tunnel but 2 ½ hours later, we had to skip dinner and go straight to the theater. We were lucky the warning showing an empty gas tank did not get us stuck in the tunnel or on the street before we could find a gas station. At least, Frankie put on a great show! (Of course, I’m prejudice since we are one of the presenters).

We left for Saratoga after the show and pulled in before 2AM, to bed by 3AM and up to see the horses train at 6:40AM. We visited Ahvee’s Destiny who is getting her winter coat. Otherwise she looked good and was a little finicky about what she would eat. So, sometimes, we bit into the carrot to get her to follow suit and she did! She was funny.

On Monday before we left, we got to see It’s Truly Ahvee. He looked good and preferred Mrs. Pastures cookies, though he ate most of what we offered. He’ll be coming down to run at Aqueduct next week. Hear the Footsteps will also stay up North for a little while and race on the grass at Aqueduct, weather permitting.

Jess Not Jesse is entered in a race on Friday but will probably scratch and go to Pat in Florida. Tomorrow he’ll get an X-ray and Ultrasound to check his ankles and an inflamed tendon. Depending on the results, he may get turned out for two or three months or he might need some simple surgery. Awakino Cat will also go to Pat but remain in training and race at Gulfstream when ready.

Tday, there was a tragedy at Belmont when Jaeger (maybe Yeager), Abigail Adsit’s little white dog, ran out in the road and was killed instantly by a car. She’s devastated, just as we would be if it happened to our beloved Jose. Jeanne will go to Belmont tomorrow to comfort her daughter. Our sincere condolences.

Wishing you good things,

A.

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