Random Thoughts on Race Day

You want it, you crave it. It's Gerry's "Random Thoughts on Race Day" post .

• I took the day off as we had other errands to run. It felt a bit different than other race days, we seemed a bit less involved given that she's running 1,700 miles away.
• Joc and I  leave for Assiniboia Downs to watch the race on TV  with co-owners Michel, Bill/Shelley,  and Larry. The fifth owner Dean ( no relation to the fifth Beatle ) is in Tampa Bay to watch the race live.
• We find out later that Dean got to sit in a private box  , was privy to confidential discussion between our trainer and the jockey and bragged to everyone that he picked Northern Cotton.
• We arrive at Assiniboia Downs and find out that there is an exhibition called Taboo exploring alternative sexual relationships. The exhibition takes up the whole main floor  And here I thought a race track was all about saddles, riding whips and training...Hmmmm, wait a minute... 
• We find the gang at the second floor  restaurant and settle in and make our bets. Michel disappears for a long while. Bill thinks he's throwing up in the bathroom. I suspect it has something to do with the Taboo exhibition downstairs...
• It's post time and she gets into the chute with no problems. They're off and she's sitting in a good spot down the backstretch . I'm wondering if she'll stay in the pack for the rest of the race or if she'll show her stuff. 
• We're all watching and cheering as she comes down the stretch passing the #6 horse to grab second place. It's a mixture of relief, joy and a tinge of disappointment. Relief because she showed she can compete down there. Joy as second place is nothing to whinny at. Disappointment  as she could have won that race. It's all good though.
• After the race , people who were watching come by to congratulate Bill . He seems to know everyone there , I give random "thumbs up" to  no one in particular, trying to look like I know people.
• Calls are being made to friends and spouses. I see Larry walking towards me saying "I love you".  I'm thinking that our ownership group is a little closer than I thought it was. Or maybe it had something to do with the exhibition downstairs. Of course Larry is talking to his wife on his cell , I settle for a firm manly handshake.
• We analyze the race and discuss options for NC's next race. Will she do better in a longer race ? What's the next step ? What are the options ?   I really enjoy race days. 

Why the lack of updates ?

You may have noticed the lack of  recent updates regarding the activities of our favorite horse. There was a reason. We entered NC into an optional claiming race of $75,000 ( the one where she just finished second ) . What does that mean and why all the hush hushiness ?  It means that anyone could have claimed ( i.e. bought) NC prior to the race starting  for $75,000. Of course  the buyer would have to be present at Tampa Bay Downs to actually make the claim. We would still have gotten our share  of the purse for that race (plus the $75,000) but NC would no longer belong to us.  We didn't want that to happen so we kept things quiet. Now the odds of NC being claimed were pretty slim. Would anyone invest that amount of money into a horse that won a race way back in September from a relatively obscure track in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Probably not,  but given her bloodlines, you never know.  A claim was not  made and she is still ours !

You may be asking yourself, is this blog so influential that horse players across the world are scrutinizing it ? While I like to think so , I'm fairly certain the only people looking at it are friends and family that I've emailed a hundred times " Hey, here is the link to my blog! ". We may get commodity investors searching on the words northern and cotton , hoping to cash in on some cotton variant growing near Yellowknife , but that's probably it. Of course, you are reading it right now and that's what's important !

Northern Cotton runs at Tampa Bay Downs !

Northern Cotton ran her first race at Tamp Bay Downs today.

Here's the replay link :

March 23, 2nd race, she is #7 ( orange and black)

http://www.tampabaydowns.com/daily-replays.aspx

While she came in second we were very happy with the result. She showed she could run at a prominent race track  against quality horses . Even more encouraging was that the other horses had recently run. Cotton had not run since last September.

She started in her usual goofy fashion by bumping the horse to the right of her. In the backstretch she was bumped a couple of times but recovered well. Turning for home she , once again, turned her head towards the grandstand. Trying to show her good side ? Checking out the stallion in the paddock ? Trying to get a glimpse of the feed truck ? You tell me cause I don't know. 


She made a great run at the end to finish second. We  were hoping the #3 and #1 horse would duke it out at the beginning, tire themselves out and Cotton would take the race at the end. Unfortunately the #1 horse decided to go for a jolly jaunt letting #3 have a free trip .Cotton was flying at the end but could not make up enough ground.

So we're happy and looking forward to her next race .  There was a veil of secrecy over Cotton's first race at Tampa . More about that on my next post .

Quick summary

    Here's a quick summary of NC's activities the last 6 weeks in Tampa, Florida . Her training is progressing really well. She's had 3 workouts and may be racing in about 2 or 3 weeks. Her trainer seems quite impressed with her competitiveness and her willingness to take on any horse. She eats a lot, like a horse in fact... She must have a great metabolism as her weight is remaining constant. . Co-owner Dean is in Tampa right now and Bill may go down to see her race. Joc and I  may pay her a visit  if she races a second time .
   We're anxious to see how she does in that environment. More to come when we have the race date pinned down.