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Here it comes. Sunday. Low, 14. High, 39. Snow, 100%. Winter Storm Watch. Heavy snow mixed precipitation possible. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are most likely, with up to 8 inches. Ice accumulations of one to two tenths of an inch are possible. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Snow … Read more
Keeneland January rolling along. I had about seven on my short list, one failed a scope, two were lacking scope and size, two weren’t good enough on second look, one went for $210,000, one went for $700,000… At Fasig-Tipton July, Doug Cauthen turned to me after being outgunned on another potential purchase, “People don’t understand … Read more
Working from home. I went to see what Charles was doing. For solidarity’s sake. It had something to do with a broken chain harrow, scrap metal. He showed me his new wagon. Future scrap metal. We started to clear the fence line. Burn pile. We found another chain harrow buried under a pile of brush. … Read more
Still cold. Still January. The long, arduous, trying, doldrum days of winter. Hard news coming from Ireland with the death of Snowfall. A broken pelvis took the life of the triple Oaks winner. Remember her win in the Oaks at Epsom? A 16-length demolition job. I remember watching it in awe, awed. Tough game. As … Read more
Virgil Tibbs. Homer Smith. Dr. John Prentice. We watched Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner a few nights ago. Miles, Annie and I on the couch, immersed, mesmerized by Hepburn, Tracy and of course Poitier. The first black actor to win an Oscar in 1964. The next was 2002. Rest in Peace Sidney Poitier. Watch this … Read more
Steaming cup of Barry’s Tea, bags found yesterday in a teaming Harris Teeter in Purcellville, and a slice of fresh homemade coffee cake from the farm stand at the School Hill Garden in Round Hill, pay at the honor box. Quiet Sunday morning, another round of snow, more like flurries for now. Winter training. Saranac … Read more
The sixth at Lingfield rolls down the backside. Horses are tepidly and tentatively secure in small paddocks on a brisk January morning. We touted a $21.20 winner in a 27-horse race at Cork. Constitution Hill, second favorite for Cheltenham, lines up for the Tolworth. It’s the time of year to regroup, reload, reset for the … Read more
More snow. I just saw the headlights turning into the driveway, we have help. Another snow day for Miles. Not for the horses. Winter has arrived, which is good in the long run, we need winter, we need cold temperatures to balance the environment, the ecosystem. Remind me that in a couple of hours when … Read more
The sixth at Clonmel circles at the start, 3,400 meters ahead of them. Jeff, Annie and Andy decide on 10-inch, 8-inch, 6-inch boards in the new dining room. Miles shakes off the Christmas holiday vacation. Another load of laundry rattles, another one, sorted, awaits. Saranac kicks and paws snow in the back paddock, searching for … Read more
I hear him all morning long. “People don’t understand, everything you do with a horse is a calculated risk. Turn them out. Work them. Run them. Graze them. Everything you do is a calculated risk.” Allen Jerkens calculated risk with horses all the way to the Hall of Fame. I’m no Allen Jerkens and our … Read more
