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It was Hong Kong. 1997 or 1998 or 1999 or maybe 2000. I can’t really remember which. One of my first international trips, when doors seemed to spring open. The International races. Val’s Prince. Amarettitorun. Dettori. Cash Asmussen. Sunline. Jim and Tonic. Peslier. Luso. Sha Tin. Happy Valley. An after-party drink in the hotel bar … Read more
Paget Bennett walked up the steps to my office Tuesday with sad news. I knew it already, but it still hurt. Steve Dance died. The Fasig-Tipton auctioneer, bid-spotter, unofficial historian, fairly official legend collapsed at home on his front porch while having coffee with his wife Nancy.
The one and only Barney Curley has died. A horse trainer. A punter. A mastermind. Do one thing today. Stop and read the epic tale of Yellow Sam. We often, probably too often, use the term, “one of a kind.” Barney Curley was truly one of a kind. For more from The Inside Rail, check out … Read more
She was the first to greet you in the morning. The last one to say good night. O’Malley. Of course, she came with a sister, Duchess. Named after the co-stars in Miles’ first favorite movie, the Aristocats. Rescues from the Middleburg Training Center. Legends around here. We put O’Malley to sleep Thursday evening. Maybe a … Read more
The jumpers are off to Camden tomorrow. I’ll stay home, maybe catch a few races on the computer, do a little gardening, maybe go for a run, run the pitch count and dugout gate for Miles’ game. I’ll miss seeing Springdale in all its glory, the wide-open expanse, horses and hurdles, tailgates and keg stands, … Read more
Slowly but surely, slipping from the resolutions so audaciously started in January. Run. Read. Write. It’s May and all have waned. For all the reasons. Spring races. Saratoga on the horizon. Horse sales from Doncaster to Timonium. Baseball season. Triple Crown Trail. House renovations. Garden. Farm chores. Gas crisis. General malaise. Yeah, all those. Chased … Read more
Thank you Michael McCarthy. Thank you Rombauer. A trainer who has earned the respect of his peers. May we move on while realizing and rectifying the mistakes made two weeks earlier. Off to Timonium to look at 2-year-olds. We spent most of Sunday looking for the next superstar. Good to be out and about, looking … Read more
Five innings, 84 pitches, six strikeouts, three hits, 1.80 WHIP (whatever that is), three runs. The Tigers won their second game of a trying season, 11-7. “Miles, you pitched a gem,” Coach Chris said. “A gem.” Miles, hat askew, dirt caked on his hands, smiled. A long, tired, satisfied smile. After a rough season last … Read more
My friends want to know things, so they call, text, email or otherwise follow some sort of unofficial “Ask Joe” guidebook.
Coach Chris hit a fly ball during batting practice. Thwack. Logan caught it on the bounce. Another one. Thwack. It skipped past Ben. Another one. Thwack. Ace stabbed it to his right.
