Strange/funny short comments
 

Looking at tomorrow's PP's for Keeneland's 10th, the short comment for #12 Bacetto's race on 3/15/08 says:

Stepped on goose 3/8pl

Don't believe I've ever seen that before. It got me wondering what other strange/funny short comments people have seen in the form. Anyone?

This is from the defunct Tropical Park in Miami. I heard about it and googled this gem.


Jack Wilson, who retired after many years of supplying capsule descriptions of how horses performed below the race charts in the Daily Racing Form, witnessed the most unusual incident at Tropical. He wrote about this race in January, 1969:

“Hans II ran over an alligator while saving ground at the first turn, split horses to take over leaving the far turn and, after dropping over, drew off with authority. A foul claim against the winner by the rider of Swamp Rabbit, for alleged interference leaving the far turn, was not allowed. Swamp Rabbit went over the alligator at the first turn . . .”

For some reason, probably because I have too much free time, I watched the replay of this race. While it is somewhat clear that something happened to Bacetto in the backstretch, it is impossible to verify if he actually stepped on a goose.:zz:

Didn't a bird ricochet off a couple of jocks/horses in a race at Saratoga this summer?

I recall another goose incident. It was the '80 Remsen at Aquedirt. Pleasnt Colony was the fave, I believe, but was hindered by a gaggle of geese that wandered on the track at the top of the stretch I believe. He finished second

Edit: He won the Remsen. He finished second in the Pilgrim so I think that was the race

Paraphrased from 1999 MD BC H'cap chart:

"ARTAX checked sharply and angled to avoid patron.."

Shouldn't that have read "Artax Checked sharply and angled to avoid DRUNKEN IDIOT attempting to Punch Chavez"

And people wondered why Pimlico banned alcohol in the infield.

That's an all time classic.

The now disgraced Ernie Paragallo told Jorge Chavez as he was legged up on Artax in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, "If anyone's on the track run them over."

Artax was one of my favorite horses. He was asked to do so much in the 1999 season, set or tied three track records and won a thriller in the Sprint.

NT

Yeah, clearly that was the reason, they just waited 10 years to do it. :rolleyes:

Glad Steve chimed in though, that was one of the comments I was thinking of.

One day a chart caller from Philly Park ... perhaps drunk or stoned ... had a chart calling day for the ages.

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28303


Sadly, a few days later, they went back and edited all of his great work from that day.

I can seem to locate the chart with comments, but I was at Del Mar on August 11, 1995 when a man ran on the track in front of the field in the Escondido Handicap.

I have a couple of photos. If I can dig those out, I will post them later.

Attachment 1390

Attachment 1391

even some of the routine comments make me laugh. I mean come on, where else do you read about someone or something that "held sway", or "failed to menace".

I am not liking that guy's action in the first shot, but I'm sure he learned a lot in the race. Should be good value in his next, er, Darwin Award attempt. There's some merit in teaching jockeys how to use their whips like croquet mallets so that they don't mow such an idiot down with the horse but still make sure he eats some dirt.

that guy was the first human to crossfire down the stretch.

+1

All time classic for sure.

What's that weird stuff they were running over in that race?

What was that guy carrying?? A purse.. or Man-Bag? You can see he dropped it in the 2nd pic.

I think he was trying to past post on that 2 horse.

He decided the bag just didn't go with that horse's shoes.

It was an old school duffle bag. It caused quite a stir because security weren't sure what was in it. It turned out to be a change of clothes or something mundane like that.

Thats a common running line after one of Scavs failed nights with a waitress

Other common notes in that scenario:

'fended off easily'..

'maced as necessary'..

'received phony number'..

'Took too long to get going'

'Unbelievable turn of foot'

'Closed with a rush'

'Passionate determined run'

:wf :wf

I thought these were the comment lines reguarding your performance around the chocolate fountain.

Trust me, I usually own any chocolate fountain, one of the greatest culinary creations.

Blocked, finished in hand :eek:

:tro: :tro: :tro:

Potentially, the single greatest post in DT history...

Home run Sighty.

:$:

:D

we had a horse at River in 2006 named Two Step Partner and his comment read "ducked in over hedge, jumped in lake"

the next time they led him over to run, they had a life preserver over him... and he won!

:tro: :$:

"ridden hard out of the gate, flattened out, came again inside"

:tro:

THIS is the post 0of the week. Thank you.

As I remember, it was "Tote Bag day" at Del Mar that day. The guy wanted to commit suicide but changed his mind when the field went by the 1/8th pole.

The best comments the chartcallers ever produce never make into the charts -- I can remember some gems from the likes of Duspiva, Gore and Guilliams (now departed, RIP) and more than a few who are still working that made an otherwise bad day at the windows memorable.

BTW, Jack Wilson's brother, Dave "Snake" Wilson, was chartcaller at Delta Downs and was the first to notice in that now infamous race that Sly Carmouche came out of the fog bank way too early and pointed it out to the stewards.