Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
 

Not the best field, not your biggest hit but your favorite...

What was one of your favorite races (first one that comes to mind) of the year?

Be honest, no matter how silly.

Where were you? Who were you with? Why was it special and memorable?

Be as detailed as you'd like. :)

2nd race 8/29/10 at Saratoga. MSW for NY-bred 2yo fillies.

Tina and my father were with me... And about 50 members of Dee Tee and their guests.

Tho not in attendance :(, I second the above.:tro:

The Haskell for me. First one I have missed since I was 15 or so (that is only about 20 of them) but everyone counted on me to run the party each year. This year my company (in Denver now) was celebrating it's 5 year old birhtday so I did not go back for it. Also liked Lucky and awful lot.

Cannot separate the two;

Saratoga 2nd race 8/29/10 for the reasons stated above

2010 Apple Blossom - a beautiful Friday afternoon in Hot Springs Arkansas and Oaklawn Park just buzzing with electricity for Zenyatta's 16th.....

July 11, Belmont, Race 1..Loyal Shadow nips Flying Sappho at the wire. First trip to the Winners Circle with my son and daughter a couple of days before their 2nd birthday.

Oh 13 years ago at Oaklawn Park Me and My buddy looked over the form and found that unless you'd bought the long form you'd miss the fact Raging Sequal had won at Oaklawn a couple years back at huge odds. Well we made him our Long Shot special of the day. Wheeled the Ex and Tri's with him and put a couple bucks to win and show on him. Here him come a running, winning at 45-1. 13-1 second and a 3-1 third. Racked up almost 10 grand off him that day. Lot's of pride when the photo sign for 2nd and 3rd went up and not worrying if we still had it or not. My buddy has since died in a freak boating accident. He was the Best Man in my wedding a couple months before this happened. I know it sounds corny but everytime I return to Oaklawn Park I always go on a little walk to talk to him. I remember that day, where we were standing and even what window we cashed the ticket at. RIP Charles Jefferson Graves

DT lurkers were there too. At least this one was. I was down by the finish line and I was so excited for you guys. It was my first trip to Saratoga, and as I said to our humble host when congratulating him on Ausable's win; the place is everything he said it was.

It was a wonderful day, if a bit bittersweet as it also turned out to be the day Rachel Alexandra's last race. But I will always remember your guys excitement as Ausable Chasm crossed the wire.

I took this in the paddock. Steve, I think that's you in the background. :)

A book should be written about this guy... there's way too much to say but here's the short version.

His name is Sir Slick and he's a national treasure. He'll be making his 132nd start (in another G1. I believe he's won 6) this weekend.

His fans, and ed can vouch for me here, hae been horrified by his trainer at times but then he comes back and wins and (thankfully) makes us all look a little silly calling for an end to his career over and over (although I do think it's time)..

This past Christmas day he was found in his stall, nearly dead, from rat poison.

Anyway this is 9 year old Sir Slick winning the Awapuni Gold Cup back in April. It was his third time winning this race and, if you watch it, I think you'll agree that even the announcer is amazed.

As an aside Vosne Romanee, the HOY, is one of the runners.

One of the great and happiest moments of the year...

The great, the gallant, the people's champion, the beloved, legend of New Zealand racing...

... this is Sir Slick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLuLYhjfSlI

(video courtesy of ed).

That truly was a fun day. Too bad Raitch couldn't have won her race that day - it would have been icing on Bill's birthday cake.

No it doesn't.

He was lucky to have a friend like you.

Obviously you brought great joy to his life and him to yours.

We should all be so lucky as to have such dear friends.

Thanks for sharing such a deep and personal story.

I'm profoundly sorry.

The first race that comes to mind was Zenyatta's win in the Lady's Secret. I was back in Kentucky to visit my Dad for his birthday. He was in hospice. A group of us watched together, family and friends. My family had already been exposed to Zenyatta due to my persistent emails with links to stories, but several of the friends had not. Most of them doubted she was going to get up in time (I admit I wasn't certain), but when she did we all cheered. It was the last race Dad and I we would watch together, and the next day we said so long. He passed away 13 days later.

Back home after the funeral, I received a large envelope in the mail from a good friend who knew how much I wanted to attend the BC, and see Zenyatta in person. She sent a pair of tickets, saying that she knew how tough times had been, and that I had taken quite a lot of time off work to visit my Dad and go back for his funeral. She said, "You've got to come back to Kentucky one more time," because life is short and when those once in a lifetime chances occur you can't let them pass you by. So we did! And that entire DAY was special. From my first bet, a ticket to win on Pluck (who I'd heard about on ATR), to my Classic trifecta, and all the winning and losing tickets in between.

I'll never forget either of those days.

They sound like very special days.

I'm sorry about your dad.

Thanks. I hadn't planned on sharing all that here. But it all came together when I read your opening post. And guess what . . . he loved the Sound Of Music. :-)

One of my favorite races, if not my favorite maybe, involved more than just TBs. It was the BC Mile which featured that field versus Goldikova's groom for the last 1/16 or so. He didn't beat them to the wire, but check out that stride, that turn of foot that he had. Beautiful. :)

BCC without a doubt.