I think when one goes back and reads through the original posts, where the concept of this partnership was first offered on this board, it's pretty clear what it was all about, and who would be risking the most: financially, professionally, etc.
Frankly, I figured that, with our budget, we'd get a (hopefully) serviceably sound claimer, that we would run a few times, all meet up at the track and see, have fun with, then lose back to the claim box, 60 days off, etc. Certainly that expectation is all I hoped for from the partnership.
The good point was made that to get a horse of Sumwonlovesyou's caliber is indeed not to be expected routinely, but I think everyone here does realize that this isn't the norm. Quite the austute move on Chuck's part, and we have been lucky that she's turned out better than we could have hoped for.
Sure, the harsh realities can hit home every time you go into the barn first thing in the morning and look in the stall, every time the horse takes a step on the track in training. Horses break, horses colic - nobody here is that ignorant of reality.
Yes, we've had a darn good ride so far, better than I know I expected - and that is what makes it all the MORE exciting for all of us!
The partners know we owe Steve and Chuck a huge debt for allowing us to have this fun - I'd guess both of them worry more about how "the partners" are doing, that we are having fun, even moreso than we worry that the venture they launched is successful for their sakes.
I've owned (non-race) horses most of my adult life, and I've made and lost money on them, and made and lost dreams and hopes on them. That's life with animals. You can be in it as a business (good luck with that - what happened to sport for sports sake, btw?
), but you don't last long, or gain much happiness from it, unless you love the sport, and the animals themselves for their own intrinsic worth.
So nothing is going to stop me from enjoying the pure exhilaration one feels when it's going right! And having 60 new friends to share it with just makes it a helluva lot more fun!
