Match Race! - "Who's Got the Best A*S In Town" -

[my miss storm cat]

The moment you've all been waiting for.....


Match race of star mules typifies fun atmosphere
By CHUCK DYBDAL

Although racing is taken seriously at California's smallest racing venue, the Humboldt County Fair, general manager Stuart Titus says anyone coming to Ferndale should be prepared for fun when the fair's 10-day meeting begins Thursday.
Nine stakes races for all breeds are scheduled during the meet, and an extra $5,000 has been added to raise the purse for the closing-day C.J. Hindley Humboldt County Marathon to $15,000. The Marathon is unique in American racing because the horses pass the finish line four times while running 1 5/8 miles.

In addition to five Thoroughbred stakes, two mule stakes, and two Arabian stakes, the track will also host a match race on Saturday when Sarah Nelson and Smoking Joe, the two best mules on the circuit, face off in a $10,000 winner-take-all race at 660 yards.

"We've made special buttons with pictures of Sarah Nelson and Smoking Joe saying, 'Who's Got The Best Ass In Town,' " Titus said. "We plan to have fun with this."

Roger Downey, the owner of Sarah Nelson, who has defeated Smoking Joe by open margins at Solano and Santa Rosa after losing photos to him at Stockton and Pleasanton, and Smoking Joe's owner, Terry Shelton, have each put up $5,000 for the winner-take-all race.

While Sarah Nelson is at the top of her game, Downey notes she has never beaten Smoking Joe in a race around a turn.

"Joe's a little handier around a turn," Downey said of Smoking Joe, who the following Saturday will try to match Black Ruby's record of four straight victories in the 660-yard Cream City Mule Handicap.

Sarah Nelson holds a 7-6-1 (dead heat) advantage over their past 14 meetings.

"The bottom line is who is the fittest," said Danny Boag, who rides Smoking Joe. "They're used to running 350 or 400 yards, but when they get there, there's still another eighth of a mile to go."

Boag says that while the match race will generate excitement, "Every time they run, it's a match race."

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Soooo..... who are you rooting for?

[ArlJim78]

I'm going with Sarah in here. I thinks she's probably a great a$s.

[my miss storm cat]

I'll go with Sarah too.....

Such exciting news. I can't wait.

[ArlJim78]

The mule races are so funny to watch. They go left and right, their big ears flopping in the breeze. I can't watch one without chuckling.

[my miss storm cat]

I've never seen one..... sounds hysterical.

[ArlJim78]

Oh you have to catch one, it is hysterically funny. There was just one yesterday at Santa Rosa.

[paisjpq]

I want to go all in on the Jack--you guys should go check out 'mule days' in bishop CA.

[2Hot4TV]

Cashed a ticket on Black Ruby about 4 years ago maybe five.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Cashed a ticket on Black Ruby about 4 years ago maybe five.

So who do you like here, in the race of the century?

That Sarah Nelson sure has made quite an ass of herself lately.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Pillow Pants

That Sarah Nelson sure has made quite an ass of herself lately.

Yeah, but I've heard she's a great piece of ass.

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Yeah, but I've heard she's a great piece of ass.

I've never seen an ass move like that before.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Pillow Pants

I've never seen an ass move like that before.

Stop being a pain in the ass.

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Stop being a pain in the ass.

I can't help myself! Can't get enough of that ass!