WELCOME: 100 newcomers

[GPK]

Originally Posted by skippy3481

yes yes you do, one day i'll rub off on ya and youll be just fine..... keep on keeping on.

oh yeah...and your life is just one big party

They came for the Azeri photos. There was a link on another forum.

[cloud_break]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Two rarely connected segments of society

Chuck, that's the funniest post of all time.

I freely admit I joined to see the Azeri photos. Until the link was posted in another forum I didn't even know this one existed. I've explored it a little bit and it looks like a neat place. I'll not be contributing much but look forward to visiting.

I've been a fan of thoroughbred racing since 1980 and Genuine Risk's Kentucky Derby. I love to see the horses run.

Newby here. I found the site searching for a Derby Trail website to track the 3-year-old races.

I've been looking for a real horse racing/handicapping community like this for almost a year and happy to have found it.

Didn't even think about racing until I was 22. Fell into it with some friends one night at Mohegan Sun's great racebook.

Five years, one Kentucky Derby and 4 Saratoga Summers later I could not imagine NOT following the sport on a daily basis. And I count down the days until Saratoga every day.

And yes...I did love Andromeda's Hero. Sad, but very true.

With his retirement, I'm looking for my NEXT horse.

Thanks for letting me be part of this great community.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Andromeda'sHeroFan

And yes...I did love Andromeda's Hero. Sad, but very true.

With his retirement, I'm looking for my NEXT horse.

Glad you found us!

Hopefully you're aware you're probably in for some ribbing over Hero

Not that I'm one to talk, my favorite racehorse in the entire country used to be a $2500 claimer who ran in Northern California and then at Portland Meadows who couldn't clear his NW3 condition if it were a match race.

Unfortunately, he dropped dead right in front of me on a Monday afternoon, and I haven't found a new favorite since.

Hello all, another newcomer here;about a week. Hoping to improve my handicapping.I would really like to learn how to identify the non-contenders in any given race and learn the best bets (exacta / tri's) to cover some of the rest.
I've enjoyed the posts / discussions I've read as most seem to be civil and do not resort to personal attacks.
Living near Monmouth,I've become interested very gradually,but now know I'm "hooked"
Good luck to all and the best to SWLY !!

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by cloud_break

Chuck, that's the funniest post of all time.

It just seemed like such an odd coupling

[DerbyCat]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

my favorite racehorse in the entire country used to be a $2500 claimer who ran in Northern California and then at Portland Meadows who couldn't clear his NW3 condition if it were a match race.

Unfortunately, he dropped dead right in front of me on a Monday afternoon, and I haven't found a new favorite since.

Brian, I'm sorry for your loss, it's never easy losing one we love

So, what was this horses name? My favorite horse is a 4K claimer in Northern California, Proud Patrolman - he's approaching double digits in age but that boy sure can run...

The horse dying in front of you reminds me of a friend who went to the races with me and she really liked the looks of one of the horses, he was a beautiful bay and was wearing four "pink socks" (her words, not mine) and she fell in love with the races during post parade just watching him strutting around - - that is, until he broke down at the 16th pole and and thrashed on the ground until they put the tarp up and drove him away in the van... she never went to another race again

I hate it when they die in front of us

Welcome to DerbyTrail everyone - come play the DT Contest - it's not too late to join in!

[Kasept]

A favorite claimer of many ran and won today at GP.. Top Bunk.. Simply awesome at 10yo for $10k.. Have seen him run, maybe, oh.. 40 or 50 times..

I´m also glad found this good community. I read very good points of view.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by luismanzo

I´m also glad found this good community. I read very good points of view.

Luis,

Very pleased to have you here!

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by DerbyCat

Brian, I'm sorry for your loss, it's never easy losing one we love

So, what was this horses name? My favorite horse is a 4K claimer in Northern California, Proud Patrolman - he's approaching double digits in age but that boy sure can run...

The horse dying in front of you reminds me of a friend who went to the races with me and she really liked the looks of one of the horses, he was a beautiful bay and was wearing four "pink socks" (her words, not mine) and she fell in love with the races during post parade just watching him strutting around - - that is, until he broke down at the 16th pole and and thrashed on the ground until they put the tarp up and drove him away in the van... she never went to another race again

I hate it when they die in front of us

Welcome to DerbyTrail everyone - come play the DT Contest - it's not too late to join in!

The worst thing was that I was working at Starbucks at the time and we had an employee with us who was there for her first job and had just turned 18. I waited until the horse was running, and then invited her to the track for her FIRST time. We both lost our money, and had two races before my buddy ran, and so we stuck around just so she could see him because I would talk about about him work all the time. I loved him for whatever reason when he was running in Northern California. I latched onto him. I nearly crapped my pants when I saw him entered at Portland Meadows one afternoon. Literally a dream come true. He was the favorite, and he broke down right in front of us while he was struggling in mid-pack. I watched him flail around and was on the verge of tears. They brought out no tarp. They stood him up and they euthanized him right on the track in front of us in clear view. It sounds so morbid, but I can't remember many worse moments than watching it take effect and watching him just collapse on the track no more than fifteen feet in front of us. All the courage I had, it took, to not get into it with the guy next to me who shouted "on the glue factory." Worst horse racing day of my life, period.

His name was Comprehensively. Since you asked, I shared. Totally the wrong thread for it, but the second I got home that day I wrote in my blog about it. At the risk of sounding like a stupid idiot, I'm going to paste it here, because it was a day that still affects me.

This is what I wrote just an hour later after I got home:
He was midpack in the stretch, he wasn't going to threaten for the win, or maybe he was, but something went wrong. He stumbled, fought with all he had to stay up, took another step and lost it. Twyla went flying off of his back and onto the track, he flipped and twisted on the ground. He got up. I silently prayed, as fast as I ever have, that he would run off like I've seen so many times before. He stumbled. He couldn't stand up straight. He made his way inside the 16th pole, fighting to walk, seemingly unaware of what had happened or how it had happened. There he was being the horse that he is, giving every last bit and trying to find the wire, unburdened of his rider. He came right in front of us, and I saw his front right leg. Shattered. Flailing in all the wrong ways. I almost cried. And I started to as my friend looked at me, trying to understand how this horse meant so much to me. She had heard about him all day long, and I was so excited to share him with her. She caught on quickly from the look on my face and the tone of my voice that she caught during the few words I could manage to say. Mostly, "I'm going to cry." The man next to me shouted "on to the glue factory!" and it took everything I had to not lose it. For Twyla and the others risking their lives every second out there for his kicks. For these animals who love what they do. They do it for him.

His trainer stood with him, his right arm underneath his neck, patting the opposite side, as the boy refused to give up. Refused to lie down. Refused to be anything but the winner. Not believing that somehow his leg didn't work anymore.

I don't care if he runs in Portland. I don't care that it was a 3200N3L race. I don't care that he bankrolled only 13k in his career. I care that he gave me something to be excited about. I care that he gave every ounce every time. Gamely. I care that he was a beautiful animal and a beautiful racehorse and that meant something to me. I care that every time I knew he was running I would find a way to get to the track to see him, it was a dream come true that he came to Portland to run in front of me, instead of on TV.

He was the 8-5 favorite.

So at least, if anything today, he was loved.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

At the risk of sounding like a stupid idiot, I'm going to paste it here, because it was a day that still affects me.
[/i]

I'm glad you posted it. Nobody in their right mind could think you an idiot for reacting that way. A horse doesn't have to be a Barbaro to grab ahold of us emotionally..

--Dunbar

[slotdirt]

I saw a pretty rough on-track accident at Charles Town a few years back. It happened at right about the same point as Pine Island, but Charles Town has virtually nothing on the infield, and you could see it happen from afar. Just terrible stuff.

[Sightseek]

Thank you for sharing that brianwspencer, what a sad moment and the same way many of us have felt at one time or another. It's easy to get attached to a certain runner when you have so much passion and excitement for the sport. This is a poem that was posted on another forum some time ago:

Remember Me

When you hear the thunder
remember me
for those are my hoofbeats
upon your heart
deep in the night.

Do not fear the lightning
and remember me
for my hooves strike sparks
so you may see
in your darkest hour.

And when the rain falls
remember me
for those are my tears of joy
as I run with the sky herd
free of rein and pain and heavy burden.

Look up and remember me
for you will see the shape of my
fiery head thrown high
among the clouds,
warmed by sun but even more
because you remember me.


R.D. Miller
San Francisco, CA
March 26, 2004

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Thank you for sharing that brianwspencer, what a sad moment and the same way many of us have felt at one time or another. It's easy to get attached to a certain runner when you have so much passion and excitement for the sport. This is a poem that was posted on another forum some time ago:

Remember Me

When you hear the thunder
remember me
for those are my hoofbeats
upon your heart
deep in the night.

Do not fear the lightning
and remember me
for my hooves strike sparks
so you may see
in your darkest hour.

And when the rain falls
remember me
for those are my tears of joy
as I run with the sky herd
free of rein and pain and heavy burden.

Look up and remember me
for you will see the shape of my
fiery head thrown high
among the clouds,
warmed by sun but even more
because you remember me.


R.D. Miller
San Francisco, CA
March 26, 2004

I love it.

Welcome all newcomers. This is a friendly place.

And to think, here you can edit your posts.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by merasmag

u made me cry, good thing i'm sittin at the back of the bar doin this...welcome to everybody

Brian,

Can we call you Kool-Aid?