Hoss Talk

   The book of lists: Without question, horse racing is a wonderful and glamorous sport. And, as with all sports, there are several ways for one to succeed.
   
   In horse racing, there are two things one must do to be successful; win races and always have a good excuse.

   Clever excuses don't come easy, especially for jockeys who have only a little over a minute to come up with a plausible story to satisfy trainers and owners.
   
   Why do you think jockeys often let their horses gallop out that extra distance after a race? It is their time to come up with a believable excuse to tell their trainer on why his/her horse got beaten.
   
   After all, not many owners or trainers want to hear from the jockeys that they had no excuses for losing.
   
   Therefore, it is a jockey's duty to come up with a story.
   
   With tongue in cheek, here is the unofficial, yet often-used jockey's excuse list. In brackets is what they are usually thinking:
   
   1. He will win the next time. (Ya, but I won't be riding him.).
   
   2. She needed the race. (I needed the $75.)
   
   3. My horse broke bad. (I was looking at the female jockey beside me when they sprung the gate.)
   
   4. He needs blinkers. (He scared the hell out of me.)
   
   5. Way too much speed in the race. (He couldn't keep up with a snail.)
   
   6. Maybe, she should run long? (Like all the way to Kamloops.)
   
   7. He washed out in the post parade real bad. (I was sweating out a hangover.)
   
   8. I would like to ride him back. (Like right into the back of a horse trailer.)
   
   9. He got tired down the lane. (He was so slow they'll need a searchlight to find him.)
   
   FORE: In town for the Air Canada Championship, PGA golfer Notah Begay spent some leisure time at Hastings Park on Wednesday.
   
   An ardent horse racing fan, Begay, with four PGA Tour victories, managed to eek out a few winners before heading home to rest for his early tee time.
   
   "For me, horse racing is a great way to take my mind away from golf for a few hours," said Begay. "When I am playing, I will try and get to as many tracks as possible.
   
   "As for my favourite racetrack. It's got go be Del Mar in California."
   
   IN CRUIZE CONTROL: Phil Coleman and Jerry Blanchet's outstanding B.C.-bred standardbred, Fast Lane Cruizin' hopes to continue her winning ways with a victory in tonight's $250,000 Roses Are Red   Stakes at Woodbine racecourse in Toronto.
   
   Fast Lane Cruizin', with earnings of $395,563 and 25 wins in 32 starts, is 3-1 for tonight's race.
   
   "My main concern is she might be too sharp," said Coleman by telephone from Woodbine. "She gets really anxious when she approaches the gate and hopefully that won't create a problem."
   
   Fast Lane Cruizin's race can be seen at both local racetracks and at all Tele-theatre outlets in B.C.
   
   "We are celebrating Fast Lane Cruizin's entry into this prestigious race by presenting roses to all the ladies in attendance tonight at our track," said Chuck Keeling, general manager at Fraser Downs.
   
   FINISH LINES: The Sport of Kings, Saturday,      7 p.m., on Shaw Television, profiles horse owner and former columnist Archie MacDonald, as well as the bizarre finish of the 1990 Breeders Cup Juvenile Stakes. ... How popular is injured Hastings Park jockey Brian Johnson? The veteran rider recently   received a get-well card signed by all the riders at Emerald Downs racetrack in Washington. Good news! Johnson has been moved out of the Special Trauma Care Unit. "I hope to be going home within the next week," he said from Vancouver General Hospital. ... Out at Hastings Park, people are wondering whether there is anyone alive on this earth who could possibly win the $10,000 hole-in-One promotion that's been running since June 9? And isn't it refreshing to see racing entries filling faster and the fields getting bigger during the last two weeks?
   
   Wolski can be reached at www.sportofkingstv.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Vancouver Province
E-mail Tommy Wolski at twolski@home.com