Goldy and Gavin

All of my life, and it’s beginning to become lengthy, I’ve loved horse racing. For the past several years we have been attending the races at Emerald Downs, south of Seattle, on Friday evenings. A while back the opportunity presented itself to us to become partners in the purchase of two two-year-olds, a filly and a colt. Lest you think we’re wealthy, let me say that the shares were very affordable. A person could spend as much skiing or golfing. Along with forty others, plus the trainer and the president of Horseplayers Racing Club, we now own Promise Me Gold and Gavin Slew. Goldy (the filly) had a growth spurt and was turned out for a month lest she be injured with continued training. She is back in training but has not raced yet.

Gavin (the colt) has now raced twice. The first time he was upset by the action of two other fractious horses in the starting gate. When the gates opened he was sitting back and almost sat on his haunches. So he broke poorly, ran last most of the way but finished gamely in 7th place out of 8 starters.

Last night he ran for the second time in a $7500 claimer for a purse of $6700. This time he broke cleanly from the outside position and ran last down the backstretch. At the quarter pole his jockey moved him to the outside for a clean run to the wire. He was still last at the sixteenth pole. From there he was flying and he came third by a neck. Two more strides and he would have been second.

Now we know a little bit about the excitement that the big owners have when we see them on television. Gavin is a small horse and will do better at longer distances. I’m already waiting to see what he does as a three-year old. I’m sure you’ll read more as Gavin and Goldy continue their racing careers.