Maximum Entertainment Update

Posted by Avram Freedberg

DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

How the Grinch Stole Christmas Theater Production in Boston, MA
The Wang Theater and a Dr. Seuss Classic Make Quite a Christmas Combo.

By Lima, published Sep 19, 2008

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will be offered during the 2008 holiday season in downtown Boston at the Citi Performing Arts Center -Wang Theater . The show will run from November 26 through December 28 and will offer multiple showings on many days during that time frame to allow you and your family a chance to come to Boston for a holiday treat that you will remember for years to come. With tickets selling at prices starting at $28, this may be the kind of present you will want to give to your whole family.

There are lots of reasons to be among the thousands who will flock to the Citi Performing Arts Center-Wang Theater in Boston MA to see "How the Grinch Stole Christmas " . To begin with Dr. Seuss, the author of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is known worldwide for his many enjoyable children's books that are filled incredible pictures and verbal images. Many kids have grown up with books like "Green Eggs and Ham", "The Cat in the Hat" and "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" that have come out of the imagination of Theodor Seuss Geisel or simply "Dr. Seuss". In the Boston area there is always an especially warm reception for the work of Dr. Seuss. He is after all a Massachusetts native, born in Springfield, MA in 2004. Today there is even a park in his honor in downtown Springfield where kids can wander and put their imagination to work just as Dr. Seuss would have wanted.



CARRIE FISHER’S WISHFUL DRINKING

After a sold-out, box-office breaking, critically acclaimed run of Carrie Fisher’s WISHFUL DRINKING at Arena Stage in Washington D.C, this triumphant tour de force lands at The Huntington Theater in Boston Massachusetts on October 10th.

Carrie Fisher's 'Wishful Drinking' is a Sure Hit
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by Charles Shubow

While Billy Crystal took Broadway by storm with "700 Sundays", don't be surprised if Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking could be renamed 2,652 Sundays (she's 51) to continue in the tradition of Crystal's masterpiece autobiography about his family.

The Arena Stage looks like a genius presenting this incredible night of theater which caused my face to hurt due to the incredible humor of Carrie Fisher's one woman presentation. And one need only pay attention to network television and the national media the past weeks. I saw the repeat of her incredible role on the comedy "30 Rock", her Emmy nomination for this part, then saw her nice role in the Lifetime presentation of the hit film "When Harry Met Sally" (notice Crystal starred in this), a nice interview in USA Today, and finally a mention in the national weekly magazine "The Week" which quotes the Washington Post's Peter Marks who loved the show. Fisher seems to be everywhere!!

And lucky you, you theater-lovers living in the Baltimore/Washington area, can get up close and personal with Fisher before her show goes to Broadway (according to the USA Today interview anyway).

What will you see? Just imagine the historic Ralph Edwards' television show in the 1950's on CBS titled "This is Your Life". But instead of Fisher's family and friends showing up, she does it all by herself laying out her loves, marriages, divorces, family history, fight with alcoholism, manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and most importantly, her reminiscing about her involvement with "Star Wars."

While those who remember the Ralph Edwards' show may enjoy this a tad more than the younger generation, I guarantee this show is for EVERYONE (well maybe not for the real younger crowd)!!!!

If you are lucky enough to get first row seats (doubtful at this late date though), you may have Fisher take you on stage, throw confetti on you, sit on your lap, give you a hug, ask you questions (and if you're correct get a gold medal) and have a night to remember. But even if you're not sitting in the front row, you will still enjoy a night to remember.

First, a word about "Arena Restaged". While a new theater rises named the Mead Center For American Theater at its old location on Maine Avenue in Southwest D.C., Arena has a venue in Crystal City (more Crystal) VA where Resurrection is now playing, and a location at Washington, DC's historic Lincoln Theatre located in the "U" Street corridor at 1215 U St. NW. The Lincoln Theatre has been elegantly restored to its 1922 original grandeur when it played host to the likes of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughn. The Lincoln's location was called "The Black Broadway". Believe it or not as late as the 1950's, Washington's theaters were segregated. It took the Arena to change that becoming the first racially integrated theater in the city in 1950.

Remember, the theater was built in 1922 when theater patrons apparently did not have to use restrooms. Be warned. They have them but prepare for long lines.

So don't head to Maine Avenue or Crystal City to see Wishful Drinking. Instead head to 1215 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009.There's even a Metro across the street and valet parking. And did I mention the plethora of restaurants in the neighborhood? (One I highly recommend is Crème Café & Lounge at 1322 U Street (202-234-1884). And the historic "Ben's Chili Bowl" which I recently saw mentioned on CBS Sunday Morning is right next door to the theater.

Now back to Wishful Drinking. First, don't be late. Fisher will look you in the face and you'll be embarrassed as she tries to recap what you've missed. But it's all in great fun.

Fisher has an incredible sense of humor and sense of timing. She's a skilled actress/comedienne. Her family history is presented on a chalk board as if you are in Carrie Fisher 101 at Beverly Hills 90210. Her parents are singer Eddie Fisher (according to Fisher a short Jewish singer) and Debbie Reynolds (incredibly talented singer/actress who lives next door to Carrie and when she calls on the telephone says, "This is your mother, Debbie.")

And who did Fisher end up marrying? Yes, a short Jewish singer, Paul Simon. She mentions all the songs Simon wrote about her and you'll be able to listen to one.

You'll hear how her parents were best friends with Mike Todd and ElizaBeth Taylor. In fact, Fisher's brother is name Todd.

She spends much time about her daughter Billy (16) who she adores.

There are slides of her former home ("It looks like an embassy. We had had 8 pink refrigerators and three pools, in case two broke").

The turning point of her life may have been her time in London when she was 18 and she studied at a speech and drama school. She recalled, "I was just a student in London".

But her life would change forever when George Lucas after auditioning the likes of Jodie Foster and Amy Irving, picked Fisher for the role of Princess Lea in "Star Wars". You'll learn a lot about the filming, make-up, hair-styles, etc. There were Princess Lea dolls, shampoos, bobble heads, watches and the ubiquitous Pez dispenser. And what was she wearing under her white gown? Well, George Lucas told her "There is no underwear in space."

At the end of Act I, she asked for a volunteer to appear on stage. Josh Bland immediately raised his hand and he was off to join Fisher on stage after she picked him. He helped end the first act admirably. Bland, originally from LA, now works for the Navy and lives in Washington. When I asked him during intermission why he did it, he responded, "Are you kidding? That's Carrie Fisher!!! You only get one chance to be with Carrie Fisher. Awesome. It's the culmination of the nerdy life I've been living". This was his first ever play he's seen at Arena Stage and said he may now subscribe. His picture with Carrie appeared at the end of the show.

Act II concerns life after "Star Wars". Fisher speaks frankly about her health problems. She proudly announces a picture of her could be found in an Abnormal Psychology textbook. The photo is her dressed as Princess Lea.

Do not miss this incredible evening. The last performance is Sunday evening, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call 202-488-3300 or visit www.arenastage.org.

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.




IRVING BERLIN’S I LOVE A PIANO
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=32263


Irving Berlin's I Love A Piano is an enchanting new musical revue that spans over seven decades of American History as seen through the insightful and earnest eyes of Irving Berlin, a man whom Jerome Kern described by saying "Irving Berlin has no place in American Music…he IS American music!"

Using 64 of Berlin's enduring and popular favorites, I Love A Piano captures the spirit of America from the ragtime era of the early 20th century through the swinging elegance of the 1920's and 30's. From the songs that inspired a nation through the Great Depression to the innocent optimism of the 1950's, I Love A Piano embarks on an enduring journey through musical heaven. Timeless classics, such as "Puttin' On The Ritz," "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Change Partners," "How Deep Is The Ocean,""God Bless America," and "White Christmas," do more than identify the music of a generation, they define the music of our country. The show will be presented by Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment, Off-Broadway Booking, and Lawrence Toppall.

Beginning September 20th, I Love A Piano will bring its exuberant showstopping song and dance numbers to audiences across the nation. This Fall marks the start of its second touring season. Under the direction and choreography of Ray Roderick (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang National Tour), who co-created the show with Michael Berkely. The magic of each song brings new life to the material for a contemporary audience. This revitalized production brings today's audiences into the lavish musical world of Irving Berlin while holding true to its nostalgic nature.

Tour Stops include 48 cities across the United States from Michigan to Kentucky to Santa Fe, New Mexico to Carmel, California. In addition to 3 weeks at The Arena Stage Company in Washington D.C and 2 dozen more stops across the Southern United States and Florida.

The talented cast of 8 triple threat singer/dancer/actors includes Emily Mattheson, Jason Weitkamp, Alix Paige, Kyle Fowler, Ashley Peacock, Ryan Lammer, Tom Bruett, and Talia Corren.

The Los Angeles Times raved: "When asked where Irving Berlin ranked in American music, fellow giant Jerome Kern famously said, 'Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He is American music.' The enduring truth of Kern's assessment underpins the showbiz panache of 'I Love a Piano,' ...as invigorating a song-catalog revue as any since AIN'T MISBEHAVIN."

Variety reviewed it by saying: "Ray Roderick may love a piano, but his heart truly belongs to Irving Berlin. Roderick directed and choreographed this tribute revue and co-wrote it with Michael Berkeley. His affection for Berlin's songs has resulted in an energetic, animated presentation of nearly 60 of Berlin's tunes, ranging from 1911's "Alexander's Ragtime Band" to selections from 1950's "Call Me Madam."

The Boston Globe called it "A spectrum of brilliant Berlin… It captures both the astonishing range of Berlin's musical styles and the cleverness of his simple rhymes, which makes it easy to understand why the songwriter remains a national treasure."

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Call her Sheila

Posted by Avram Freedberg

I wouldn’t get excited by a victory in a maiden claiming race. It doesn’t make a champion, which our dearly departed Sheila was. But somehow, Rexy was helped today by our Sheila, from on high.

Before the horses got to the gate, one of the contenders was scratched. At the gate, another started acting up and was scratched. Then, again they tried to start and another one – the one I thought would be the main competition – ended up on her back and was scratched. When it seemed they were ready to go, a horse named Remember Betty broke through the gate. However, they re-loaded her. She was to be Ofcr. Sheila T Rex’s main (only real) competition. Here’s what the race chart writer wrote:

Ofcr. Sheila T Rex stalked the pacesetter for over five furlongs, was carried out to the middle of the track by that rival turning for home, hooked up in a battle that lasted the entire length of the stretch and prevailed at the wire.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Rexy had to fight every inch of the way but she prevailed, most certainly with Sheila’s help.

Sheila, we will always love you and remember you as a champion marketer and a champion human being. Thanks for letting us call Rexy by your name!

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The Philadelphia Story

Posted by Avram Freedberg

We were lucky. The rain was no more than drizzle for our round trip from Connecticut. After a few wrong turns, we ended up at the Pennsylvania Racing Commission office, got my PA owner’s license and a day pass to get into the stable area. Then we found that every individual member of our party required a pass. They’re very strict in Pennsylvania.

Finally we got to go to the Receiving Barn to see Ahvee’s Destiny before the racing began. She was wet from anxiety but at this point she did not seem nervous. She responded lovingly to our petting and kissing. Then, she heard the bugle summoning the horses to the next race and her ears shot up. She looked ready to do her job. I told her it wasn’t her race yet.

We got to the restaurant, met our friends and the owners of another horse in the race, Canadian Ballet, whom had finished a head behind Ahvee’s Destiny at Saratoga. Then, Linda arrived. It was a good thing that I’d ordered some food early because as race time approached my stomach muscles got tighter and tighter. If I had a horse race every day, I could probably lose 20-50 pounds… another fantasy.

Now it was time to go to the paddock and see Ahvee’s Destiny get saddled up and meet the jockey, Mike Luzzi, who was riding her for the first time. Linda gave him instructions and off they went to parade in front of the race track customers before entering the gate for the Turf Amazon Handicap. At post time, she was 7-1… a little high but about right, I thought.

They broke from the gate and Mike took her out quickly. She was vying for the lead but quickly eased off into 5^th. Mike brought her from her outside post 9 towards the rail and then started to bring her up on the outside of the two leaders.. fourth, third… a great ride.

Then suddenly, he took back. Did he think she was moving too early? Maybe so, but you don’t stop a horse who’s moving. It’s very difficult to get the horse started again. As he “stopped,” another horse went around her, passed her and then cut in front of her. Now, he really had to take her back. By this time, he had clearly lost the race but she still could have finished anywhere from 2^nd to 4^th. However, he didn’t “get into her.” He tapped her only once and gave her a “hand-ride” home. She finished 6^th, her worst showing ever.

Mind you, I was prepared for her to lose. These were really good horses. But, the jockey who rode a brilliant beginning of the race was not the jockey who ran an awful middle to end of the race. Yes, you may remember how I’ve said everyone blames the jockey for their losses. I have to plead guilty to feeling that way in this case. I felt like I was cheated. I felt like Ahvee’s Destiny was cheated. She don’t get any respect, a la Rodney Dangerfield. She deserves some. She’s earned it.

Even with her pre-race sweats and the soft turf, she was running really well. If he’d just let her go once he started moving with her, she would have shown how much she had today. She might not have won but she certainly would have done much better. And she would have earned some money. Even 5^th place was worth $6000. It was re-a-l-l-y frustrating! Hopefully, we’ll get to come back next year and show them something more. Maybe we’ll even go to the Winner’s Circle. Hopefully, we’ll see several more Winner’s Circles before next year’s Turf Amazon. Onward!

Tomorrow, Rexy runs in that Maiden Claimer that was canceled at Belmont on Friday. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to be there but I hope she gets to see her first Winner’s Circle.

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We're going to Philly!

Posted by Avram Freedberg

They expect to run the 5 furlong Turf Amazon Stakes on the very wet, soft turf. I’m not happy about that because Ahvee’s Destiny’s had trouble with traction on turf when it was rated “good.” I have no idea how poorly she may react to these conditions. Frankly, since they most often take these races in very wet conditions off the turf, I worry about safety but I know that Linda will not run her in unsafe conditions. Let’s hope for the best.

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MJ

Posted by Avram Freedberg

Today we joined our friend Patsy and her daughter Lisa at Belmont. We met them in the paddock before the running of an overnight stakes race with six entrants, two of which were hers… Meriwether Jessica (MJ) and Myakka. You may remember that MJ is the snuggle bunny, more like a dog than an ornery race horse.

Myakka was supposed to go to the lead but she didn’t. She got stuck on the outside either because she didn’t have enough speed today or because the jockey tried to hold her back. MJ was in behind the three leaders, including Myakka. They were running on the inner turf (grass) course on a beautiful day. MJ was doing just what she was supposed to do… stalk the pace setter. When they turned into the stretch, her rider, Eibar Coa, started to look for some racing room. At first, he couldn’t find any. Rather than taking her wide, he elected to save ground staying towards the inside. We were getting very nervous because it looked like his strategy was going to backfire.

Then, he saw some racing room to the outside of the pace setter, but as he tried to steer MJ in this direction, other horses were taking away the clear path. Then Eibar saw a hole between the leader, Lost Without You, and the rail. He went for it. As he started through the open path, Johnny Velasquez (Yes, the same Johnny Velasquez who piloted Ahvee’s Destiny to victory last month in Saratoga), dove in to the rail and cut off MJ. Eibvar had to check the horse quickly, taking back and losing ground. All seemed lost… until Eibar got MJ going again to the outside of Lost Without You. MJ was narrowing the lead with every stride… a length separated them… a half length… a head, and then it was over. The line came too fast for MJ and she came in second by a head.

We were depressed and angry. After all, hadn’t the other horse interfered with us? Then the tote board flashed, INQUIRY! The stewards were going to review the tapes. Expectations grew. However, when we saw Eibar heading for the paddock area and the other horse took a Winner’s Circle photo with her “connections” (owners, trainer, grooms, etc), we were afraid that it was all over for us. Then the tote board stopped flashing and the numbers of the top two finishers were reversed. MJ was declared the winner!

OK, so it would have been sweeter, if she had won outright and we got to take a Winner’s Circle photo. But she won, Patsy and Lisa won, Linda won and even we won (I bet on MJ). We had a champagne celebration and a fun dinner. Hooray.

During dinner, we were musing on Ahvee’s Destiny’s next assignment. She’s entered in $55K Stakes race in Delaware for Saturday. While it’s good competition (including her half-sister, Lady Rizzi, who set a new track record in her last race in Saratoga), the alternate is an even tougher race in Philadelphia on Sept 27 for $200K, that I mentioned in earlier missives. It looks like we’ll give her a chance to try for the big money, even though she could easily run out of the money because of the quality of the competition. There aren’t too many big purse races at 5 furlong distances and we know Ahvee has a big heart. If she gets a great trip, maybe she can pull it off. Go AHVEE’S DESTINY!

Off to Las Vegas in the morning. Hope to update you soon.

PS We found another snuggle bunny at Linda’s stable. She’s named, Dicey DJ. Rhoda went to visit another friend’s horse, Jess Not Jesse. She found him remarkably quiet… until he nipped her. She got a pretty good bruise right through her leather jacket, which seems undamaged. Rhoda doesn’t hold a grudge but I’m sure she’ll be a little more wary next time.

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Lookin' for love in all the wrong places ...

Posted by Avram Freedberg

We were at Belmont today to watch Aldebutante’s first race. Haven’t heard the name before? Well, here’s the story.

I listen to a radio show, “At the Races,” hosted by Steve Byk. He started some horse racing partnerships with his listeners as partners. I signed up for a tiny piece of one of the partnerships several months ago before our Saratoga experience.

You see, when I was a little younger we “ boys” watched the “big” races together on TV and went to the track together. For us, ”the track” was either Belmont or the Big A, Aqueduct. We even went to Roosevelt Raceway or Yonkers to further our attempts to become the best handicappers known to mankind and be able to make so much money at the track that we could always be surrounded by the combination of magnificent animals running down the stretch and not so magnificent animals smoking cigarettes, cigars and some sweet smelling tobacco who took pride in spitting and cursing at the losers and especially their jockeys, whose bad rides inevitably cost them their hard earned money at the pari-mutuel windows. Actually, I think we may have joined them!

Win or lose, we had each other. Sometimes cheering together. Sometimes cheering for different horses. In the end, we could count on each other for support, even when we kidded each other about how poorly one or the other had done on any particular day. I MISS THIS CAMARADERIE! So I thought joining one of these partnerships would help me find this unique type of love and friendship.

Don’t get me wrong. Even though my best friend and life partner started out with an unfavorable view of the cost of my passion, she has been the best support I could ask for. The horses have become her pets and our time with them in Saratoga allowed her to bond with them. Well if you don’t know how she treats her pets… let’s just say our friends all want to come back as one of our pets. But again, I joined up before our Saratoga summer.

Anyway one of the horses in the partnership is named Aldebutante and her first race took place today at Belmont. Don’t look for her in the list of today’s winners. She only beat two horses in the race. But I hate to admit that my main motivation in going to Belmont today was to meet the other partners and do some bonding.

I first saw Steve who gave us tickets to seats in a section overlooking the finish line. I was struck by the ghost town appearance of what was my favorite venue for thoroughbred horse racing. But there were a couple of dozen partners, relatives and friends of partners. Darren and Chris came from Maryland. Mark and Karen from upstate New York. That’s the kind of commitment to the horse biz I hoped to find. It’s not that they or the others were unpleasant when I approached them. There just didn’t seem to be any synergy. Frankly, I had hoped Byk would introduce us all but no such luck.

Well, maybe it’s just the focus of the horse player busy handicapping the next race or shyness or their own lonesomeness (as opposed to loneliness). No matter what the reason, we left right after the race, realizing that we had each other and the relationships with the other owners we’d met in Saratoga.

So, we figured we’d go to see Rexy who was supposed to be the only one of our brood stabled at Belmont. Imagine our surprise when we got to Linda’s stable and she was nowhere to be found. Turns out she’s still in Saratoga with Ahvee’s Destiny and Arielle’s Song. However, we did get to snuggle Meriwether Jessica, the horse who “snuggles around” and loves to be surrounded by people. She’ll be running in a stakes race on Thursday when her owner will fly up from Florida and we’ll join her rooting section and then have dinner together (with the owner, not the horse).

In the meantime, Ahvee’s Destiny had a speedy “bullet” workout on Friday (that means she was fastest of the horses working at that distance). Tomorrow we’ll find out how many horses have been nominated to the Turf Amazon Stakes in Philadelphia. We won’t know if she gets into the race until next week.

BTW, I must admit that hearing from so many of you who enjoy reading these tomes makes me feel accepted and my heart fill with love. Thanks for your support.

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Withdrawal

Posted by Avram Freedberg

Monday, Labor Day, seemed, as Rhoda put it, like the last day of camp. I remember crying when I came home from my first overnight camp experience. Camp was over. There was no way of recreating the emotions… the feelings of fun and, especially, camaraderie.

So it was with our visit to Saratoga Springs. Our home for two weeks had been David Cassidy’s home once but now it belonged to Liz. It held strong emotions for us too when we found out that Liz was a 9/11 widow, now remarried with a second son to join the one left behind. Only months before the tragedy, they had returned from an overseas assignment for Cantor Fitzgerald. There was a still a poignant photo on the wall of father and several month old son in his office at the World Trade Center, overlooking the New York City skyline. When Liz showed us around, I worried about some crystal (I’m a bull in a China shop). She said, “It’s just stuff.” She knew what was important. This month my company, NCM, will reach the $2,000,000 mark in donations to 9/11 related charities. I guess you can see why this happenstance hit home.

On the bright side, we were very lucky. First, to see Ahvee’s Destiny win a stakes race the day after our arrival and to experience it with good friends by our side. But, in many ways, our fun and camaraderie were just beginning.

Every day we saw our horses. Sometimes we saw them training on the track but every day we saw them in their stalls. We tried to snuggle with them and fed them carrots. We don’t know if they bonded with us (they definitely bonded with the carrots) but we bonded with them. Each unique looking. Each had their own personality (or should that be horse-ality).

Then there were the “horse-friends” we made. Most coming to the stable or training track each morning. Some with their kids, nieces, grandkids and the like. All of them regaled by the beauty and majesty of all thoroughbred race horses and theirs in particular. We got to know them day by day and sometimes night by night, when we broke bread together. Of course, sharing the darkness before dawn and the experiencing the bits of light as the sun slowly rose over the misty clouds that gathered at ground level of the giant park known as Saratoga Race Course was particularly special.

We miss running to see our four-legged kids each day. We imagine Arielle’s Song’s big lips straining to get those carrots or Ahvee’s Destiny’s gentle way of eating from our hands (it reminded us of our beloved Cricket, the gentle dog after whom the stable is named Everything’s Cricket Racing). It’s easy to convey the excitement of winning a big race (especially at 9 – 1) and all the fun that goes with it. It’s much harder to convey the complex feelings engendered by those dear animals and those dear people.

Yes, there are many thing to do in Saratoga Springs. I guess it would be a nice vacation spot, even if you weren’t involved in horses in some way. Yet, it is this different culture (someone called it a “sub-culture” but that seems almost pejorative) that makes the experience so different and so deep. We miss you, horsies!

Now Ahvee’s Destiny and Arielle’s Song are still in Saratoga. Ahvee waits for her September 27^th race in Philly, if the weather goes our way. Arielle’s Song is getting her leg iced every day before going to Florida to rest her leg or to New Jersey for additional treatment. Rexy is at Belmont and will eventually be entered in a Maiden-claiming race and the other three are all in Florida; Conseated Lady recuperating from a “meat cleaver” fracture with hand walking and resting (turn-out) and the yearlings starting to be trained for their two-year old season.

I hope you get to experience your own special time like the special time that Saratoga Springs was for us in August 2008.

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Perfect Ending

Posted by Avram Freedberg

That was what we hoped for. We’d started with a win the day after we arrived and looked to end with a win today… the last day of camp. Believe it or not when the betting opened, Rexy was the favorite. I thought she’d be 12-1 or more. I guess they thought Linda Rice raced her back on 5 days rest because the dirt race was a prep for this grass race. When they swung into the stretch, she had a shot to prove them right.

She was only 2 lengths behind the leader and coming wide on the outside. Then she got smacked by the horse to her inside. She tried to come on again but didn’t have anything left. The winner was disqualified but that did nothing for us. The jock said she was favoring her left leg and refused to change leads (changing the lead leg in a horse’s running pattern often adds to the horse’s stamina, since it is putting less stress on the tired lead leg. Sort of a freshening for the horse.) The left knee was where she had chips that required surgery. Her 10^th place finish means she will have to run against cheaper horses in claiming races.

Two of my new horse owner friends had better results. One almost stole her race on the lead and just missed coming in second in a tough crowd and the other won a stakes race at Finger Lakes with a purse of $ 156K.

So even when my own hopes were dashed, their success feeds the hope the resides in the heart of every horse owner. Just like last week when it was Ahvee’s Destiny first stakes win, we always look to the future full of hope. We did it. They did it. We can do it again… can’t we?

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