Aqueduct in February: Haynesfield takes the Whirlaway Stakes
Saturday 2/7/09
In the world of a racing fan/rock dork, the drive to the racetrack is special thing. The ten-minute long, windows-open, hair blowing in the breeze, arm-out-the-window jaunt to Monmouth Park is the embodiment of summer at the Jersey Shore. The ride home from Delaware Park is a balmy ordeal, sitting in weekend traffic on the Turnpike. And there’s the holiest of racetrack sojourns, the drive to Saratoga. My Saratoga trips are most evocative, partly because of the destination, partly because of the time I leave my house (1am or so), and party because of the distance I drive (a little over 3 hours). My car is loaded to the gills with rock for these journeys.
On Saturday, I took the hour-long drive to Aqueduct. The weather was unseasonably warm so I was able to do my favorite thing ever: blast music with the windows open and the heat on in the car. Who did I listen to? The usual suspects: The Wipers’ “Up Front”, Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up”, The Cold War Kids’ “Something is Not Right With Me”, The Thermals’ cover of “Misfit”, and so many more.
It was a short and extremely pleasant day at the track. I saw a few friends, some really nice horses, and Ramon Dominguez’s 5-race win streak.
Haitian Sensation won in style, piloted by Dominguez.
Here’s Cary Away, half brother to Congaree:
Haynesfield was the star of the day, winning the Whirlaway Stakes with ease, giving Dominguez his 5th win on the day. The colt’s last win was the Count Fleet Stakes. Haynesfield’s next start is next month’s Gotham Stakes. I’m already compiling music for my next trip to the Big A :^)
Happy 13th Birthday, Wizard!
Thurs, 2/5/09
Wizard had a lovely but COLD birthday. My mom made him her famous homemade horse cookies and I fed him lots of carrots. He’s going to get some time off while I try to figure out how to get his feet more comfortable. In the meantime, stay tuned for my adventures riding some other horses in the barn :^)
Wizard Ride 45: I’m a Sensitive ‘Sole’
Wednesday, 2/4/09
I smiled a huge smile as I left work at 6pm today. Although the ground is covered in snow and the temperatures are in the teens, I saw a sign of spring: there was just a bit of glow on the horizon. It was not 100% pitch black dark out when I left work. Soon, the hint of a glow will be a rosy tint on the horizon. A few weeks later, it will be a sunset. Then, it will be broad daylight when I leave the office and I’ll be riding in daylight again on weekdays! Ahhhh, the life of an incurable optimist. I even cleaned my tack today :^)
When I arrived at the barn, I turned Wizard loose in the indoor arena to let him stretch his legs. Some days, he leaps and gambols. Some days, he wanders around and sniffs the jumps. Tonight, he played a bit but seemed content to hang around with me. He’s such a sweet guy- I really enjoy his personality.
I tacked Wizard up and tried the Roma Merino Sheepskin All Purpose Pad that I got for a big discount on Tack of the Day. I really like this pad. It seems durable and it sat beautifully on Wizard. It has a bit more padding on the withers, which is exactly what the chiropractor recommended. Check out how the saddle fits him. This is a Stubben Portos. Please note how Wizard is making friends with the scarecrow on the jump :^)
I hand walked Wizard for about 10 minutes to warm him up in the cold weather, then mounted up. With the new saddle pad, my girth was a bit loose. As I reached down to tighten it, a HUGE gust of wind blew past the arena door, sending a big swirl of snow into the barn, rattling the door, and startling me. Wizard, bless his heart, startled for a moment and relaxed when I spoke to him. Gold star for The Wizard!
We walked around the arena for about 10 minutes, stretching and working on accepting a little bit of contact. I headed to the far end of the ring where the footing was best. We rode on a large circle and I asked for a trot- we trotted about 5 or 6 circles with one or two walk breaks. He still does not feel right on the footing but he is responding wonderfully to my commands. I really want to get him more comfortable so we can progress further. If it is indeed tender soles, I need to find out why and talk to my farrier about whether of not it can be resolved.
Tomorrow is Wizard’s 13th birthday :^)
Bud Morton, circa 1975
This is part of my ongoing series of Top Ten Lists. Check out the lists of Bill Finley and Barbara Livingston.
Website: http://www.budmortonphotography.com
Website Gallery: http://www.gallery.budmortonphotography.com
Flickr Gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/budmeister
No contest. That’s what Bud Morton wrote about his top album of all time. Same can be said for some of the greats captured by his Nikon: Cigar, Go For Wand, Skip Away, Real Quiet’s Triple Crown loss by a nose, Sky Beauty in The Alabama, Fourstardave at The Spa. Classic, all of them. No contest.
I first saw Bud’s photography when I was just learning the ins and outs of my mom’s point and shoot camera, which I brought to the track whenever I had the chance. Bud’s work was displayed in the Final Turn Photo Gallery. I attended the 2003 Jockey Club Gold Cup and was wowed by Mineshaft’s victory; however, the photos I took were abysmal. How could photos of such a great race be so awful? Must have been impossible to shoot, I decided. Then I saw Bud’s photo of Mineshaft in the post parade: head bowed, nostrils flared, bracing against the bit. Bud had captured the horse’s fire even in the notoriously obnoxious Belmont lighting. I begged my then-boyfriend now-husband to locate the print for me for Christmas. Jonathan contacted this amazing and talented photographer from the Boston area and I ended up with a framed, matted photo of Mineshaft, which is proudly displayed on my wall.
In 2006, I purchased my first SLR camera, a Nikon D70s. I read the camera manual, browsed the photography forums, and asked everyone I knew for help with my new pet hobby. A friend of mine purchased the same camera at the same time and we met up at Aqueduct to try out our new goodies. My friend knew Bud and introduced me to him. Bud said hello, then eyed me, and asked, “Are you the one who posts her photos online as soon as you get home from the track?” I said yes, a little embarrassed by my own dorkiness. Bud then helped my friend learn about shooting horse racing. I silently shadowed them as they shot the turn and the stretch of the day’s races. I knew the basics that Bud explained, but then he started talking about the good stuff- the stuff that separates the men from the boys, the stuff that makes his racing photos special.
The next time I saw Bud at Aqueduct, I was full of questions. And Bud answered them! A lot of photographers are under the mistaken impression that they are doing something that nobody else has ever done and they are a little reluctant to share their methods. I’ve only met a few who are so comfortable with their work that they can be generous in helping others: Bud Morton is one of these people. He taught me why it’s cool to shoot racing in aperture priority. He taught me how to shoot an image so sharp I can see “the dirt in the jockey’s teeth and every whisker on the horse’s muzzle”. He taught me how much better the inner rail shots are than the outer rail shots. He taught me how the big photographers got their images to look unique. He taught me that if I totally flub a shot, don’t despair because “there are nine more races tomorrow”. And above all else…. background, background, background.
This is all classic stuff that has been done many times before and will be done so many times after, but with these tools, a photographer begins to define a style. True mastery of a craft yields artistic style. Standing just a few feet away from me, Bud can get a totally different-looking image from mine. And he’ll go for the more daring shot instead of the cookie-cutter safety shot every time. He playfully teases photographers for getting “pretty pony” paddock photos but when nobody is looking, he sneaks in the paddock and gets some real beauties (Bud and his wife are also wonderful horsepeople who tend to a small herd of senior horses at home). In addition to the classics of 20+ years ago, Bud has some new classics, too, like this beauty of Rags To Riches winning the 2007 Belmont Stakes over Curlin, another print which resides at the Andrew residence.
On a miserably hot, cold, rainy, or otherwise unpleasant day, a lot of photographers complain about the day’s work. Bud does not- he reminds me that it is a real privilege to shoot these events and be close to such amazing horses, trainers, jockeys, and owners. Shooting is FUN- setting up remotes is FUN. When I assisted Bud at Saratoga, I first learned The Rules before I got to shoot. Working for Bud means following a few basic but classic rules about attire and conduct at the track; these rules have fallen by the wayside for some of the newer photographers. Bud explains it like this, “I’m old school and this is how I was taught…” I’ll work by the old school rules any day- I respect Bud’s opinions and he’s been a great mentor to me.
What kind of Top Ten List would you expect from an old-school, classic, no-contest photographer? Here it is:
1. Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run – No contest.
2. Bruce Springsteen: Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ – The “old “ boss- not the new whiny one- gets the top two.
3. The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) – “And in the end…”
4. The Grateful Dead: American Beauty – “Keep on truckin’… like the doodah man…”
5. Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company: Cheap Thrills – Janis took a piece of my heart with that record.
6. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin I – Left me dazed and confused after good times and bad times.
7. Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story – Gave me a “reason to believe”.
8. The Who: Tommy – A truly unique album
9. Queen: A Night at the Opera – “Bo Rap” and “Best Friend” get the nod.
10. James Taylor: Sweet Baby James – “ The turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston”, also known as the road to Saratoga
Bud Morton completing the Boston Marathon in 2007
Wizard: To Shoe or Not To Shoe… That is the Question
My friend Sarah rode Wizard Tuesday night while I stayed home watching TV with my husband ;^) Sarah said that Wizard was very well-behaved but felt a little uncomfortable. He was not fond of her saddle, either. The weather is getting cold again and I’m wondering if his soles are too thin for riding in the cold weather. He moved out beautifully on Monday night so the change in weather leads me to think his soles are a little tender. I’m going to keep watching him carefully and I’m planning to devise a way to get the Venice Turpentine on his feet without getting it all over me. He seems fine in the warmer weather because the ground is not so firm. I don’t mind shoeing him but I really liked the idea of keeping him barefoot if possible. If it’s just a cold weather thing, I can work around it, but if it’s making him uncomfortable, I’ll have to take action.
Wizard Ride 44: Let Your Earth Quake, Baby
Monday 2/2/09
Perhaps it was the 3.0 earthquake we got here in Jersey, or perhaps it is all the weeks of careful training, but Wizard was feeling goooood today. A little too good. Sarah hopped on Wizard and began warming him up before our lesson and he was feeling much friskier than usual. He did not misbehave or do anything dangerous, but a few times, he jumped forward from a walk into an extremely speedy trot without being asked. He was not spooking, it looked like he was just feeling good.
It took a good 20 minutes for Sarah to get Wizard to stretch down and start to bend a little bit. She rode about 30 minutes and he never broke a sweat! She mostly worked on pressure and release: take contact and ask for a little bend, release when he gave to the pressure. She kept him on a very large circle (20+ meters) for the duration of the ride. Sarah also remarked how nice he felt, even though he was a little fresh. He was moving out nicely and taking contact. He has a very soft mouth and when he’s relaxed, it’s a pretty picture.
After Sarah was done, I rode for a few minutes at the walk since he had already finished his workout. I was really impressed how well he took contact! He was striding out nicely and accepting the bit. We rode all around the arena and he felt really good- he did not try to trot out of the walk, probably because he was relaxed after his ride.
The Thermals at The Bell House, 1/31/09 Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY: Set List and Review by Sarah Andrew
Mr. Andrew and I arrived at The Bell House around 10pm on Saturday night. Great drive, easy parking for the Jersey girl and boy. The venue is spacious and comfortable. We hung out at the bar for a little while, enjoying the quirky signature Bell House cocktails. Doors for the show were on the schedule for 11pm, but that time was significantly delayed since the early show (Joseph Arthur) ran very late.
Boston boys Pretty & Nice opened the show. They were just-OK. Sort of a tightly-wound sound, like the new wavey Joe Jackson material and a little reminiscent of Ex Models. I’m a huge fan of on-stage theatrics but these guys were trying too hard and it distracted concertgoers from their sound.
The Thermals went on around 1am. This was my first time seeing the band and they did not disappoint- they delivered an excellent set. The live Thermals experience further demonstrated the delicately balanced sound of their recorded material. Singer-guitarist Hutch Harris’ vocals were delivered with surprising ease, considering how frantic and yelpy they are. Bassist-vocalist all-around cool chick Kathy Foster kept Harris in check, rounding out the driving vocals with her energetic and perfectly executed playing. The new drummer was great- he complemented Foster’s bass perfectly. It would be so easy for the songs to spin out of control- each Thermal knows how to push the songs to their limits – but nothing felt sloppy or overdone.
The room sounded great and William B. Armstrong did an excellent job with lighting.
Brooklyn harbors an enthusiastic Thermals-loving population. The crowd was a sea of horn-rimmed glasses, iPhones, and black sweaters devotedly shouting and bouncing along with the band. They knew every word to every Thermals song; however, I saw a few of the heads stop bouncing when the band played two excellent covers, Nirvana’s No Alternative hit “Sappy” (sometimes called “Verse Chorus Verse”) and “Saints” by The Breeders. Hearing The Thermals play these songs live was almost as cool as their rendition of “Misfit”, by another all-time favorite band of mine, The Wipers, as recorded for a Daytrotter session last year.
The set closed with “A Pillar of Salt”, leaving the crowd clamoring for more. After three encore songs, the band bid a fond farewell to The Bell House. After the show ended, Kathy Foster came out onstage to shake hands with fans. The lights came on, and the kids from Jersey headed back over the bridge.
Set List:
Returning to the Fold
When I Was Afraid
I Let It Go
How We Know
A Passing Feeling
Back to Gray
I Called Out Your Name
I Hold the Sound
St. Rosa and the Swallows
We Were Sick
No Culture Icons
Goddamn the Light
Test Pattern
How We Fade
Here’s Your Future
Now We Can See
Sappy (Nirvana cover)
You Dissolve
A Pillar of Salt
Encore:
It’s Trivia
Saints (by The Breeders)
Everything Thermals
Special thanks to William B. Armstrong for his assistance compiling the set list.
Wizard Ride 43: Follow the Leader
Sunday, 2/1/09
The unseasonably warm weather gave me a touch of spring fever. Wizard must have felt it as well since he was a complete mudball when I saw him tonight. I took an Oster Mane and Tail Brush and curried him. He protested the amount of elbow grease I used but not as badly as he has in the past. After I took the crust off of him, he barely looked better, but at least he had no mud on him. That’s the good thing about a bay horse with minimal white :^)
I longed Wizard for about 15 minutes, including 5 minutes of walking as a warmup. We worked on spiraling in and out at the trot as a suppling exercise. At first, he was a little confused and stopped to face me- he usually just goes into auto-pilot when he trots on the longe so the new work was a big question mark for him. Once I refined my commands, he understood and came in and back out onto the circle in both directions.
After longeing, I rode for about 10 minutes. We played “follow the leader” with Christie and Mary the Morgan. We followed about 7 lengths behind them and rode around the arena, walking patterns and between obstacles. Wizard was fantastic- we both responded really well to a new exercise. One of the reasons we did this schooling is because several new boarders are at the barn and I think that we’ll be riding in company more often. Usually, I ride in the evening and we are by ourselves.
Since we were trying new things, I dismounted from the right side. Wizard’s reaction? No biggie- he stood nicely as usual. Tomorrow night, we’re planning a mini lesson with Sarah- I’m looking forward to it :^)
Wizard Ride 42: I’m Made out of Turpentine…
“I’m sticking with you…
‘Cos I’m made out of glue…” (or turpentine)
Thursday 1/29/09
I have a public service announcement for horse people everywhere…
What Not to Do with Venice Turpentine
By Sarah Andrew
Horsemen have long used Venice Turpentine to toughen the soles of horses’ feet.
Turpentine Don’ts:
1) Do not apply Venice Turpentine to a horse’s hooves without wearing gloves. Venice Turpentine is the stickiest substance known to mankind and it sticks to everything. How do I know this? Because I forgot my gloves and applied it to Wizard’s soles without wearing gloves.
2) Do not expect Venice Turpentine to be workable in any way whatsoever in cold weather. I could not even open the jar without soaking it in H-O-T water first.
3) Once the jar is open, do not spill it. And if you spill it, wipe it up while wearing gloves (see Rule #1).
4) Do not apply Venice Turpentine while your horse is out of his stall. Apply Venice Turpentine when your horse is in his stall so the shavings can coat the bottom of his foot. Contrary to what you read online, the paper of a feed bag does not stick to your horse’s foot once Venice Turpentine has been applied to the sole.
5) Do not expect the brush included in the jar to do a very good job applying the product. A toothbrush or hoof brush will work better.
Turpentine Dos:
1) If you get Venice Turpentine all over your hands, apply Corona Ointment to keep your hands smooth instead of sticky.
2) Tie up your horse’s tail so the tail does not get sticky.
3) Have a plastic freezer bag ready for the Venice Turpentine jar when you are finished.
4) Do apply Venice Turpentine as the last task in your grooming ritual.
After all that, does it work? I have no clue. I put it on Wizard’s feet after I rode. Let’s hope it’s worth the aggravation.
ANYWAY, back to my ride…
I turned Wizard out in the arena to let him stretch his legs. He was quite appreciative of the playtime, especially since he’s been getting less turnout time with all the funky weather this week.
After Wizard played for about 10 or 15 minutes, I tacked him up and longed him in saddle, bridle, and quarter sheet. Wizard handled the freedom of the longer longe line very nicely. I’ve begun introducing a tiny bit of canter work on the longe, mostly to help Wizard with balance and for a little variety. His canter is sort of floaty but VERY fast- I think it will be OK with some more work but right now, I cannot imagine riding him at a canter!
After 7-10 minutes of longeing, I hopped on and rode Wizard for about 10 minutes. We did just a little bit of trotting. Because he had not been ridden in a week and because he did not have enough turnout this week, he seemed quite excited just from the longeing and turnout in the arena. He was sweating more than usual so I took it easy. We did just a bit of trotting and mostly walked because I did not want him to get too sweaty in this chilly weather.
I untacked and gave him a good grooming. He’s already shedding! The quarter sheet, cooler, saddle pad, girth, everything is covered in hair. I rode Wizard in a Lettia Coolmax girth. I did not notice any difference from how he is with my Professional’s Choice girth or my leather girth.
I fed Wizard his Dengie, gave him warm water, and went home to get the Venice Turpentine off my hands :^P
Racehorses and Rock Lists! Sports Columnist Bill Finley’s Top 10 Albums of All Time
It’s tough being a horse racing fanatic. TVG is nice for seeing the actual races, but you have to suffer through awful commentary, not to mention commercials for ShamWow, the Snuggie and Mighty Putty. Horse racing trade publications, racing blogs, and forums provide news and opinions, but there are few people with the industry knowledge, scope, and experience to provide racing fans with real insight into the sport.
Bill Finley is one of the finest writers in horse racing. He speaks to handicappers, fans, and to members of the racing industry. I admire his unwavering dedication to the Sport of Kings, as well as his visionary ideas to improve it. Finley has the courage to buck popular thought about the racing industry and speak out about deep problems within the institution. He writes for the New York Times, USA Today, and ESPN, and in 2008, he published Betting Synthetic Surfaces, a book of in-depth research and analysis of what makes a winner on a synthetic track. He’s also a co-host of Down The Stretch, a racing program on Sirius Satellite Radio and has appeared in editions of ESPN’s SportsCentury.
Check out Bill’s thoughts on the 2008 Eclipse Awards, the unsung heroes of 2008, the legacy of Barbaro, a throwdown between Big Brown and Curlin, Eight Belles’ tragic demise, and some early 2009 Kentucky Derby picks (including Old Fashioned, pictured above with trainer Larry Jones).
… and check out Bill Finley’s Top Ten Albums of all time!
1. English Beat: I Just Can’t Stop It
2. The Clash: London Calling
3. The Clash: Sandinista!
4. The Who: Who’s Next
5. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
6. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
7. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA
8. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros: Rock Art and the X-Ray Style
9. The Smiths: Louder Than Bombs
10. Graham Parker: Squeezing Out Sparks
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 