Live! From the Breeders' Cup! It's a Blog!

A couple of weeks ago, our favorite Average Horseplayer, David Ruben Jerry George Franklin Delano Bailey, announced to his fan club that he had secured himself media credentials for the Breeders' Cup on November 4th. He commented that he would be providing some good scoops and factual interviews with the integrity of a journalist. He then proceeded to to misquote an individual, Ray Paulick, who, in turn, pointed out this journalistic faux pas. Now I'm sure many of you are wondering, "Ray Paulick? Isn't he the dude who developed the Hepatitis A vaccine?" No, he is not the dude that developed the Hepatitis A vaccine, although that cannot be verified at this writing. Ray Paulick, is in fact, the editor-in-chief of the reputable The Blood-Horse magazine and I believe, as the editor, that does make him a journalist and also empowers him to correct misquotes and mistakes. And it is apparent that Mr. Paulick has not visited this blog because, as an editor, he would have pointed out the glaring error in my previous entry: The lyrics to the song is Funny Fish, not Friendly Fish. To all the pre-schoolers and pre-school teachers across our great nation, please accept my deepest apologies.

Anyway, back to my good friend Bailey and his coup. One thing I would love to see on his blog during the Breeders' Cup is some type of live blog. A few months back, he had encouraged me to do live blogging from Lone Star Park and admittedly, it sounded intriguing. So, one Saturday afternoon, I opted to try live blogging. However, I did not possess the most important tool for this endeavour: a laptop computer. Thus, I brought with me a spiral bound memo pad that I would use to document important events as the day unfolded at the track. And once I flipped through all the scribbled pages courtesy of some child that lives with me, I wrote down meticulous notes, which at this time, I shall share with you.

Saturday, July 8, 2006
Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie

2:47 p.m. Park car in section C2. Walk to grandstand. As I cross the parking lot, I observe my contractor's pick-up truck parked illegally in a fire lane. I make a mental note to myself that I am definitely paying this guy too much. And I hope that he gets a ticket.

3:17 p.m. Post time for the 5th race is in approximately 10 minutes. It is the Valor Farm Stakes. I'm very keen on the 3-year-old filly, Open Meadows. So is everyone else. I place an exacta box with Open Meadows and the Bret Calhoun trained Final Trick.

3:35 p.m. Open Meadows is the real deal and looks promising. Longshot second time filly, Stormy Light, had a late kick in the stretch and comes in second. I shred my exacta ticket and order a vodka tonic.

3:38 p.m. The doofus sitting next to me spills his beer on the floor. I am wearing new sandals. My feet and my sandals now smell like a brewery.

3:45 p.m. The doofus is very apologetic and purchases my vodka tonic. Nice gesture.

3:55 p.m. Post time for the 5th running of the Harold V. Goodman Memorial, a stakes race for Texas-bred 3-year-olds. I have bet on the Steve Assmussen exacta, Rain On Monday and Groovy Luck.

5:02 p.m. Wheee! I have been on a roll! Who in the heck cares about this live blogging stuff! I believe that I should get myself another vodka tonic. I should mention that this will be my third vodka tonic. And I also think that Vodka Tonic is a good name for a horse. When I get home I shall make some kind of effort to investigate if there is actually a horse named Vodka Tonic.

5:19 p.m. Texas Stallion Stakes. Watch out for the 2-year-old, Be a Resident. Very talented. Vodka tonic is quite tastey.

5:25 p.m. Be a Resident is in the winner's circle. I locate my cell phone and inform my husband that he needs to secure a babysitter because we are going out to dinner tonight. I also inquire if we have any vodka on-hand at the house.

5:27 p.m. Read over my so-called "live blog" and determine that it is not very interesting or insightful. I conclude that this is an activity that I should discontinue.

Thus, I was disappointed in my attempt at the live blog. However, I shall look forward to the Breeders' Cup as I know that David Ruben Jerry Janis Joplin Bailey will provide us with some great blogs from Churchill Downs, just as long as he plugs in his laptop and stays away from vodka tonics.