WHERE WE ARE AT THE FAIR GROUNDS FOR RISEN-STAR DAY
OUR FEATURE EVENT WILL BE > ''CHINESE NEW YEAR'' STAKES
THIS YEAR, THEIR ANIMAL REPRESENTATIVE: THE DOG
WE HAVE A FINE FIELD OF 11 AS 10 OF THOSE WILL BE TRYING
TO STOP REAL QUIET FROM ADDING HIS NAME TO THE RECORD BOOK
HE WILL BE RUNNING FOR THAT ELUSIVE 3-PEAT (3-PETE) GLORY
(*OR ~ A FROSTED WHISKER)
10 ARE IN THE GATE PATIENTLY WAITING FOR DUSTY TO DECIDE
SHE IS GONNA GO IN! HERE COMES THE PEPPERMINTS TO BRIBE HER
YES INDEED ~ THAT WORKED & WE ARE READY TO RUN
AND THEY'RE OFF IN THE ''CHINESE NEW YEAR'' STAKES
EVERYONE AWAY IN GOOD ORDER EXCEPT FOR DUSTY WHO STALLED
SHE WILL HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO MAKE UP
OUT FOR A SHORT EARLY LEAD ARE CRUZAN & CATALINA
FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY REAL QUIET ~ THUNDER CAT & TIGER DANCER
IT'S A TIGHTLY BUNCHED GROUP HEADING INTO THE TURN
AS PEEPTOAD & BLUNNY JOIN THE FRONT RUNNING FIVE
NOT SHOWING SPEED YET IS A TURTLE-TRIO OF:
RUFFIAN ~ CIGARSHOP ~ POST TIME MIKE & DUSTY
===== OUT OF THE TURN THEY COME =====
THINGS HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED AS IT IS NOW BLUNNY
LEADING THE WAY FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY REAL QUIET
CATALINA & PEEPTOAD TOGETHER RIGHT THERE ARE NEXT
IT'S A FEW LENGTHS BACK TO
THUNDER CAT ~ POST TIME MIKE & CIGARSHOP
TRAILING THE FIELD ARE
RUFFIAN ~ CRUZAN ~ TIGER DANCER & DUSTY
===== THEY'RE AT THE TOP OF THE STRETCH =====
THE ''ENERGIZER-BLUNNY'' SURE HAS HIS BATTERIES CHARGED
TODAY AS HE INCREASES HIS LEAD OVER REAL QUIET WHO SEES
HIS 3-PEAT CHANCES QUICKLY DISSOLVING
CATALINA PICKING UP HER SPEED IS NOW RIGHT AT REAL QUIET'S TAIL
IT'S ABOUT 5 LENGTHS BACK TO
THUNDER CAT ~ POST TIME MIKE AND PEEPTOAD
RUFFIAN IS NEXT BUT NO 'INNER CHEETAH' IN SIGHT
CIGARSHOP & TIGER DANCER DOING A SNAIL SAMBA ARE NEXT
CRUZAN IS MEANDERING ALONG WITH THAT DUO
AND WAY FAR BACK IS DUSTY WHO NOT ONLY STALLED WHEN
HER GATE OPENED ~ SHE THEN ALMOST WENT TO HER KNEES
AS SHE CAME OUT ~ A TROUBLED TRIP FOR THIS FILLY TODAY
====== DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME =====
BLUNNY HAVING EVERYTHING GOING HIS WAY IN TOTAL COMMAND
REAL QUIET WITH A 3-PEAT ON THE LINE IS ALL OUT TRYING TO
CATCH THE RUNAWAY 'ENERGIZER-BLUNNY' ~ BUT NOT GAINING
CATALINA RIGHT THERE WITH REAL QUIET
IT'S A LONG WAY BACK TO THE REST
SUDDENLY A HUGE ROAR FROM THE CROWD HAS EVERYONE
UP ON THEIR FEET AS A BLURR IS MOVING UP THE RAIL FROM THE CLOUDS PASSING ALL IN THE WAY AT RECORD BREAKING FRACTIONS
WHO CAN IT BE? TIGER DANCER? RUFFIAN ? NOT DUSTY?
NO NO AND NO IS THE ANSWER!
IT IS CRUZAN FROM ANOTHER TIME ZONE PASSING ONE AFTER ANOTHER
AND NOW WITH THE WIRE JUST AHEAD HAS ZOOMED RIGHT ON BY
CATALINA, REAL QUIET ....... AND NOW EVEN BLUNNY AS THIS COLT
HAS GONE INTO 'WARP SPEED' CROSSING THE WIRE FIRST!
ONE OF THE MOST BREATHTAKING DISPLAYS OF DETERMINATION
AND PROFOUND POWER WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR THIS YEAR!
JUST THINK BACK TO ZENYATTA'S RACES WHEN THERE WAS NO WAY
SHE WOULD EVER COME FROM THAT FAR BACK TO WIN ~ YET SHE DID
THAT IS WHAT CRUZAN HAS JUST DONE ~ THE 'IMPOSSIBLE'
A STUNNED BLUNNY HAS A SHOCKED LOOK ON HIS FACE
WHEN VICTORY ALMOST SEEMED A 'SURE THING'
BUT IN HORSE RACING ~ IT AIN'T OVER TILL THAT STOUT LADY SINGS
AND TODAY SHE IS IN VORACIOUS VOICE FOR THIS COLT
REAL QUIET HOLDS ON FOR THE SHOW SPOT & A FROSTED WHISKER
CATALINA STEALS THE PRECIOUS
========== OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH ============
CRUZAN = $100.20
*Record Book Performance!
*Plus A 'Yo-Yo-Dude' Award == From Dog House To Penthouse!
*And ~ It IS The Year Of The DOG (Omen?)
BLUNNY = $76.30
*A Winning Run On Any Other Day!
(DC) REAL QUIET = $65.10
*Good Effort: No 3-Peat / 3-Pete But Will Get A Frosted Whisker Award
CATALINA = $64.20
*Strong Fractions Gate To Wire & Steals The Precious
*Excellent Return After A Lay-Off
====== ALSO RAN ======
THUNDER CAT = $54.40
POST TIME MIKE = $44.20
PEEPTOAD = $42.40
RUFFIAN = $38.20
*That Cajun 'Catnip' Did Her In!
CIGARSHOP = $33.70
*Got His 'Wish' To NOT Be In 4th!
TIGER DANCER $31.20
DUSTY = $2.40
*Eased In The Stretch, But Walked Off Appearing To Be OK
Will be checked over back at the barn to be sure
WE NOW BID YOU A GOOD EVENING FROM CAJUN COUNTRY
HAVE A SAFE, SOBER, NON-TEXTING DRIVE HOME
NO PHONE CALL IS WORTH A LIFE!
