GOOD AFTERNOON & WELCOME TO GULFSTREAM PARK
WHERE THE HORSES ARE EXCEPTIONAL
BUT THE WEATHER IS NOT
OLE MOTHER NATURE WOKE UP
ON WRONG SIDE OF THE MOON
AND .......... IF YA LOOK AROUND
'AIN'T NO SUNSHINE' TO BE FOUND
THE TURF IS SOAKED
THE AIR IS FOGGY
AND AS FOR DIRT
IT TOO IS SOGGY {Me thinks this would be called....Mud} :lmao:
THE HORSES ARE ENTERING THE TRACK
FOR OUR MAIN EVENT ----
"RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN ON MY HEAD" STAKES
TO BE RUN IN THE SLOP
THIS MAY PROVE TO BE AN ADVANTAGE TO THE 'MUDDERS'
AND A NIGHTMARE FOR THE OTHERS
DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WE HAVE HAD
A SCRATCH OF CIGARSHOP WHO WILL RETURN TO
RUN IN BETTER CONDITIONS
EVERYONE IS LOADED AND WAITING FOR JOHN HENRY
TO SETTLE DOWN AS HE IS QUITE FRISKY
AND REFUSING TO ENTER THE GATE ---- AGAIN
HE ACTED THIS WAY IN HIS LAST RACE BUT WHEN
EXAMINED LATER ON, NOTHING WAS FOUND
HERE COMES THE PEPPERMINTS AND BLINDFOLD
TO ENCOURAGE THE BIG BOY TO BE A GOOD BOY
NOW WE ARE FINALLY READY TO RUN
RAINDROPS -FOG & NOWHERE IS SUN
'AND........ AWAAAAAAAAAAAAY THEY GO'
OUT FOR THE EARLY LEAD IS RUFFIAN
REAL QUIET AND TIGER DANCER COMPLETE THE TRIO
WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM THE REST
BY ABOUT 10 LENGTHS
BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO THE WIRE
AND ANYTHING CAN CHANGE --- AND OFTEN DOES
--- HEADING OUT OF THE TURN ---
RUFFIAN HAS LET HER INNER CHEETAH OUT EARLY
TAKING TOTAL COMMAND OF THE RACE BY AT
LEAST 15 + LENGTHS ---
....... A FILLY ON FIRE IF SHE DOESN'T TIRE
TIGER DANCER IS ROARING ALSO AND IS NOW 2nd
ABOUT 7 LENGTHS BEHIND THE 'CHEETAH'
BLUNNY SUDDENLY FOUND HIS BEST STRIDE AND IS
TRAILING TIGER DANCER BY 5 LENGTHS
REAL QUIET AND CATALINA ARE NEXT AFTER A
MINOR BUMPING INCIDENT ON THE TURN WHEN
CATALINA VEERED SHARPLY INTO REAL QUIET
WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN OBJECTION LATER ON
AND FAR BACK RUNNING IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE
A SEPARATE RACE AT THIS MOMENT ARE:
DUSTY TRYING TO REPEAT
PEEPTOAD --- POST TIME MIKE --- CRIMINAL TYPE
AND JOHN HENRY WHO STALLED WHEN THE GATE OPENED
-- THEY'RE AT THE TOP OF THE STRETCH --
RUFFIAN VERY MUCH IN COMMAND AND SHOWING
NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN AS HER INNER CHEETAH
IS LIVING UP TO THAT REPUTATION OF SPEED
TIGER DANCER BEGINNING TO LOOK LEG WEARY NOW
SUDDENLY THERE IS MIGHTY ROAR FROM THE CROWD
WHO ARE UP ON THEIR FEET TRYING TO HOLD THEIR
UMBRELLAS STEADY WITHOUT INJURING SOMEONE
THEY SOUND LIKE A WILD TROUPE OF BANSHEES
AND THE REASON FOR IT IS THAT SUDDENLY ----
PEEPTOAD AWAKENED FROM HER SLUMBER
WHERE SHE HAD APPEARED LIKE SLEEPING BEAUTY
FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE RACE
THE FILLY IS FIRING LIKE A ROCKET NOW
PASSING ONE AFTER ANOTHER FROM AT LEAST
20 LENGTHS BACK
AND IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH EXCITEMENT TO
CAUSE THE ROAR FROM THE CROWD ---
BLUNNY TOO IS MOVING LIKE A METEOR
THESE 2 HAVE NOW PASSED EVERYONE
EXCEPT RUFFIAN WHO MAY BE TOO FAST TO CATCH
-- AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME --
RUFFIAN IN TOTAL COMMAND OF THE LEAD
PEEPTOAD & BLUNNY IN A FIERCE BATTLE
SIDE BY SIDE ---- STRIDE FOR STRIDE
A WHISKER SEPARATES THESE TWO
TIGER DANCER STILL IN IT -- IS RUNNING FOURTH
POST TIME MIKE AND DUSTY ALSO LOCKED
IN A BATTLE OF THEIR OWN
REAL QUIET & CATALINA STILL BUMPING LIKE TWO
KIDS ON A PLAYGROUND EACH SAYING 'I'M THE BOSS'
CRIMINAL TYPE WOKE UP FINALLY WITH A BIG MOVE AT
THE TOP OF THE STRETCH BUT TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
AND BEING EASED WAY FAR BACK IS JOHN HENRY
THE WIRE IS JUST AHEAD AND ANOTHER ROAR HAS
COME FROM THE STANDS AS RUFFIAN HAS LET HER
''KEY TO POWER'' --- AKA --> INNER CHEETAH
TURN INTO PEGASUS EXTENDING HER LEAD EVEN MORE
BUT HOLD ON FOLKS ----
IT AIN'T OVER TILL THE STOUT LADY SINGS OR WHINNIES
PEEPTOAD & BLUNNY ARE MOVING LIKE TWIN JET ENGINES
AND ARE QUICKLY DIMINISHING RUFFIAN'S LEAD
THE CROWD IS GOING WILD NOW AS WHAT SEEMED
LIKE AN INSURMOUNTABLE LEAD ....
HAS TURNED INTO A GENUINE CHALLENGE FOR THE WIN
BUT RUFFIAN IS HAVING NONE OF IT AND DETERMINED
TO FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE HAS DONE JUST THAT
SHE WILL CLEARLY CELEBRATE IN THE WINNER CIRCLE
BUT THE PLACE & SHOW MONEY MUST BE DECIDED
IN A VERY TIGHT PHOTO FINISH
LIGHTS ARE FLASHING WITH OBJECTIONS
STEWARDS ARE EXAMINING THE REPLAY
JUST A WHISKER SEPARATES PEEPTOAD & BLUNNY
WITH SOME INTERFERENCE NEARING THE WIRE
AND NOW THE TOTE BOARD HAS STOPPED FLASHING
$$-OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH & PRICES-$$
1st ~ RUFFIAN ======== $111.60
2nd ~ PEEPTOAD ======= $105.40
3rd ~ BLUNNY ========= $103.80
4th ~ TIGER DANCER ======= $71.20
-- HOLDS ON TO STEAL THE PRECIOUS --
=== ALSO RAN ===
POST TIME MIKE =========== $66.60
(THE DEVIL MADE HIM DO IT!)
DUSTY (DC) ============== $65.80
REAL QUIET ============== $53.80
CATALINA =============== $49.80
(Proved to be 2nd best in Bumping Challenge)
CRIMINAL TYPE ============ $39.00
JOHN HENRY ============== $8.20
(Vanned off for examination at the barn)
THEN ON TO THE DOG HOUSE!!!
Nothing like a hot tub to soak these bones
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WE NOW BID YOU A GOOD EVENING
AND A SAFE - SOBER - NON TEXTING DRIVE HOME
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