Stay Alert--Please stay alert!

Stay Alert is running tomorrow, Friday, January 29. If he stays alert, he just may hit the board. If he decides he only wants to run 4 furlongs--and the jockey is unsuccessful in convincing him otherwise, darn. While no one has reported any applicable dreams and I've not received any pertinent "lucky" e-mails, I intend to do my part--wear matching earrings. If he hits the board, I'll update this blog by Monday noon. To read the facts, commentary about the race--and additional musings/whinings from me--go to the website, http://www.equinebusiness.biz under the news tab.

Since this blog is supposed to be about what it is like to be writing a book about owning horses, I should ask: Did you know I was writing a book? Apparently not everyone who reads my Horse Alerts (which you can find on the website) knows this, notwithstanding I mention it in almost every Alert e-mail. So, while it was nice to hear that someone enjoyed reading about my horses--right after that someone asked that I stop sending them Alerts, when that someone suggested I write a book, it called into question just how closely they had read anything I had written. Yes, I am obsessing over this. I'm thinking I would get over it if Stay Alert would stay alert!

BAt gets a capital A!

BAt came in second Friday night--so I'll start capitalizing his letter A. And he almost got a capital t. He was way, way behind--and then, after going 8 wide at the top of the stretch--to get around all those horse in front of him--he missed first place by one-half length. Gut wrenching--and exhilarating all at the same time. This is far more fun than last or 5th or even 3rd. And the fact that he has now paid his expenses for a month doesn't hurt either! For full details, go to the web, http://www.equinebusiness.biz. If we keep this up, just maybe my book will have a happy ending after all!

It's 2010--Go Bat!

Bat is running tomorrow at Penn National. None of the horses appear to be destined for greatness, but even at this level, someone has to win. Therefore, in keeping with my new-found optimism, I think he has an excellent chance of hitting the board, perhaps even winning. If he does, I'll go back to capitalizing all the letters in his name again. All of the omens seem to be in order, including wild dreams and money-bags e-mails. For full details, go to http://www.equinebusiness.biz/ and look under the New tab. If we hit the board, I'll let you know. If I haven't updated this post by noon Monday, don't ask!

Here's To a Better 2010

Stay Alert came in third on Saturday—not worthy of an exclamation point, but way better than a “boo, hiss.” To read more about Stay Alert and even Bat, go to our website, www.equinebusiness.biz, (yes, that's a plug) and look under the news tab. And while the news isn't good enough to end my book, I will happily start page 171. I'm thinking it will be fun to write about stuff other than food posioning and second-last place finishes. Now, if I only knew if anyone ever reads these!

Closing the door on 2009

Yes, we are still in the business; yes, horses have run and Bat actually came in third a couple of weeks ago. It was in a $5,000 claiming race, but at least I can say we hit the board in 2009. Stay Alert has disappointed us twice, falling dramatically from grace. I haven’t updated this blog because I had grown weary of making fun of my horses, and more importantly, was afraid you had grown weary reading about underperforming horses. But, tomorrow is the start of a new year—and if I’m not optimistic, who will be?!! So, here is the scoop: Stay Alert is running Saturday, January 2, 2010, in a low level claiming race. The particulars hardly matter. What matters is, I think we have paid our "bad luck" dues in full during 2009, leaving open the possibility that 2010 is going to be a whale of a year. And if I'm right about this, there'll be a new post on Monday! If you want to read more, go to our website, http://www.equinebusiness.biz and send me your e-mail. I'll send you a copy of my diary entry for December 31.

I've learned some things over the past few days: Watching your horse come in 5th on a big screen TV isn't better than watching him come in 5th on a little TV. Actually, I think it is worse. So, tomorrow, we're going to go watch Stay Alert run in person at Churchill Downs. Stay Alert is our gray two year old. We hope running a gray on Friday the 13th is the antidote for the broken mirror bad luck hex. We clearly think he is our best hope of using that picture frame that is still unopened. If you want to know more, you can read my horse alert on the website: www.equinebusiness.biz.

Also, I've learned that if I want to do a shameless plug for my son's blog, it helps to get the address right. I've corrected it in my earlier blog--and here: http://itaintmobydick.blogspot.com And no, he doesn't write about horses.

With luck, I'll need you to go out to my Facebook page to see us in the Winner's Circle. And I'll get to Twitter about winning. That would be a new experience for me. I think it is time!

The Breeders Cup will come and go without any of our horses. In fact, all my picture frames are still in their original packaging. Cape Town Bay came in 5th, claiming he could have won it if the track hadn't been muddy. We can now add mud to the long list of things the Bay doesn't like. But, because hope springs eternal, BAT is going to try and claim the picture frame this Sunday. And with more luck than what we had this week, Stay Alert will be running next week. To learn more about any of this, you can go read the Horse Alert at http://www.equinebusiness.biz/. Our cool news is, we entered the 21st century and bought a flat screen TV. So while our horses may be slow, if we are watching them at home on television, by gum, I can see them. And the book continues to grow, fueled more by horse issues than nonhorse issues. That's a good thing. I continue to have no idea if there are more than 14 people who read this blog, but out of gratitutde to you, I'll keep putting stuff out here.

By the way, you might try http://itaintmobydick.blogspot.com/. Yes, that's my son--but he is funny!