Tip of the hat : Ownership story

[Gallop58]

I read this story recently and thought it was worth a tip of the hat... From Cot Campbell's Dogwood podcasts:

http://www.dogwoodstable.com/podcast/po ... 00041&c=34

...."Several years ago, my wife Anne and I were killing time in our box at Saratoga as a $35,000 claiming race was about to be run. It was a very modest event by Saratoga standards, and since I am an infrequent bettor, definitely of minor interest to me.

Several minutes before the horses loaded in the gate for the mile and one-sixteenth race, three men rushed into the adjacent, empty box. It was not their box; they were just taking advantage of a spot from which to watch a race in which they obviously had particular interest. They were pleasant looking, middle-aged fellows, dressed casually, and a couple of them were drinking beer. But there was an intensity about them that indicated they were on a mission.

One of them muttered as the horses approached the gate, "All right, Edgar, now don't screw it up!" The situation aroused my interest. My detective instinct told me they had a horse in the race, and Edgar Prado must be the jockey. I looked on the program and deduced that the "seven horse" was theirs. She was a six-year-old gray mare, owned by the "Jersey Boys Stable." A quick look at the Racing Form told me that Polar Princess was one of those honest, hard-knocking, old campaigners that didn't have a lot of talent but consistently tried like hell. She was 12 to 1 on the tote board.

The boys remained standing in the box (often an easy tip-off to ownership in an upcoming race!) as the horses loaded in front of the stands thirty yards down to our left.

The break came, and as they went through the first turn, the gray Polar Princess was tucked in about eighth in the full field. She was nine lengths from the lead.

The gray-haired man in the windbreaker and floppy golf hat standing nearest us had his glasses trained on the mare, and he murmured, "That's the way, Momma!"

Down the backstretch the horse went in that same order. "Come on, Momma!" I heard him say. Now I'm getting wrapped up in this race!

Into the far turns now, and "Momma" is starting to pick it up a little. She's six lengths out of it, Edgar has her in the clear, and she's got running on her mind!

They're at the eighth pole now, and this gray mare is driving! She's three lengths out of it and closing like a freight train.

They're all yelling now. "Come on, Momma!!"

At the sixteenth pole this horse is head for the lead, and she's going to get there!

At this point a blood-curdling scream: "Goddamn, Momma! One time for the boys!"

One time for the boys. That's what it's all about.

This is Cot Campbell and this is my view."


Thought that was a good one that captures the great side of racing we don't discuss often enough...

KH

[majxmom]

Ha! I'd hate to have someone observing me during a stretch run. I'm probably hopping up and down and screwing my face into painful looking expressions.

Good to know the big guys still have some enthusiasm for the game.

[karenkarenn]

A couple months ago I spoke to Cot Campbell about purchasing a share in his Giacomo colt. But I was dismayed when he told me that he will be running in the East Coast and I wouldnt be able to see the horse run.
Cot Campbell, is the nicest person that I have Ever met in Horse Racing. If I ever see him, I would love to wrap my arms around him and squeeze tightly. He is a very wonderfull person

[Prairie]

I felt like I was there!! It brought a tear to my eye.


Great story---thanks for posting!