Dear Readers
I’m finding my research on the races featured in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup “Win
and You’re In” Challenge Series, has morphed into something more than checking
out the winners. The racetracks, their architecture, and history are
fascinating.
I’m beginning to think I need to start working on a travel plan
that would encompass a grand tour of all the racetracks included in this
series.
Take the Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo located in Buenos Aires,
Argentina and built in 1876. Pictured are the viewing stands (Photo one) as it
looked before the current Beaux Arts tribune (Photo Two) was erected in 1908,
designed by Louis Faure-Dujarric. The Grandstand as it looks now (Photo Three)
and the saddling paddock (Photo 4).
I guess by now you might be asking yourself
if I am ever going to get around to the race results. The Clasico Belgrano ran
on June 21, 2013 and won in wire-to-wire fashion by the long shot Ever Rider, a
5 year old son of Rider Stripes and out of Alley Dancer.
Behind the number five
barricade, Ever Rider was wearing a bright yellow shadow roll, making it very
easy to keep track of him. He stood stock still in the gate, while others weren’t,
and was looking straight down the track when the gate opened. He left there
running and was never in trouble at any point during the race. Though there was
a nice charge made by the runner-up in the final strides, Ever Rider was
clearly the winner at the wire.
There was another horse in the race that
caught my attention, and I watched the replay to see if I could count how many times
he got into trouble. It was impossible to get an accurate count, other than to
say one time, because he never seemed to get out of trouble.
I
don’t think I’ve ever seen a race where I thought a horse was going to clip
heals and go down as much as Honor Charrua in the Clasico Belgrano. Lunging,
climbing over heels and changing lanes, only to end up climbing over heels yet again.
Honor Charrua was still in trouble coming down the lane for home.
I
don’t read Spanish, but I did find mention of this horse in a Google search,
and it did look like he may have won a race recently. If anybody can update me
on this horse, I would love to hear about it. It was a fifteen horse field and
there was a lot of crowding, but Honor Charrua with his rider wearing bright
red silks, was impossible not to notice. Check the race out on YouTube, and see
what I am talking about.
I
couldn’t help but worry about the back tendons on the horse’s he was climbing
over. I’ve seen horses come back after a race with severed tendons, caused by the
toe grabs on the horse that ran up on their heels during the race.
That’s
enough for today; I will post a book review tomorrow, so be sure and check back.
Take care,
Shelley
Riley
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