Today, Fernando came to trim all of the horses.  I love Fernando (he’s so good and funny and helpful and smart…) and the horses do, too.

*As you all probably know, California has a very hot real estate market right now, especially where we live.  So, lots of people are selling their homes and second/rental homes.  Sadly, Fernando’s landlord is selling the home he and his family have lived in for 7 years.  Fernando needs a modest 3bdrm/2bath rental for his family…

**IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE who has a modest rental in the Central Coast of CA (from Santa Maria up to Bradley) please let me know.  There are very few rentals out there.  And, Fernando is the best.

PHOTOJOURNAL

Norma was first to come up to the halter. I am sure she just wanted to “get it over with”. It is so unusual but the last 2 shedding seasons, Norma has not shed normally. Instead, her hair becomes tangled tufts that I have to cut out. I think it has to do with having more hair (donkeys don’t get Cushings but she has symptoms) during the winter.  At 29, she’s still perky and engaged but she is starting to have old lady ills!

Ethel Merdonk has to be bribed… but at least she is getting much better about her feet.

We got to chatting and I forgot to take a pic of Gwen. Here she is afterwards… she was 27 on April 23rd.

BG was a champ. Fernando cut off her elbow corns. She looks much prettier.

Wrigley, perpetually skinny and high strung, is getting much much better as he matures. I had to look at his papers because I couldn’t believe it myself when I did the math. On April 30th, he turned 14. Wow.

Here’s Finn, approaching to intimidate Wrigley out of his food. I had to act quickly. (Wrigley is really a redhead. His hair is RED in the sun.)

Finn got his special hay and Missy Miss was in the back, ruining the trough water by dunking hers.

This was her turn. MM’s blondie locks are starting to come out this summer.

Mo needed to inspect everything.

Afterwards, Fernando was showing me a picture of his daughter at prom while all the horses gathered around. They act like they hate getting their feet done, but it is all horseplay!  (Finn in the back, Wrigley with his head up and Missy Miss at the hoof stand.)

MAY BUCKET FUND!: LAST CHANCE CORRAL abandoned nurse mare FOALS!   Read the story here.   We have reached our goal!  Please Click here to donate!  All donations are 100% tax deductible.  Thank you in advance!

Click here for the KEEP THEM OFF OF THE TRUCK donation fund!

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Here is my disclaimer:  Yes, I despise many of the rife shadow industries of the racing business (drugs, nursemare foals…)… but, I love the ‘against all odds’, ‘come from behind’, hardluck stories that make hearts soar – like Secretariat and Sea Biscuit and and… now Rich Strike.

This owner, trainer and rider don’t seem to have the wherewithall to be in the big leagues with the big players doing all the things… maybe they are, I don’t know.  But I do know there were no nurse mare foals on this foal’s dam since she was sent to auction after he was weaned…

So, for me, I see this story like the stories of old.  The last ditch effort with the last dime on the low rung ladder of minor success, comes this incredible WIN from a very unlikely team.

I cried when I watched the replay.

Major breeding farm, Calumet- winner of 8 derbies- breeds 16 year old Canadian race champion mare to their stud Keen Ice, the only horse to beat American Pharaoh. $7,500 stud fee. (After foaling the colt, Calumet dumped the mare at auction for $1,700 due to poor production value). The colt gets raced 2 years later. He comes in dead last. Calumet cuts their losses and put him in a $30,000 maiden-claiming race at Churchill Downs. Semi retired Oklahoman oil man claims the colt after failing to claim another horse- saying this is his last attempt in the disheartening race industry. The colt wins that claim race by 17 lengths. They race him again- in his last five races, he finishes third twice, fourth once and fifth once. Fast forward to May 6 his 3 year old year. D Wayne Lukas scratches his Kentucky Derby entry. The colt takes his place 30 seconds before the entry deadline on Friday. This is the first Kentucky Derby entry for the colts owner, trainer and jockey. The Venezuelan jockey is 83rd in earnings in North America for 2021 and has never won a major event. He draws the number 21 position in the gate. His odds are 80 to 1, the 2nd longest odds in Derby history. The colt comes from far behind, weaving his way through horses on the inside to win the Kentucky Derby in a shocking upset. The colts name is Rich Strike.

CLICK THIS LINK to watch the Kentucky Derby run and win with Rich Strike.

click image to watch video

AN OVERHEAD VIEW WITH MARKERS – SO YOU CAN WATCH HIS MOVES!

I watched this video, too… showing the race from overhead.  Here, you can see exactly how Rich Strike moved through the crowd.

Click to watch video

AS FAR AS THE ‘ATTACK’ ON THE OUTRIDER…

This video says exactly what I would have said…

(PS:  I now know why he wears a bit chain on his halter… – see photo above).

Click to watch video

MY OPINION

IMHO, Yes, I don’t like many, many (most) aspects of horse racing.  But, I do have to give it to this young, amazing horse.  He ran a phenomenal race – without all the bells and whistles provided to other more well-heeled horses from larger barns.  In this day and age, Rich Strike is probably the closest we will come to a pure winner.

MAY BUCKET FUND!: LAST CHANCE CORRAL abandoned nurse mare FOALS!   Read the story here.   We have reached our goal!  Please Click here to donate!  All donations are 100% tax deductible.  Thank you in advance!

Click here for the KEEP THEM OFF OF THE TRUCK donation fund!

Please choose HORSE AND MAN, INC when you shop via Amazon Smile through this link.



Your purchase with Riding Warehouse through this link helps the Bucket Fund!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth... if you like this, please pass it around!