Colors of the Mind

re: Colors of the Mind

Linda Stephan — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:23:56 GMT

Sorry, Steve - I never realized you came to racing later in your life - should have, from the story. I just get defensive since some seem to dismiss Kelso since he wasn't a sire and he meant so much to me at an important time in my life.

re: Colors of the Mind

Dr Drunkinbum — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:32:54 GMT

Uncle Smiley

I think that's exactly what they all said, "This ain't no library kid." That's when you have to decide which ones to buy and be on your way.

Steve

Baseball cards is where I learned, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Looking for Snider, Mantle, and Mays and you keep getting duplicate, triplicate, and quadruple scrubs, and those damn checklists, and chewing more gum and getting more cavities.

Ranag

I have no doubt that Frankel will get 10f and beat the best. He's a superstar. I don't need to wait.

re: Colors of the Mind

Alex'sBigFan — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:19:56 GMT

Good article about Hansen too Steve. Dr. Hansen doesn't have to stay out of the limelight. He was great for marketing and had innovative thinking outside the box, all except for the blue tail episodes. I thought Hansen would be more suited for the King's Bishop and Haskell rather than the Travers but I'm not an expert. Just kind of feel he is going to get beaten with his running style in the Travers. Maybe the Travers will be a showdown between Rags and Hansen again. Bode and Hansen in the Haskell would be great too. I cannot even think BC Classic yet as some articles are doing, I just want to really enjoy and savor the summer races first.

re: Colors of the Mind

Ranagulzion — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:14:10 GMT

Dr Drunkinbum,

Frankel is special no doubt but he hasn't faced a true test. Beating up on Excelebration isn't convincing enough. Lets see him stretch out to ten Furlongs against some colts that will test his mettle (perhaps?) before tagging him with the all time great status.

re: Colors of the Mind

The Deacon — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:44:44 GMT

Dr. D: I am speechless!!!

re: Colors of the Mind

Redhorse — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:53:06 GMT

When I grew up I had no good access to racing aside from the Black Stallion series and the seasonal articles in Sports Illustrated. It is so fun to have access to this sport thru the internet. My daughter (age 11) reads BloodHorse.com multiple times a day and I sneak it in, too. We love your blog - can't get enough!

re: Colors of the Mind

Uncle Smiley — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:06:18 GMT

The big candy store lives yet for racing fans at Del Park where so many races provide two nickle superfectas.

Dr. DB, did your candy store owner yell at you, "This aint no liberry!" if you spent too much time perusing the comic books?

Mine did, that is why I am stuck doing ten cent superfectas!

re: Colors of the Mind

Alex'sBigFan — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:56:55 GMT

I took the advice of Linda in Texas and reread these posts, such wonderful, memorable stories here. Horseracing college at it's best.

I guess I'm around Pletcher's age so I am a relative neophyte compared to most here. So hearing and learning about these great runners of the past is intriguing and great for me.

I don't know what it is that binds us all so much to this sport. It's so majestic and mystical. Sometimes when I am standing at a track, especially Belmont Park, and the horses come out of the gate and round the clubhouse turn, it all takes on a magical appearance for me for an instant, the colorful silks of all the owners make it look like a carousel is going around, especially when they are on the backstretch and all you can see are the bobbing heads and jackets of the jockeys. Then the oval is almost like a giant roulette wheel, which number is coming in. Then they round the far turn and your heart is going at breakneck speed with them. It's an amazing feeling.

And some mentioned Ruffian. I think of her always when at Belmont as I did this year as that is her final resting place. She is buried in the infield. Something connects me to her too and I was a kid when she ran and never saw her. She became for me the "Black Beauty" I read about as a child and the porcelain bay colt with the white diamond on his head they bought me as a child I swear represented Afleet Alex in later years. And I am definitely connected to the great Zenyatta for sure.

This Frankel is amazing. I love Black Caviar. I was watching an international news show and they showed Black Caviar loading in some kind of a special chamber on a plane. I'm still grieving the loss of my father and the loss of IHA in this Triple attempt so all I can say is bring on this Haskell and hope Baffert and Bode come!

re: Colors of the Mind

Slew — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:40:35 GMT

Dr D: Frankel was outstanding, and those were top of their class horses he trounced. Excelebration was hung out to dry, and he's no slouch...just has never gotten by Frankel.

But in the Ascot Stakes (2.5m) one horse simply took my breath away...Al Khawaneej. The caller said, "..and the big horse, Al Khawaneej is last to load...if they can fit him in the gate.." Shades of Rock Hard Ten...sired by Arch out of an Acatenango mare. What a handsome stud he is. Wish he had won...just started his run a bit late for 2nd. Sometimes these horses pass across the screen, and I'm afraid I'm drooling. It's a case of.."I wish that horse were mine.."

re: Colors of the Mind

longtimeracingfan — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:24:17 GMT

Here's another little tidbit re: Kelso... his sire Your Host broke his leg (that was back when a broken leg usually was the death knell) --- but he was saved for stud duty, and one of the vets who helped save him was Johnny Walker DVM who was a neighbor of ours there in the San Fernando Valley when I was 11-12 or so... and HIS son Jonny was one of my playmates. Just my little connection with Your Host... a VERY little one! ...but he was always one of my favorites.

re: Colors of the Mind

longtimeracingfan — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:16:25 GMT

As Dr. D said, the performance put on by Frankel was absolutely stunning. He gave the term "turn of foot" a new meaning... the way he accelerated and just moved away from the field at will. I heard that Timeform had given him a rating of 147, higher even than Sea-Bird's 145 of many years ago.

I'm not sure he beat the very best but he sure did leave that field far in his wake.

Waht a privilege to have seen him, even if only on TV!!!

re: Colors of the Mind

Steve Haskin — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:39:22 GMT

Dr. D, sounds like we had the exact same childhood. Nickels were so huge back then. But oh those checklists.

re: Colors of the Mind

Dr Drunkinbum — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:31:30 GMT

In the 50's I often took my 25 cents allowance to the candy store to buy five packs of baseball cards and cram all of the gum into my mouth and chew it all at once, then see how big of a bubble I could blow until it exploded, wipe it off of my face and hair, shove it back into my mouth and blow another bubble. I did that over and over until the gum and my mouth didn't seem to work anymore.

re: Colors of the Mind

Dr Drunkinbum — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:07:05 GMT

Frankel is unbelievable and has to be one of the greatest of all time. Watching his Royal Ascot win brought the same kind of emotions I get from Secretariat's Belmont. I've been decomposing but Frankel's race energized me.

re: Colors of the Mind

Paula Higgins — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 03:39:21 GMT

I wish someone would write a book about Zenyatta, hint, hint. As Bill Nack knew Secretariat, Steve Haskin knows Zenyatta.

re: Colors of the Mind

Racingfan — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 01:31:11 GMT

Steve, just ordered your Kelso book (and also the Talkin Horses book). I didn't realize you had written for the Thoroughbred Legend series - I have several of them already. Can't wait to read it! I know about Kelso (still have the Breyer model I got as a kid) but not all the wonderful details so I am looking forward to it. Just for curiosity if I may ask, what made you decide to write about him and not one of your favorites?

re: Colors of the Mind

Uncle Smiley — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 01:25:29 GMT

Steve

Finished John Henry, now enjoying Tales of the Triple Crown.

Looking foward to reading the one about Baffert.

Ardently hope you got a few more in you!

If you can pen them, i'll read 'em!

re: Colors of the Mind

The Deacon — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:20:25 GMT

Linda Stephan: I wish to add some help regarding Kelso, although I was young I remember him well.

He was Horse of the Year 5 times, 1960-1964. He raced 63 times and won 39 races. He is considered the greatest gelding who ever raced and is rated in the top 10 of all time greatest thoroughbreds.

He was foaled by Claiborne Ffarms in 1957, he was by Santa Anita Derby winner Your Host and his dam was Maid of Flight whose sire was Triple Crown winner Count Fleet.

He raced against the best during that 5 year span. He beat the likes of T.V. Lark, Mongo, Careless John, Tompiom, Carry Back, Beau Purple Gun Bow, Roman Brother and Belmont Stakes winner Quadrangle. Quadrangle beat Northern Dancer (arguebly the greatest sire ever)and Hill Rise in the Belmont Stakes. He ran against so many good horses, way too many to name here.

Steve is right, Kelso was before his time. I have read many books written by Mr. Haskin and Damascus was the horse who really got him started. Kelso is also considered the greatest iron horse of all time, he set the stage for the John Henry's and Lava Man's of racing, among so many others.

Hope this helps......

re: Colors of the Mind

Matt Helm — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:48:00 GMT

Steve,When is next book?You have so much great inside juice,It actually might could be several books.

re: Colors of the Mind

an ole railbird — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:15:29 GMT

steve "ole boy", this story is off subject of this particular blog'. so use it as you see fit. it is a story that i wrote from my memory. i ways an understudy ( in search of a word) to 2 different men who were ex employees of rex ellsworth & mesh tenny. this 1 is the 1st in my memory. the point i would like to sell. is that they werent actually abusers of horses. their methods were different than the more traditional east coast trainers , out of necessity.

It was a big day in a 11 year old boys life,when he gets to meet a brother of a Kentuckey Derby winner. It was a year after Swaps had ran in the Triple Crown. In a Texas country town on the edge of the Edward Plateau, there was a bad drought on and there was little time or place for luxuries. The most modern thing available was a new electrice radiio. It allowed us the news, weather forecast,Fibber McGee & Molly, Amos & Andy, to name a few,and sports. Texas had no professional team sport franchises. Boxing & Horse Raceing were what came over the air waves. My Daddy being cursed with an early illness that limited his ability to make a living as a cowboy. To make ends meet my mother was the telephone operator and the switch board was in our living room. To an 11 year old who spent most of the summers riding horses, the best news since the Korean War was over, came when Uncle Howard called from some where in southern Missouri. He was transporting a horse from Kentucky to Arizona, for Rex Ellsworth & Mesh Tenny. He was coming through town & was going to lay over for a few days. Uncle Howard??Uncle Howard was my Mothers great great uncle on her Mothers side & my Mother was his only living kin. He was a bachelor by his own design, he had the same girlfriend for 22 years. He ran on black coffee & apples. A set down meal on Saturday & Sunday and an egg sandwich 2 or 3 times a week. That was all he ate. He was cowboy to the core. When asked for his pants size, he always answered "29 in the waist & all the leg they will give me, I never had any that were too long'.According to Uncle Howard," it was just a matter of time until Rex Ellsworth & Mesh Tenny would take over horse racing completely, and then would probably take up politics, and no telling where they will stop." He was what he was and he was very good at it. His bi-annual visits to our house, always ended with us having a full pantry when he left. Uncle Howaard had been picked for the job to transport this horse cross country because the horse was crippled. Uncle & Mesh Tenny thought Uncle was the best leg man in the business. Upon receiving the first phone call, I was dispatched to the local "Immigrant Springs" to make sure it had not dried up. The horse was so bad crippled, he had to haul him 10 hours & stand him in ice or cold running water for 24 hours. I gladly brought the news that the old spring was still flowing enough that it was running water a little ways down the creek and that the water was still as cold as it could be in May. It was relayed back that Uncle was on his way. He had no idea when he would be here. He was unsure how the horse would endure the trip. I can't remember how long it took for him to get there. My Daddy had hired him and me out gathering sheep ahead of the shearing crew. As I remember it was a long 3 or 4 days. But all the time I wasn't busy, I was watching the cross roads for uncles arrival. There was an intersection of 3 major farm to market roads that was visible form our front gate. I had no idea which direction he would come from, so I watched each and every vehicle that came through that intersection. Then came the day a 53 Buick pulling a 1 horse "Miley" trailer turned down the right road and came straight to our front gate.My life changed at that point & race horses have been in my life ever since. Uncle circled the drive & expertly parked between 2 mesquite trees so the trailer was in the shade. With short greetings, Uncle explained that the horse needed immediate attention. The horse?? As he unloaded, uncle explained the horse,"Son, this is probably the best bred horse you have ever seen in person".The horse eased out of the trailer, without hardly touching the ground with his left fore foot. He looked around & squealed at some mares in the lot a short distance away & went to eating leaves off the mesquites. "This horse is whats called a full brother in blood to Swaps himself" he explained."He has the same sire as Swaps & their mothers were full sisters."If it were in people it would be called Double cousins."Hew went on,"Rex & Mesh saw this horse & tried to buy him when he was sound. But the folks that had him, knew what they had & wouldn't price him.After he blew that sesamoid, they bought him for a sonng If we can get him to the ranch, I think I can get him sound enough that he will be able to cover a few mares."The boy??????

I took up vigil at the spring beside the horse. Only leaving long enough to pick up a sack lunch that my sister would make for me. I took in each & every word, action or expression that either uncle or the horse might make. The treatment of the horse was paramount in my eyes a& mind. When he was taken out of the water & walked on a sand bar, I was at his head and under the watchful eye of my hero. He was allowed to roll & then he grazed on the short salt grass that grew in the dried up parts of the creek. Uncle was a decorated WWI vet & well thought of in the community. He was well known for his horsemanship and had been a foreman on several of the ranches in the area. He was very popular among the Mexicans and spoke Spanish well, Word got out that Uncle was camped at the spring and people from all over came by to see him. Uncle had served his time in the Army in the Rio Grand Theater. Mostly keeping Pancho Villa pushed into Mexico. I fought the sleep out of my eyes for as long as I could each night, listening to stories of calvary pursuits & the art of riding a horse to the the limits, without hurting him. Until one morning, uncle approached the spring for his morning inspection and killed a large rattlesnake only a few feet from where I slept on the ground. I begged a promise out of him not to tell my Mother . He didn't, as far as I know, but Mother made an unannounced visit to the spring before I disposed of the dead snake. After she heard the story, I was no longer allowed to spend the night with the horse. Uncle layed around a week, treating the horse & visiting. We gathered the few budding tips that were left at that time of the year. Then started stripping the bark form the ends of the red willows. These were boiled down then laced with black tea& steeped in a closed pot, over a camp fire. The product was given to the horse for pain & it opiate effect which served as some sort of tranquilers. When the horse showed signs of more discomfort that usual, a drug call paregoric was added to the so called tea. Paregoic was in short supply & was used sparingly. Uncle was content to lay around & visit & eat a meal 2 times a day, but not for long. The cold water treatment & and all the other was working well.Old Lew, as he was called, began to show signs of wanting to pitch & play. So uncle got itchy feet. He said"if I fool around & let him get too fresh, I have not a way to knock the edge off him".He went on, He needs to spend that energy on the trailer ride, we are still 3 1/2 days drive to the ranch" He was to pick up anaother man in San Angelo who was going to the ranch to work. But the car was so full that he barely had room to ride. Uncle had a saddle with him, the man to ride with him had a saddle with him. And there was a saddle at our house that Uncle had left on a prior visit that had to go. My daddy always the "fixit man" mounted some screw eyes on the right side of the trailer and they hung the saddle and wrapped them with tarps. and off he went. Uncle was successful in his effors to get the horse sound enough to cover a mare. He got the first 5 mares bred to in foal. On the 6th mare , he fell off her & ruined his left knee. He was then put down. I cannot remember this horses real name as he was always called LEW. His name was KHALED something. If I ever see it again I will remember it. As I become more capable with this compouter, I hope to be able to research it. It would be interesting to know what become of those 5 foals that he sired.

re: Colors of the Mind

Between Friends — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:23:47 GMT

Steve, you certainly know how to help the rest of us decompress from the journey along the Triple Crown trail. I loved Damascus and you can't mention him without thinking of Buckpasser, one of my very favorite horses, and Dr. Fager.

In the days before the information superhighway, the television racing season consisted of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont for many of us. I was blessed to have parents who gave me C.W. Anderson prints of Man o' War and Citation and then subscriptions to Thoroughbred Record and Bloodhorse. And there were trips to Kentucky to see Faraway Farm in 1957 (years before my mother had gone there to see Man o' War) and to Calumet Farm, Spendthrift Farm and Darby Dan Farm in 1968 with a visit to Churchill Down for the Kentucky Derby in 1963.

When I think of racing silks, the devil's red and blue of Calumet Farm are included.

Thank you for bringing back such good memories of such great horses that so many of us do share.

re: Colors of the Mind

Union Buster — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:14:02 GMT

How about Royal Delta's big win? By far the best horse to run in the Fleur De Lis in many years!! Nobody in recent years could have touched her. Way to go Mr. Mott!!

re: Colors of the Mind

yani — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:12:15 GMT

happily overwhelmed by this piece, since horses entered my life I am now among the happiest people on the planet

re: Colors of the Mind

Steve Haskin — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:42:01 GMT

Linda, you mentioned I was too young to remember Kelso (i just wasnt a racing fan then), but then you say he is surely equal to the ones I mentioned. So was Man o'War and Citation. Obviously, I mentioned only those who I remembered in my early days. You made it sound like I snubbed Kelso, and only Kelso, who, by the way, I happened to write a book about. This was about colors of silks and how they affected me in my first years as a racing fan. Not having followed Kelso, his Bohemia silks had no impact on me.

re: Colors of the Mind

Linda Stephan — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:19:23 GMT

I am obviously older than you and maybe that's why you don't mention Kelso in your Pantheon of greats remembered. I was in high school/college when he won 5 consecutive HOY honors. Won at every distance from sprints to 2 miles, on dirt and turf(DC International twice) and always under heavy weights. Surely he is the equal of any of those you mention!