Originally posted on 03/26/2024:

Quote Originally Posted by str View Post
“probably about 99.99% of my race watching is through a monitor of some sort lol and sure I'd enjoy the spectacle of watching from the clockers stand..also cool to get an idea how things happen over there during the process “


The part I think you guys would like the most was early in the morning, sun just coming up , sitting or standing in the old section of Pimlico in the first row in front of the 1/8th pole watching horses train . The place was empty except for some trainers and the clockers. Maybe 15-20 people throughout the grandstand. Drinking a coffee or having a hot cup of soup in the winter was a must at Bowie which was from the 3/4 pole just inside the chute on the surface as that place was seriously cold early , and Laurel was just past the 1/2 mile pole at the tree by the track. Stood in those places for about 20 years every morning.
In the summer right about 8:20 in the morning you could literally feel the heat turn up. Amazing that I could feel that all the time with the sun out in the summer. Always tried to have the workers out by 7:30 and the late Lasix workers out by 9:00 if the vet came by 6AM. Didn’t always work out but we tried to make it happen.
It got to the point where I watched other claiming trainers horses train as well if they had markings I could remember. Mental notes on future possible claims .

Delaware was at the 1/4 pole gap but they had a training track as well so I would move around a lot there depending on who was doing what.

I’m just rambling now but I do know that many of you in here would love to see and experience that. I would have loved to have had you guys there.
My cousin would invite me down in the winter time after a long season of fighting Wildland fire as she prepared horses for the training sales
I loved waking up early to get to the track.... the smell of the air... quiet.. peaceful... I smell the sea breeze.... a little heavy.... ( when I get up early now ...early in the morning on a cloudy day... I catch a whiff .. reminds me of those days) I Get to the barn Grooms are way ahead of me.... Friendly.... love their horses legs temp checked... sip of coffee.... out to the track.... Nice work... jog or canter... back to the barn.....
Hey "Poncho" From the groom .....can you "listo" as he gives me the shank..... "oh sh##" okay now I'm a " hot walker" Thankfully I never got an ornery one!..... First one I ever walked "crystal cop" Very Mello until another groom dropped a bucket....Cousin yelled out .... shake the shank!!!! don't look at their eyes!!! ... oh fudge...
She calmed down...... whew!
Goes through the sales ring...... I come back told her she went through the ring for 32....... she says 3200? I'm no 32 000! she is no way....

Trainer who raced her ... Bob Baffert.... she had very little success on the track... But one of her sons " ex marks the cop" had a little success
Okay Str how is that for a ramble!!!
on a side note most of the kin of those two are off the track..... but boy I sure enjoyed following.....