First!!

You'll have to get up mighty, mighty early to claim this spot!

Rob : )>

Hiy,a FsOB! Yes, Rob is correct, one has to be an 'early bird' to be the first poster on ABR's Comments Board. May each of you have a safe & productive Monday! Peace, RMH

Good morning, Barbaro.
Good morning, Barbaro Nation.
Thank you, Alex.
And congratulations, Rob!

Jackie in VA
FOB forever

Morning skritches to the BBH, Sir JH, Gorgeous George, Belle, KeyKey, and the rest of the fabulous gang of Heavenly Equines.

On their behalf, here:

MORNING POST/ShelleyA, Debra, WI/AAHS:

STRATEGY FOR WEEK OF AUGUST 18

Although Congress has now recessed until September 8, Legislative Aides are still there to take your calls. Until further notice, the strategy will be to continue to gain co-sponsors for HR6598 and the plan is to start with those co-sponsors of HR503. There is a list on the DB and the Wiki with their names and we are asking that they are only called by constituents. Please do not call the names in red because they are already on board. If your Representative is already a co-sponsor of HR6598, the best way to help is to reach out and find constituents in other districts. We now have 36 committments which is great!!

As well as calling DC, this is a perfect time to call your Representative's local office for an August appointment. You can also check to see if your Rep is scheduled to be at an event near you. It is a perfect opportunity to get their attention and have a few words. Below is a Fact Sheet for you to hand out if you do get the chance to see them.

http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/legislation/110_equinecruelty_hr6598.pdf

Remember, this list will be friends of the anti slaughter legislation and there is no reason to go into detail. We’ve been asked to make sure they know that HR6598 , the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equity Cruelty Act of 2008 is taking the Title 18 approach to end horse slaughter and has been introduced by Representative John Conyers, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. It is not necessary to answer complicated questions or try to explain the bill. Sometimes "less is more"!!

Although the paperwork cannot be done to co-sponsor while they are not in session, we will update this list periodically as commitments are received by the proper people in DC. When their name goes red, there is no reason to call again.

You have really set the groundwork and it seems that we’re off to the right start. We have been advised that our grassroots efforts have made a tremendous impact and YOU ALL are the reason. It is important that we now follow directions and stay focused on what has been requested of us.

Our mission is to GO RED!!!!

We are BARBARO’S VOICE…..let it be heard!!!!

Thanks,

Shelley and Deb

AMERICANS AGAINST HORSE SLAUGHTER

Posted by: ShelleyA at August 17, 2008 9:56 PM

Cheers,
Friar Tuck

It's the beginning of a new week and it looks like it will be an exciting one here in Florida. The whole state will be affected but in different degrees. Right now it appears the west coast will feel Fay's impact most intensely. Stay safe all you west coaster FOBs.

Already we're stocking up on water, gas and whatever necessities we'll need during an almost certain power outage. I'm so sick of that.

Have a great day everyone.

Janice
A forever devoted to Kaiser FOB

IN HONOR OF DR RICHARDSON'S BIRTHDAY, we are once again organizing a tribute consisting of donations to the Laminitis Fund and also birthday cake and other goodies to be provided by Kennett Florist.

I know that times are tough, but if everyone contributes a little to this worthy campaign, we will have a respectable amount to honor our dear friend, Dr. Richardson!

Please check out the thread for deadlines, addresses and other info - thank you!

Good Morning Barbaro

Beautiful night, but why not....you are beautiful...and the heavens were brightly shining. We love you!!!!

Good Morning Family/Fans of Barbaro

PLEASE CALL, FAX, EMAIL...PLEASE.....

We speak for those who cannot speak for themselves....please help them by burning up the lines and getting Congress to listen to its people, we the people.

Also, remember and help our rescues....please read the db....they need us, family.

Our Fallen Angels, the ones suffering human or animal, our wildlife, and always our loving family....we live in the House that Barbaro built.

Have a nice, productive day.

#####
Good Morning Alex.
Good Morning Tim and Fair Hill.
Our Fallen Angels...we are here..

###Batten the hatches, Right Coasters--Fay looks like she means bid'ness. Hang in there and we are all praying for you.

###Where are the messages from yesterday?? My computer shows the introductory remarks but no messages, and I always like to check the last notes, ones I missed from the night before.

###Arrrr. What a great name for a horse ;o) I love to say (and write) "Argh" and I think THAT would be a cute name for a horse, too ;o) Keep the track announcers on their toes.

###Again, good luck to the Floridians. Don't take any chances. If the authorities tell you to skedaddle, do not "ske-dawdle."

Morning Barbaro Nation

As usual Alex, you are on top of racing news! Posted about Wasserman before reading your post. Looks like you are enjoying Woodbine, but sure do miss you here in Texas. Still watching out for Doctor Decherd. Linda

####Kay....check comments #659 for sat and sun comments section.

Have a great day.

ellie az

SHOW JUMPING - OLYMPICS

UNITED STATES - 20

CANADA - 20

They are having a JUMP OFF to decide who gets the GOLD!!!

ANOTHER MONDAY, STILL MISS YOU BARBARO.. EIGHT BELLES TOO.. YOUR NOT FORGOTTEN, ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OTHER FALLEN ANGELS .. AND ESP, THOSE IN NEED.. DON'T FORGET TO PRAY TODAY

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UNITED STATES -

GOLD FOR TEAM SHOW JUMPING!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO CANADA on winning the SILVER in the TEAM SHOW JUMPING OLYMPICS

Sorry, I was a bit excited to see this event.

Annie posted on the DB a fabulous set of articles out of the Louisville paper called Tragedy at the Track. It examines a number of reasons for the breakdowns. In the set of articles is one on Chelokee. On the right hand side of the article is a video of him! Maybe someone can blue link this?

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/EXTRAS03/808170325

PS Sarge still needs prayers. Darla said it is a 3 day colic bout. See the DB for more info. She is asking for fOB prayers and good thoughts.

May all of the four legged dumplings and their up top partners be safe during the 'jump off'. They need to be perfect but safety first, Lord.

I think the furious weather has ended here. Hopefully the storm will be a wimp and leave Florida alone.

I have a question if someone could help, why does it appear that more injuries occur in horse racing than show jumping?

Great news, Socorro. YAY!!

Sarge is in my prayers today. Is there an update on Tucker?

Congrats to the US Team!

My apologies for anyone that is going through a difficult time at this moment and hope that time will help all. You will find that time is your best friend during any difficult time in your life.

As many, I have stayed away because I needed to give my heart a break from all the horrible things that happen to these gorgeous equines.

*******************

MARGIEinNM -

Yes it was good to see an event where none of the horses went down. It was amazing to see these amazing animals.

By the way, it is great to see you are back

I have never seen a medal ceremony as beautiful as this. The winners receive their medals, the horses get ribbons, and then the riders get their medals and than get on their horses and ride on them around the arena. To see all twelve horses galloping and knowing they were champions is truly amazing.

Tragedy at the Track

Chelokee Go to STUD? Geeee

##
MJ

Joe at TB Friends

####
Socorro
Wish I could have seen it, what chanal was it on I looked every where?

*******

DEBBIE L.A. -

This was on Dubai Racing. Sheikh Matkhoum (ruler of Dubai) is awesome! Our cable company and ESPN no longer had a contract, so Sheikh Matkhoum created a channel dedicated to horses. We get live races from all over the world, movies, documentaries. It is amazing.

If you want anything recorded, let me know. When I get back to the States I can send you the DVD's of the things recorded.

This was my first time watching this type of competition. Had I known I was going to like it, especially when the US and Canada did so well, I would have recorded it.

The Oxygen Channel is supposed to be showing the show jumping today, 5:00-7:00pm CDT. There is nothing else listed so perhaps we will see more coverage than usual.

####
Socorro
That is cool Sheikh Matkhoum created a channel dedicated to horses, would love to have it on DVD.
You still have my email address? Thank you so much! When are you coming home?

###
Catherine thanks looking forword to this evening.

####
Debbie LA
I think Chelokees owners can thank our dear Barbaro.A lot was learned from Barbaros injury about alotsa stuff that will benefit horses for years to come.Part of the Barbaro Effect. I'm just happy that Chelokee made it and will be loved for many more years to come.......

At last a HAPPY story !!

Have a great day ALL and STAY SAFE all you PEEPS in Florida.Praying for good outcomes for ALL in the path of this current storm.

Congrats to JASPER and STEALTH !!!!!
Our prayers were answered and miracles do happen!

HUGS and love

####
A sad loss today...

Genuine Risk Dead
Updated: 11:45 AM ET (First posted: 11:44 AM ET)

Bert and Diana Firestone's Genuine Risk (Exclusive Native--Virtuous, by *Gallant Man), who was the oldest surviving GI Kentucky Derby winner, died peacefully Monday just after being turned out at the Firestone's Newstead Farm in Virginia. She was 31. Foaled in 1977, the Kentucky-bred mare captured the GII Demoiselle S. and the Tempted S. at two, but proved she belonged with the best colts of her generation the following year. The chestnut finished third in the GI Wood Memorial S., then stepped it up a level to become just the second of her sex to wear the blanket of roses on the first Saturday in May. Durable as well as talented, she went on to finish second in the GI Preakness and GI Belmont S., and capped off the season with a victory against her own sex in the GI Ruffian H. Genuine Risk retired with a record of 15-10-3-2 and earnings of $646,587. She produced only two foals, neither of which raced.

RIP sweet girl, you were always the Queen to me.

Hi Famblee,
Barbaro is shinning his beautiful light here in CT.

Rob, HAHAHAHA you don't sleep right?

Margie,
"Four legged dumplings," I love it!

Soc, Good to see you.

I saw a program on TV with Sheikh Matkhoum (ruler of Dubai) he is a good man and loves horses.

Cholokee, the mares will line up for you, soooo handsome.

Love you Barbaro.

Thanks Alex!

(((((((((((((((Genuine Risk))))))))))))))))))))))

RIP Beautiful lady. Tears for you. Barbaro met you at the pearly gates I'm sure with the great herd above.

RIP Genuine Risk sweet girl.

Thanks Alex as always...

Love to the BBH.

Liz

Rest in peace, GENUINE RISK, and may light perpetual shine upon you. You will always remain a living legend ~ now you live on eternally in the pantheon of the greats!

###Socorro, just my opinion here on the injuries on jumping versus racing: It has to do with the age of the horse at the time of the activity. There are catastropic injuries that can happen during the cross-country phase of three-day eventing (and riders die here, as well), and horses can break down in the jumping arena (I have a rescue in my barn right now who is one of those--and he was 15 at the time of his career-ending injury. The vet who x-rayed the ankle when I brought Ryan home told me that had the injury been on a front leg, they probably would have put him down).

That said, as a rule, jumpers are not started over fences until they are mature--and their fences at that stage are 3' or under. Part of the reason for that is that you do not want to overface a young horse (meaning one that is just starting over fences) so that they develop confidence in themselves and in their riders. As the horse approaches the obstacle, it disappears because of the way the horse's eyes are set in the head. In other words, the horse is jumping blind, so confidence is very important).

Of course there are always those who have to hurry things up a bit and are riding horses younger than three years and starting them over fences at that time too--but the ones that last and are jumping into their teens are horses that are started later (when the joints have fused together and the horse is considered mature or "aged") and that are kept on lower fences (below 3', say) to work on their technique and their skills and confidence.

RIP Genuine Risk...you really showed the boys back in the day! You will be missed...

Kay- just to add to that. I was at a Grand prix in St. louis a few years ago when a horse, I will never forget, See no evil, with one eye was in the jump off and the rider took too sharp of a turn on his blind side and the horse missed the jump and the poles caught between his hind legs and broke his leg below the hock. It was horrible, the rider didnt realize it and the place was screaming, people were running out. Jumping is very dangerous, for both horse and rider.

So, So So So So So So So Heartfelt For Your Most Wonderful Phone Call Last Night Angel Edgar Prado.

Your Angelic Heart Of Love. "Golden Wings"

For For Your Love For Angel Barbaro And The
Angels.

You Spoke From Your Heart.

All, All All Angelic Beautiful Glowing Rainbows
To You........

God's Glowing Angel Of Love.........
Barbaro's Rainbow Of Halos.........

Affirmed

Sorry to hear about Genuine Risk, always sad to hear of any horse passing away.

******************************************

Hi Renee, hope all is going well for you

*******************************************

DEBBIE L.A. -

I sent you an e-mail, if you don't get one than I must have the wrong e-mail. If I don't get a response from you, I will try and get it from some other FOBs or you may do the same. I don't think it is a good idea to post our e-mails publicly.

I will record the finals for the Dressage competition tomorrow.

sharing email from Lisa in Colorado (who is currently in Beijing)

I just got to watch the US team win the team jumping gold in a jump off. Waiting for the awards ceremony! Am I lucky!!!!!

##

Prayers to those in FL in the path of this storm. Stay safe.

So sad about Genuine Risk. Equine Heaven will give us words that will be of comfort to us I'm sure. I look for an update on her soon.

Please take time today to make our calls. Do it for all the horses.

********

KAY -

That makes sense!

All of these horses were older, if they mentioned the horse being 7 yrs., they were saying it was young. Now I understand what they mean about racing them too young. I knew 2-4 yrs were young, but really didn't appreciate it until now.

Thanks for the explanation and sorry to hear about the horse you have rescued.

JEN -

I saw something like that, I wouldn't watch "Show Jumping." I stopped breathing every time a horse jumped. That's why I was amazed that they were not injured.

Maybe I will stick with Dressage. I'm running out of things to see involving horses. Are there any any dangers in "Dressage" competitions?

SKLYER -

I will send e-mails.

Sorry for the distractions. I got a little carried away at those amazing horses.

Jen and Kay,
We have two jumpers at SCR, both are injured from the jumping, leggs and back problems, you can also see where their legs hit the bars.

You gotta go to TB Friends and check out the before and after pictures of Willie.

Absolutely and utterly AMAZING what Joe & Cathy have accomplished!

Jockey Club calls for upgraded lab system for horse testing
By Janet Patton
jpatton1@herald-leader.com

SKIP DICKSTEIN
According to Stuart S. Janney III, "Medication issues continue to haunt this industry and they are and will continue to be a priority for this committee."

To further clean up Thoroughbred racing's act and image, a key panel has recommended that states and racetracks move toward a top-level system of labs for equine drug testing.

The Thoroughbred Safety Committee also urged the industry to adopt uniform rules on license suspensions, collection of injury data, and checking for a kind of cheating called “milkshaking.”

The four new recommendations from the committee came at The Jockey Club's annual roundtable discussion in New York on Sunday.

“Medication issues continue to haunt this industry and they are and will continue to be a priority for this committee, as evidenced by several of today's recommendations,” panel chairman Stuart S. Janney III said in a statement. “We once again vigorously encourage the respective industry organizations to act on these recommendations in a timely manner.”

The safety committee will continue to meet, and more recommendations are likely. They plan to continue to look at such topics as racing surfaces; medication, particularly the anti-bleeder drug known commonly as Lasix; breeding trends; field size, particularly in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby; and treatment of retired racehorses.

Nick Nicholson, president of Keeneland, said from Saratoga on Sunday that Keeneland management will support better labs.

“We've got to do that. It's the appropriate scientific step and it's the direction we need to go in,” Nicholson said.

Kevin Flanery, Churchill Downs spokesman, said Sunday that testing and integrity remain important issues for racing and Churchill is concerned with “how to best conduct drug testing and the proper forum for this.”

The committee called for creating a task force to “develop a business plan for the most efficient and cost-effective infrastructure for equine drug testing and research,” according to the release.

The Jockey Club board voted Saturday to underwrite the cost of developing the business plan, which could lead to centralized, consistent testing of urine and blood taken from horses to test for illegal drugs or medication overages.

Because racing is regulated by states, each state contracts with individual labs, using different standards of testing, often dependant upon what states can pay. About $30 million is spent annually on equine drug testing, but the costs vary widely from state to state.

The safety committee called for developing strict equine drug testing lab standards; creating a template “request for proposal” for states to use; and developing a facility to store frozen samples for future analysis.

Eventually, this could lead to pooling resources in regional labs that would all test to the same levels.

The safety committee, formed May 8 after the death in the Kentucky Derby of second-place finisher Eight Belles and the public outcry over Derby winner Big Brown's legal use of steroids, has previously recommended banning anabolic steroids and toe grabs, which Eight Belles was wearing, and reforming the use of whips.

Those recommendations are bearing fruit, as major industry players such as the Breeders' Cup and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association say they will require tracks to play by those rules for future races. Kentucky has passed a 2-millimeter limit on toe grabs and is scheduled to take up a recommended steroid ban later this month.

“If the Eight Belles tragedy makes us all more cooperative, less inward-looking, more proactive and more sensitive to how our sport is perceived by others, then Eight Belles may be viewed in years to come as one of the most important horses ever to step on a racetrack,” Janney said in prepared remarks.

The safety committee on Sunday also called for tightening the testing for “milkshaking,” in which horses are force-fed bicarbonate and other alkalinization agents to help them offset the lactic acid that builds up in muscles during a race.

Milkshaking is illegal in Kentucky, as in most states, but the safety committee found that testing was not uniform, if it was done at all.

“The Thoroughbred Safety Committee strongly encourages all state racing commissions to publish the TCO2 (total carbon dioxide) levels of each horse tested to ensure the public that testing is being conducted and participants are below the regulatory thresholds,” committee members said in the release.

Just as testing is not necessarily the same from state to state, enforcement of penalties varies as well.

The safety committee recommended that the industry come up with and incorporate rules “to keep suspended trainers from participating in the training of racehorses and/or benefiting financially or otherwise from said training,” according to the release. The proposed rule would attempt to stop the practice of allowing a suspended trainer's horses to run in the name of an assistant, friend or family member.

The Jockey Club already had announced that it has begun an injury database, and during the 2007-08 pilot year, 48 racetracks participated to some degree. Now, that participation needs to become widespread and mandatory to be of real use.

The safety committee recommended that reporting to the system be made a condition of licensing for racetracks, for training facilities, and for participants such as trainers, jockeys, exercise riders, farriers, grooms, vets and others.

The committee also recommended that racing authorities require and pay for pre-race and post-race exams, as well as post-mortems for all horses that die on the grounds of licensed tracks or training centers.

See the recommendations at www.jockeyclub.com/tsc.asp

RIP Genuine Risk. I love to hear about the old ones who had a good retirement. They all deserve no less. I am no longer shocked aftr reading Joe so long. At first I was shckd about the TBs who made really good money ending up at an auction. NowI am no longer shocked. ###thunder is rumbling outside and Chief is asleep listening to harp and violin mediation music. Gee, if I had known he was so cultured I would have taken him to the Lubbock opera. Heck, my keyboard is sticking again.

Socorro, dressage is pretty safe. Even young children compete(and excel)in dressage. The movements are very controlled and precise and on nice level ground. No physical obstacles. It's either mesmerizing or dull to watch.

I was impressed that two show jumpers last week were 60 and over. Both had clean performances, no rails down.

NBC is taking a poll on "In God We Trust" - whether we want that to stay on our American currency! Please vote right away, before NBC takes this off the web page.

MSNBC poll is still open so you can vote.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

### Cheryl Jones - thank you for your faithfulness - you were relentless in finding Jasper and Stealth a home. Maggie is saving Jasper's life!

Love, Light and Protection for All of Our Horses

####
Thank you Mary S....

Goodnight Barbaro

We love you...we miss you....we are here...your family, the FOBS...always.

Goodnight Family/Fans of Barbaro

PLEASE CALL, FAX, EMAIL...PLEASE....so many horses are dying, being slaughtered from an greedy, barbaric death, called horse slaughter...

Also remember and help our rescues, our Fallen Angels, the ones suffering human or animal, our wildlife, and always our loving family...

Have a bless evening.

####
Goodnight Alex...and thank you.
Goodnight and thank you Tim and Fair Hill.
Our precious Fallen Angels...we are here.

In God We Trust vote

WE ARE WAY BEHIND TODAY; HERE'S JOE FOR THE EASY READERS.
****************************************************
Monday, August 18th... So between loading new photos for this front page, and moving a horse from his stall to a round pen, and filling water buckets behind the garage, and writing a paragraph for the morning journal which should soon bring the pulitzer committee to visit, hauling grain to horses in the second barn, removing leg wraps from Rivermem, enjoying my third cup of Peets with cinnamon cream, between all of this I saw a snake. A big green with yellow dots snake. He was 200 feet long. The gelding Pragmatico, we call him Matt, apparently does not like snakes. Matt is going bananas. The snake covered most of the isle in our first barn. Well golly gee. So I pick up the snake, not something you really want to do at 6:00 on a Monday morning. He is congenial enough. Behind our ranch there is hundreds of acres of grapes. Snakes, rabbits, foxes, feral cats, deer and raccoons all live in agreeable harmony. I tell the snake he needs to stay in his own neighborhood. The grapes are two blocks away, so I carry him home. On the way I step into a hole and turn my ankle. I get the what a dolt look from the snake. The grapevines are surrounded by barbwire, and naturally I tear my pants. I see a half eaten rabbit. What happened to agreeable harmony? I let the snake go near an irrigation pond, and he never looks back. Not a thank you, not a good day. I hobble home with my swollen ankle and bloody levis.

Along the way horse killer Wade Giles phones to say he has a gelding who just raced at Bay Meadows, and he is 40 cents a pound. The gelding is at a feed lot in Wilton, so I arrange transportation. The gelding should come to us tomorrow or Wednesday.

Back to the mare motel, and Carrie Underwood sings on the radio. Three horses living in our mare motel area receive special supplements, including Rocky, who came from a race track in Los Angeles. Rocky is in very poor condition.

Back inside the house to load another picture and change my pants. Horse killer Manny Phelps calls to say he is sending horses to Canadian slaughter this afternoon. He does not have any thoroughbreds. But from a recent ranch foreclosure horse killer Manny Phelps has several unbroke quarter horses, and he wants $400.00 each. Also three older quarter horse mares. In my tiny office Marvin Gaye sings on the oldies station.

Just a few minutes later and a take my horse or else phone call. She did not want to bother me over the weekend, but now Monday is here and her horse will die unless I take him. The horse is close to 30 years old. The caller can no longer afford to buy his feed.

More grain to mix in the mare motel, and Daughtry sings on the radio. They play that song over and over, and I always wonder why. A very skinny gelding we call Cope, and he had a bad stomach ache last week. There was a moment when I thought we were going to lose him. This morning Cope seems happy, even with that Daughtry song. Uncle Scott and Limo, always side by side, and they dive into their tubs of grain like I dive into a tub of Praline Pecan.

Cathy leaves for her day job and my friend Mike Baker drives by, just like he does every morning, and Mike yells at me to have a good day.

Back inside to finish the morning journal. All 4 new pictures loaded, a small miracle with our dial up. Later today there is employment at another ranch, earning the big bucks, and then a trip to the feed store. Enjoy your just right 85 degree Monday, and be sure to hug your horses. A special hello to Andrea who lives in Medford, Oregon. Sorry there was no time to spend with you Andrea. I hope you had fun in San Francisco, and a safe trip home.

Joe

There have been thousands of letter and phone calls asking how is Willy doing? Okay maybe not thousands, but at least 25.

Top Left: We bought Willy from a feed lot right before Christmas, and he was in horrible shape. There is a racing tattoo which says Willy is just 6 years old.

Top Right: A picture of Willy taken yesterday. He wife is Nona, and the two spend their days in our north field.

Bottom Left: This is Munch, and we bought him two weeks ago from a feed lot. Munch has already gained 40 pounds, and he has a very kind personality. Munch loves to munch on apples, but not peppermints.

Bottom Right: He came with the name of Denver, and we bought him from a recent ranch foreclosure. Denver loves little kids, and is a great trail horse. He leaves us this week for his new family in a town called Rancho Santa Fe. Denver loves carrots, but not peppermints.

#####
Hay Jonna....thanks....you and so many more are so appreciated....

(((((((FOBs, ALWAYS))))))

WE GET IT HAY DRIVE

Ro & Brady

RIP, Genuine Risk. So sad.

My friend in Idaho sent me this rescue story. We wonder why so many horses end up in danger. This is a small part of it. I don't understand why these horses were bred, when there are already so many that could use a 'job'. It's a GOOD story. Don't be afraid to read it. Beautiful paints and babies.

http://members.cox.net/equi-librium
(this is not a plea of any sort, just wanted to share).

replay of the jump off between canada and the usa.
i just love to watch Bezee Madden and Authentic work...they're right up the road in Cazenovia...

gotta go
on OXYGEN right now.

Have a good night All,
Sweet dreams of all the horses running free.

(((((((((((((((((jonna)))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I hope you are OK, sending you white light fren. Love ya!

Good Night Dear Barbaro, I love and miss you so much.

Good night Alex.

Anyone else having problems with the link to the article about Genuine Risk at Update 3912?

Alex, Thanks for all the links of Genuine Risk. So sad, she was a great lady.

Hiya, FsOB! So sorry to read of Genuine Risk's passing, but she lived a long and full life, unlike Eight Belles and Barbaro. May Genuine Risk rest in peace, to quote our Nancy of the Naughty Nutmeggers.

And may each of you have "ACN" and may we all rise to seize the new day, refreshed & ready for good works! Peace, RMH

#### Hoping that all of our FsOB in FLA are safe and their animals are as well!
To Sandra: I just adore Chief! Please tell him that my late great Illya loved music of all kinds. It would really soothe him. In addition to lots of classical pieces (I dig it that Chief likes the harpsichord, I do, too!), Illya loved the following, in no particular order: "The Buena Vista Social Club" soundtrack; anything by Stevie Nicks; the soundtrack from "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?"; and the "Traveling Wilburys" (especially Roy Orbison's voice on the latter).
To Debbie LA: Thanks for the link to the article from the Courier Journal ("Tragedy at the Track").
To Socorro: Always a treat to see you here! ####

####
Sandra, I'm thrilled to hear of Chief's highbrow musical taste!

San Mateo
Last laps for Bay Meadows

Monday, August 18, 2008

Just after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, a 3-year-old filly named You Lift Me Up won the $50,000 "Last Dance" stakes race, and the storied Bay Meadows racetrack in San Mateo went dark after nearly 74 years. The railbirds said their last goodbyes where Seabiscuit and Citation once appeared, where night racing and the photo-finish premiered. Jockey Bill Shoemaker got his first stakes win at Bay Meadows in 1949, and Russell Baze became the winningest jockey in North American history there on Dec. 1, 2006. But facing dwindling attendance and the rise of wagering from satellite outlets, the venue is being replaced by a long-planned 84-acre development with homes, shops, offices and parks. On Sunday - the final day of the two-week San Mateo County Fair - veteran Bay Area announcer Sam Spear recounted some of his favorite stories. He spoke of Ralph Neves, who was pronounced dead after being thrown by his horse and trampled in May 1936, then awoke at a mortuary and returned to Bay Meadows - where he raced the next day. He recalled earning a $25,000 share of a "pick six," when a bettor or bettors successfully predict the winners of six straight races. The track will be open for simulcast wagering today, and horses can continue to be stabled and train there through Oct. 12. At a three-day auction starting Aug. 23, just about everything at the track will be auctioned off, from photographs to stadium signs and seats to horse stalls.

My heart beats for your heart, Barbaro, always and forever! Run with the angels honey!
And all love to the entire Heavenly Herd . . . as you know you take me to where angels walk! As Angel Dee says, "It is AFFIRMED!" :)

God Bless you, GENUINE RISK, and rest in beautiful peace dear lady! I did not have the opportunity to know you "back in the day" but from the tributes I've read here I can tell you were a lady with a lot of class!
And God Bless your earth peoples and family who cared about you so very much.

Holding hands, paws, hooves . . . . with all the Barbaro Nation!

Prayers for all in need this night . . . .

And thank you, Alex, always.

Love to all,
Lou Ann

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SANDRA - CHIEF and the classical music!!! That is awesome!!!! :)
Nilla Wafers and classical music, I can think of nothing better, God Bless him and you!! I love that boy!!

Hello, Barbaro.

I'm having a melt down.

I just saw that Chelokee has healed. Yea for Chelokee!

Why not Barbaro. Why indeed. Nobody on earth knows.

My brave boy, I miss you.

Love to all.

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(((( Barb AZ )))) You can come here when those meltdowns come. We understand.

Nancy, thanks for posting about Bay Meadows. Very sad and I had forgotten it was happening now. It is similar to what happened at the local track in my town. They closed the track in '95 and auctioned off everything. I have a couple of chairs from the clubhouse, some pictures, an old-fashioned "1950's era" metal coffee sign from the track kitchen, and some other items. All that I cherish. It's too bad that Bay Meadows has fallen victim to the closures.

Harriette, thanks too for the Herald-Leader article.

Hi Soc! So good to see you here.

Retiring now after a long, but good, day. Gearing up for more calls tomorrow. I'm trying to get an appointment with one of our local "peeples" while he's here on recess. A very stubborn gentleman I might add. Never on our side. Still, I have to try.