Week two begins!

by Gordon Waterstone

Let’s start this edition of Backstretch With Gordon with the weather. The first week of Grand Circuit racing at The Red Mile saw spectacular weather, and the forecast for week two is the same. Highs each day through next Sunday (Oct. 5, AKA Kentucky Futurity Day) are expected to be in the low 80s, with nighttime lows in the mid 50s. It can’t get any better in the fall in the Bluegrass.

I admit I was worn out when I got home from the races last Saturday, but I have a hunch some horsemen were feeling even more tired after the long day they put in. With Hollywood Dayton also hosting a plethora of stakes on its Saturday night Ohio Sires Stakes championship card as well as some open events, many horsepeople hit the road north on I75 as The Red Mile program was coming to a close.

It’s about a two-hour drive to Dayton from Lexington, and that’s with no traffic or construction. I saw everybody looked like they made it from Kentucky into Ohio, but with the last race at Hollywood Dayton going off at midnight, it’s likely nobody made it back to Lexington until after 3 a.m.

I had planned to take it easy on Saturday night but around 7:30 p.m. I received a phone call from my longtime Michigan friend Julie DeMull, who is at The Red Mile charting the Grand Circuit races. While I’ve spoken to Julie several times over the past few months, I hadn’t seen her since her husband, Skip, passed away in late March after competing at Northfield Park.
Julie said she was at a dive bar called Malabu Pub with another Michigander, Jeff James, and judges’ assistant Beverly. It’s about a five-minute drive from me so I picked myself up off the couch to join them. There was a lot of reminiscing done about the old days in Michigan between Jeff, Julie and myself (sorry, Bev is a Kentuckian so she just listened in with wide eyes).

I tried to take it easy Sunday as I waited to attend the Round Barn fundraising party that night that honored Kit Glenn-McKinley. My remote control got a workout as I flipped channels all afternoon trying to watch the Ryder Cup, NFL games, and the Tigers as they managed to squeak into the playoffs.

When I arrived at the Round Barn on the grounds of The Red Mile, I admit it was a bit creepy when I saw the yellow coroners tape wrapped around the building. I’m only guessing that it was the only thing they had to keep people from walking over the grass, but still, it was a bit creepy.

The Hambletonian Society’s Moira Fanning had told me they had an extra ticket, which I gladly accepted. Although my name wasn’t on the list as it was noted “Fanning, party of four” on the sheet, I talked my way in as one of the quartet.

I stopped for a second to chat with Elizabeth Caldwell and tell her I was likely going to be joining her and the group in Paris for next January’s Prix d’Amérique. Elizabeth said she was still deciding if she would be going. She also introduced me to her brother, Dan, who I had never met despite all these years.

I walked to the bar to get a diet Coke, and the server looked at me and said, “When I served you all those years here in the clubhouse you ordered diet Coke then too.” She reminded me that her name was Sharon and while now retired, she still helps out occasionally for functions in the Round Barn.

While I was standing there Bob Hutchison came over and introduced himself. I didn’t know Bob, and I certainly appreciated that the Ohioan came over to simply tell me how much he’s enjoyed reading the Backstretch columns over the years. Thanks Bob, it’s always nice to hear as I’m never sure who’s out there reading.

I grabbed some food and went to sit with Bruce Brinkerhoff and Mike Moss and their wives, but just as I did, I heard the Hambletonian Society group (John and Paula Campbell and Moira) hooting and hollering at me. Moira told me that since I was there on their ticket, I had to sit with them. So, despite wanting to talk Tigers baseball with Bruce, I picked up all my stuff and sat with the Hambletonian group.

Ex-boss Kathy Parker soon joined us, as did Heather Vitale. Heather told me a few weeks ago she had tickets to see Dolly Parton in early December at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and when I told her I had plans to be out there the same week, we hoped to get together for dinner. Ironically, as we were sitting there talking about Dolly, Heather got a text from the person she was going to Vegas with, noting that the country superstar had just announced her December shows would be postponed until next September. So, while I will still be out there (hoping to go to the rodeo), Heather’s plans will likely be changing.

One of the best moments of the night for me — in addition to some really nice remarks from 94-year-old Kit — was spending some time with the Wilder family. I congratulated Mike on his win with the Norm Parker-trained (brother of my ex-Boss Kathy) Mr Big Spender on Thursday afternoon. Mike’s wife Heather was there and we chatted a few minutes about the U.S. Harness Writers Association (she and I are on the Hall of Fame screening committee together, although this past June was the last of my six-year term). Also there were the Wilder daughters Lauren and Scarlett. Both daughters are a tremendous help at the Dan Patch Awards dinner and It’s been awesome getting to know them better this past year.

Speaking of best moments, I was happy to check my texts early Sunday morning and see that Garnet Barnsdale had sent me a six-way parlay that he was touting. Garnet rarely loses so I was glad to see he finally decided to share a ticket with me. But when you see what he sent me, you’ll understand why I was hesitant and passed.

I can tell you that Garnet’s parlay included winning wagers on a women’s tennis match, a pre-season hockey game and a cricket match in Australia. He also had made a winning wager that a men’s soccer game would finish in a 0-0 tie. But it was his last two wagers that completed the parlay and paid Garnet off handsomely that were amazing. I can maybe try and figure out how Garnet won while betting the Packers/Cowboys game would end up in a tie, but how did he complete the ticket by betting that Bad Bunny would be named the halftime entertainer at Super Bowl 60? Garnet, you are good!

Monday night is the opening session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at Fasig-Tipton, and I’ll be there around 5 p.m. for the two-hour reception before the auction gets underway at 7 p.m. I filled my gas tank Monday morning, and the stations near where I live were all at $2.59. So yes, with my dollar off via my Kroger points, I filled my tank at $1.59 a gallon, spending only $25.

I’ll have a report from the Monday night sale in Wednesday’s Backstretch With Gordon. I hope it’s a great night for my sponsors, Steve and Cindy Stewart’s Hunterton Sales Agency, who are selling a record 126 yearlings during this year’s five sessions. Also on Wednesday, I will let you know how things went Tuesday afternoon, which includes the one-hour Breeders Crown Charity Challenge reception that gets underway at noon.

Remember, the sale continues Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, before the closing night session on Friday. And if you plan on attending Friday night and your travel route takes you through downtown Lexington, there is an Eric Church concert at Rupp Arena so traffic should be heavy. On the flip side, traffic the rest of the time through the week should be lighter as the county schools are closed for fall break until next Monday.

In closing, I have to tell Tom Charters how great it is to see him in Lexington this year. Tom was planning on attending last year but on the eve of his trip to the Bluegrass he had a mishap and had to return to his New Jersey home to recover. I’m really thrilled Tom is here as he told me any time I needed a sponsor that he would be the person to see.

Once again, back at ya on Wednesday, and if you’re in town make sure you take advantage of the bargain gas prices while they last.