After work, in the evening, I watch reruns of California, because I am obsessed probably, but I tell myself I do play week end stakes out here, so I might gain insight into context. The cards I have viewed do indeed look like horse racing, especially if you didn't have a preconception as to how the flow should feel, the transitions take place. It does still resemble harness racing in so much as the moves are distinct and seemingly "considered" compared to a dirt track level of spontaneity. My view of synthetic racing is still, "One long move, that starts at the gate, and ends at the wire", and is sort of how Julien Leparoux seems to view it; he and Joe Talamo - young people who seem to come by it naturally actually showed the way, and Nakatani was about the first to be aggressive it seemed.

If the front of the race dictated the main track for 400 years, and the stretch dictates the winner on the grass, the synthetics seem like one long middle move to me. OK, not science.

I never hear from anyone, that is serious, any new concept about how to win in CA, and it does remain a mystery to me that players accept this environment given the old predisposition to wanting to see "Fast Horses, Fast Cars, Fast Women". OK, a little too Damon Runyon there. So far, I have gotten lucky a couple of times, like with Christmas Kid in the spring at KEE, looking for a Jerkens Spring Finish, but continuously fooled with other things, much like Bear Now last week end. Here's to turf racing in CA, a sound adventure still, and a treat this week end.

Wishing all concerned a great trip to a venue of my "college" years, a not so aesthetically renowned plant in what I guess is officially Stickney, IL, or about 35th - 39th between Cicero and Laramie in what we always called Cicero. I have actually seen more money won there than anywhere else since, so you know I have managed to stay in low rent groups toute ma vie.

The man who won the most of it came down the grandstand stairs screaming at me one day, "Beg, Borrow, or steal, all you can, and bet Mark Prince." Being way to proud to bet someone else's horse, I watched in agony for me; thrilled for Bobby, as the beast romped by 8 and paid
$47.20, which was for Bobby, cornerstone to a great fall season. 1964.

From the North Side, this place was an elevated, change in the LOOP to another elevated, to a bus, to the track, but you got West Side Italian Beef sandwiches that made the trip worth while.

One day I went all in on an Ill Bred named Morning Mail who decided to use means other than running to finish the race, and had to walk home, taking inventory with every labored step in my thin soles mocs. Worst day I ever had at HAW was in turning a parlayed $20 to $300 and betting an ILL Bred named Big H in an open overnight, watching him win at 3/1, starting for my 1200, when as one might guess, Bobby Finkel's horse, (he was already ahead of the meet huge) was put up and paid $21.60 which went to show, to them that have, more is given!

Will be fun to see Richie ride there, I hope he's interviewed. One more aside, and I will move along. One year, I bet a nickel on a filly named Bride of Note, ridden by Wm Mckinley Cook, 1963, who hit a filly named Roman Goddess in the face after the latter had come to him, twice!

There was a VERY lengthy inquiry but with my 'nocs, I knew Cook had hit RG with his whip, it looked at least, twice! The gods speak, and viola, she stayed up. I finished that day with the winner of the 9th, and the next morning boarded the train to LA.

Shortly after my arrival in LA, I noticed a SI on the stand and bought what turned out to include an article about Cook's having gotten away with hitting not only Roman Goddess, but later Roman Brother at Pimlico, and getting away with both, (picture evidence). I took that to mean, extraordinary events were required to get me to the LA basin that year for the winter. And some very shaky Stewardshi*.

*Someone should ask Richie to describe the surface at SA, on air would be best but I doubt this week end is the right time - love level playing fields. OK, not so much.