I've been following horse racing since 2003, when Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby. However, I had not been to a racetrack until November 2006. That was when my mom took me to Delaware Park for the first time. That was when I fell in love with a gorgeous grey and saw a superstar before he became a superstar.
I wanted to see Hard Spun in person since I knew the meet was going to end and he was going to prep in the Mid-West for the Derby. Unfortunately, I had math class (ugh!), but I was doing well in the class, so I left early and snuck off to DP (If you are wondering I passed the class with flying colors). When we got there, my mom and I accadently went through the slots area. I should note, not only was it my first time to DP, it was hers as well. Luckly we didn't get caught, (although my first and only time there alone, I went through the slots and well... got carded.) When we got to the actual track, I was in awe. Okay Delaware is not the biggest track in the world, and it was a bit cloudy and gloomy. Still I was amazed, but that could be because I was a track rookie.
We missed the first race since we where trying to figure out how to get into the track, but we did see the gallop out. The first race we saw was a claiming race for 2yo's. The winner was an Allen's Prospect colt named Trash Collector. I'm not sure where he went through, as the last place that I know he was raced was in West Virginia, I forget if it was at Charles Town or Mountaineer. While there where other nice wins, one horse not named Hard Spun captured my heart. His name is Arcata and he is a grey colt by Wagon Limit out of the mare Arroyo Cottage. He faced Hard Spun in HS' first race, but could not keep up with the soon to be superstar. My mom and I went inside to make a bet. However, it wasn't on Arcata who romped home in the mud. The horse we bet on finished third, but we didn't get any money as the field was small. Here is a picture of Arcata after he crossed the wire. He is the grey horse who is wearing the number 1 saddlecloth.
Since this race, he has won a small stakes race for his trainer at that time Graham Motion. Unfortanlly he slipped into claiming company where he was claimed by Scott Lake and then last time out David Jacobson. I hope that he does well for Mr. Jacobson and he comes down here for the DP meet.
The race of the day was the Port Penn S. and the heavy favorite was the Danzig colt Hard Spun. And it was no suprise that he won the race comfortably. The following picture is of him just getting to the wire after putting the rest of the field away.
Of course he went on to bigger and better things. This includes winning the Lane's End S., 2nd Kentucky Derby, 3rd Preakness Stakes, winning the King Bishop (his only G1 win), and 2nd in the Breeder's Cup Classic.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my first time at not only Delaware Park, but at a racetrack. I will have photos from Delaware Park from this season once the meet starts later in April, although I'm not sure how many times that I will be going this season. I'll defently be going for the DelCap and possibly the DelOaks as well.
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