A Visit With Jake

On the way home from the dog show in Youngstown, we stopped off in northern Kentucky to see Jake.

Hold up. That sounded much too calm, too matter of fact, like, "We stopped off to pick up some bread and milk."

Oh, no. This was highly exciting. I was looking forward to seeing Jake again. I was eager to see the brave, talented, and sweet Xela and get a sniff of horse. (Life is better when you smell horse and hay and sweet feed and straw; it just is.) And I couldn't wait to see his other horses in the flesh.

My car - Bill's famous Vous - wouldn't go fast enough.

Jake found a Red Roof Inn right next to the track, and I stopped there and checked in, fed the dogs, and walked them. They were delighted to bounce around the room after being cooped up for so long. Then we loaded back up and went over to Turfway.

Jake has got some awesome horses to train now. While I was in Ohio, his filly, Crawford County (nicknamed Cindy Crawford) won her second race for him, a huge allowance race. Xela was loving life and soaking up all of my attention.

Xela the ham

Xela the racehorse!

Crawford County, who just won a BIG race four days before, snoozing in her haynet. Xela is in the background, jealous.

I got to meet Cohenthebarbarian - Cohen - who is owned by the folks who own Big Brown. (Personally I think they should send Big Brown and ten of his best horsey friends to Jake to train. When you see what he's done with Xela and little Crawford County, well... Yes, I'm his mother, but I'm just saying...)

Cohen is a gorgeous stallion, who was rather naughty when he came to Jake and would never have stood quietly on the track like this. He's doing a lot better.

This is Fire Chief - oh my he's a nice looking horse!

Oh and Jake is riding Oedy. He made over $800,000 in his career. Whe his racing days were over, Jake found him a home with a super nice person. But Oedy didn't like life off the track, so now he's Jake's lead pony. (Things like that are what make me proudest of my son. It wasn't easy turning Oedy from racehorse - and a naughty one who had been ruled off some tracks for causing mayhem and injury - to a lead pony. But Oedy is Jake's buddy.)

And here's the new two year old filly who just arrived. She is impressive, and her pedigree is ... holy moly!!!

Life is good.

Hug your hounds and your sons