Friday Fun: Racetrack Superstition, Hamsters and Horses

The latest edition of Down The Stretch is online and on the shelves featuring tons of Queen's Plate coverage as well as several harness racing stories. The highlights include:

*Top Ten Queen's Plate stories by writer/historian Louis Cauz.

*Triple Dead Heat taking on Orbit The Hamster in a handicapping competition. The hamster may as well be spinning his wheel after selecting the ankle-knacked Utterly Cool.

*Harness drivers take a little time off at Mohawk to handicap the Queen's Plate.

*A Perry Lefko feature on the hot harness connection of Tracy Brainard and Josh Marks.

*A feature on racetrack superstition that spills the story of my need to use a new pen after a poor day of handicapping. Plus, far more interesting ditties about a Kentucky Derby winner that used voodoo chicken bones, how to cure whooping cough with horse's breath and one Woodbine jockey reveals the need to ride wearing backwards underwear. (It's not Chantal, mind out of the gutter kids.)

*There is coverage of the Harness Racing Wagering Conference which editor Peter Gross attended as a moderator.

*And yes, one more contribution from TDH about a day I spent with LongRun adoption co-ordinator Sheri Van Sickle visiting ex-Woodbine racing stars on several foster farms across Ontario.

I will happily post out a free copy of the paper to the first 10 people to email me a request. You can find my email address in the top left corner of this blog in my bio.

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I was at Woodbine on Sunday May 24th and snapped a few fun photos. Check 'em out!

Chantal Sutherland is mobbed by a group of adoring fans


Bath time for a victorious Bag of Hammers


Emma-Jayne Wilson is all business sporting serious shades


Prima Danna and jockey Gerry Olguin are led out to the track


Jim McAleney is all smiles after steering Whiskeyontherocks to victory


Justin Stein - One of my favourite Woodbine jockeys posed for a photo after a short interview for a story I hope to publish in the next issue of Down The Stretch


Over on the backstretch, Southdale was in good spirits!


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I'll have photos and a recap of Sunday's Plate Trial posted on Sunday night. Check out yesterday's post for a preview of the race.

Have a great weekend everyone.