Good news from the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga, NY, our book is now available in their gift shop.

On Tuesday, Bill was a guest on Steve Byk’s Sirius/XM show At the Races. Click here to listen. Bill’s in the second half of hour 3.

Welcome. We’re starting an online list our reader’s favorite horse phrases and terms.

Here is my personal favorite:
Out of the Clouds

Feel free to add your 2 cents

There were a number of phrases that we thought about including in the book but in the end we did not.  Here is one:

Pony Up

There are different theories on the origin of this phrase, but the most common is that Pony refers to a small amount of money that must be paid. A Pony is a small or young horse. This fits with its widespread use in poker for putting your small ante in to join a game.

The phrase Pony Up might also come from the German ‘poniren,’ ‘to pay.’ A Pony is also used to describe a small alcoholic drink and there is the pony keg of beer.

Feel free to add your 2 cents.

The Belmont Stakes

Saturday’s running of the 141st Belmont Stakes was a real horse race and those who wagered on most of the entrants got a run for their money. Many thought Mine that Bird was a shoo-in. He didn’t win but he finished in the money getting a piece of the show pool. It was a fast track and out of the gate Kent Desormaux jockeyed for position and got the inside track with Summer Bird. Mine that Bird running true to recent form settled in at the back of the pack. Calvin Borel, Mine that Bird’s jockey, had guaranteed victory but that was the problem, hearing it straight from the jockey’s mouth isn’t the same as hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth. Dunkirk took the lead and set the pace for most of the race. Mine that Bird was chomping at the bit (or champing at the bit if you prefer) to run and when Borel finally let him go, he made his usual bold move to the front and ran neck and neck with Dunkirk. But, seemingly from out of the clouds, Summer Bird swept up and to the lead and won by 2-3/4 lengths.  Dunkirk held on for second and Mine that Bird tiring finished third by a neck. What a day!

Copies are now available at Babbo’s Books in Windsore Terrace, 242 Prospect Park West.