Roys Whisper
I was on a working holiday (I’m an artist) a couple of weeks ago and was making my way through Arizona. I heard that the races were on and, having never been to the Arizona track before, I thought it would be nice to have a day at the races. I got there to find that there was still a couple of hours to go before the races started, so I decided to sit down, do the form, get the scratchings for the day and have morning tea.
After this, I decided to go and have a look at the horses in the stables out the back of the grandstand as I always do when I go to the races. I was walking past a couple of horses when I heard a horse down in the far stable jumping and kicking and making a lot of noise. So I went for a closer look — people were rushing to the stall and a straper Quickly guided the horse away. But what the strange thing to me was that the horse in the next stall just standing there looking into the clouds. I found this strange because horses that are next to another horse that is playing up tend to get frightened as well but this horse just didn’t move a muscle.
I looked straight at it and it looked at me and gave me a nod. Just then I saw a woman starting to put some bandages on the hind legs of the horse. She finished her task and was putting the bridle on, when I said to her, “Hello, can you please tell me the horses name?” To which she replied, “Yes this is Whisper.”
I looked at her and said, “What race is she in?” “She will be in race 5,” so I grabbed my form guide and took a good look and noticed that this horse is a very classy stakes performer who is just making her way around in allowance races. I looked back at the lady and told her my name was Magoo. She told me that her name was Roys of be1stfarms and that she was the trainer of the horse.
“What are her chances of winning today?” I asked. “She will beat them with a stick” was the response, so I said thank you and told her good luck with the race and waved goodbye and went back to the grandstand and started having a few bets.
When it became time to run the 5th race (a 9 furlong allowance), I went over to a bookie who was giving 2/1 on the horse and put $5k on the 7 year old mare. Just at that point, a queue of people was behind me trying to get the price, but because I put so much money on, the bookie quickly changed the price back to even money. Let’s just say I was the only person smiling about that.
When the race started Whisper settled in fourth spot just off the pace with the main dangers Glamorous Event in the lead and Maryland Maid sitting next to Whisper. At the 2 furlong pole, Whisper let go with an unbelievable finishing burst and powered away to a 2 length victory. I was jumping for joy as I had just won $10,000. After the race I went and collected my cash and thought I would try and join the trainer for a celebration. So I bought a bottle of champagne (there were no glasses just plastic cups) and went down to the stable out the back of the grandstand when I got there there was nobody there, so I just opened the bottle and started drinking anyway.
After about 5 minutes I noticed Roys coming back. She had just give the mare a wash after the race. Whisper was looking at me again and nodding her head. I said to Roys, “Congratulations! Would you like some champagne?” She said, “Your not going to try to pick me up are you because I’m already taken!” I smiled and said, “No, I just won $10,000 on your horse and would like a celebratory drink.” She said o.k and she asked me what I did for a living.
I told her I was an artist. I said I like to paint portraits and animals. She said to me, “I would like you to paint a picture of Whisper.” I said I would love to but I don’t have my tools, but I’m in town for another day and I could come out and do a house call. Roys gave me the directions to her property and I told her I would see her tomorrow and I went and enjoyed the rest of the day at the track.
The next day I arrived at Roys’ home and was greeted at the door and shown through the house which was full of trophies and pictures of horses but none of Whisper. “Where are all the pictures of Whisper?” Roys said I have a whole room devoted to her and she led me in. I looked around and seen on a shelf a lot of big trophies The N. California 1285 Stakes-Stk, The N. Florida 1313 Stakes-Stk, The APRIL RUN Stakes-Stk, The PRINCESS HOUSE Stakes-Stk and The PETESKI’S FINAL Memorial-Stk. Roys said these were her big wins and that she was so proud of her old mare.
We sat down and discussed a few things about whisper. Roys was worried about Whisper getting injured (knock on wood) and her form going away so I said, “Why don’t you retire her and use her for breeding?” But Roys said, “I would prefer her to keep running because I could always breed her later and she loves to win, but I think when I do breed her I will send her off to something in the Northern Dancer line.”
“So Roys how did you get her, did you breed her?” “No, back in the early days a trainer called Tanico gave up training and went on to be a brain surgeon or something, gave all his horses to the unbridled stable who also got out of training horses about 6 months latter to become chef. So I asked for the horses and became attached to Whisper.” “I think it was the name, it’s probably a girl thing.” ” But I’ve loved her ever since.”
“Roys have you ever been disappointed in her?” “Not really but I was disappointed when she lost the How Are You Gentlemen Cup-G1 she was making up ground but the race was to short so that was my fault, she gave her all.” We finished our drinks and went out to the barn where I got set up and started to paint Whisper.
After about 3 hours I had finished and went back into the house and gave Roys the picture. She said, “How much do I owe you?” “Normally about $1000 but because of you I made a lot more yesterday so it is free.” She thanked me very much and said if I were in town again, I was welcome to stay at Roys lodge anytime.