A NEW Leader in the OLD MAN of the MOUNTAIN SERIES?
The Old Man of the Mountains Series – Race 6
A mile on Fast Dirt
$50,000
All horses, 8 years old and up, Non-Winners of TWO within the last year
If you don’t know about this great series, check out the link: HERE.
Thanks for joining us at the Pastures of Green here in Vermont, for a wonderful and truly fun series. We are back for the sixth race in the ten race OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN RACE SERIES. Rasputin won the last race after a second in his previous start and is in a perfect position to tie or pass series leader Eminent Minstrel who is waiting in the wings. If he can pull off another win he will not be qualified for this race until our host Meat Loaf Loop can win another. There are several other horses with points in the series running today. We have lots of new oldsters participating though and a couple are up there in age. There is always an interesting story or two with a group this old too. It should be fun and interesting as always so let’s take a look:
- The Standings to date in the series:
- Eminent Minstrel 12 Points
- Rasputin 9 Points
- Meat Loaf Loop 6 Points
- Deputy Wood 6 Points
- Wally’s Count 4 Points
- A. Contender 4 Points
- Greek Judge 3 Points
- Brother Hot 3 Points
- Australia Mat 1 Point
- Brother Metro 1 Point
- Burg Grooving 1 Point
No disrespect meant to these truly respected veterans but I’ve tried to write this preview with a bent toward having some fun with this series. I hope that you enjoy it and accept it with that in mind. We’ve got a nicely matched field of old codgers so let’s take a look before one of them expires!:
| 1 – MEAT LOAF LOOP | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/1 | SunnyBank | 8 YRS | 83 | 19 | 95.6 | 84.0 | $511,015 |
After winning the second leg of this series, our illustrious host seems to be content to sit back and watch from the rocking chair. Trainer Sunnybank has been trying everything to get his prized horse back in the mix. There are rumors of many “Fountain of Youth” formulas containing everything from Red Bull, Viagra and Geritol to voodoo remedies sent in by admiring fans. Don’t ever count this big guy out as he can still get a jump and could find his way back to the circle at any time. There are a couple of former winners in the series that are certainly rooting for him!.
| 2 – ADMIRAL JOHNNY | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/1 | LoveOfGame | 10 YRS | 76 | 12 | 91.6 | 86.8 | $ 148,183 |
A new “Teenager” to jump into the series. This guy decided to take a break from claimers and chasing the skirts back at the bingo hall to get his competitive juices flowing again. With 12 career wins, he surely knows how to get there but the old bones ain’t what they used to be. The last time he won a non-claiming race was 29 races and a couple of years ago. I wonder if he can still remember that far back at this advanced age? Trainer LoveOfGame would love to see this guy back on His Game!
| 3 – BROTHER METRO | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/1 | StormRun | 8 YRS | 22 | 2 | 93.1 | 87.3 | $22,818 |
Entering his fourth race of the OMOTM series and only his 23rd race overall. That means that almost 20% of all of his races have been in this series. I sure hope that trainer StormRun knows what he is doing by making this old guy work so much in this his 8th year. I hope that he doesn’t mess up his income enough to stop the Social Security checks from coming in. He’s actually done fairly well in the series and has gathered enough stories and memories to take back to the old folks home to share with the nags.
| 4 – DEPUTY WOOD | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/1 | JeslanFarm | 8 YRS | 37 | 5 | 98.7 | 92.1 | $110,547 |
Our winner from two races back in the OMOTM series found out how hard it is to get the old bones moving two in a row at this stage of his life. Trainer JeslanFarm said that his old guy tried to respond at the end but didn’t have anything left to give. Perhaps he is ready to gather more points in the series this time. He is tied for third in the standings with the host and would like to jump up the board without actually winning the race and disqualifying himself from future series races. It’s like sitting back at the old folks home and trying to figure out one of those ridiculous Soduku puzzles!
| 5 – CROOKED DIVER | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99/1 | CBearHart | 8 YRS | 40 | 2 | 69.9 | 63.4 | $ 4,599 |
This elderly horse has had two races with speeds in the 90s and they were so long ago that he was competing against dinosaurs. Trainer CBearHart must be a big believer in age and experience as he puts this old guy in the series. In all of his years of racing, he has won twice, hit the board only three times and won a grand total of $4600. I’m sure that he can eat up that much in a couple of weeks of training. That means that CBearHart is working at a big deficit with this guy so must have a big soft spot in his heart!
| 6 – DYNA VACUUM | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19/1 | PazPrayer | 8 YRS | 26 | 4 | 91.2 | 84.6 | $47,697 |
A second time visitor to the OMOTM series, he finished in the middle of the pack last time out but seems to yo-yo a bit in his races. That means that this race trainer PazPrayer is planning to see those Swedish fountain of youth treatments to kick in and win a few shekels here. I wouldn’t bet my social security check on that if I were you! Maybe this “Vacuum” can make a clean sweep of this race.
| 12 – CHARISMATIC DANCE(GB) | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99/1 | Pagasus | 9 YRS | 82 | 8 | 80.2 | 67.5 | $92,420 |
AH, once again my favorite entry in this series, he has run in all six including this one. He has come so close to capturing the elusive LAST place spot in this series. That is actually a place of honor here as there are a lot of tired old guys that would like to get a good view of the race from the “back” row. His best showing in the OMOTM series is a couple of 11th place finishes but he is really going to have to battle CROOKED DIVER to try and win that last place medal this time out.
| 8 – HOIST THE DANZIG | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28/1 | Nisqually | 8 YRS | 71 | 13 | N/A | N/A | $ 167,797 |
If trainer Nisqually is a poker player he sure would like to see a win here as this old guy has finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th this year and only needs that win for a seven card straight. Come to think of it, there may be a better chance if he has the jockey aim for an eighth place finish and try to get the straight that way! Now that would be a story to tell the ladies about back at the nursing home if and when he is able to finish this race!
| 9 – BURG GROOVING | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1 | FuzzyCat | 8 YRS | 52 | 8 | 95.7 | 92.2 | $210,163 |
For the first time in three tries in this series, this old guy doesn’t have to start from the outside post. The move up may be a big adjustment for him as he finally figured out how to move his walker through all of the traffic last time out and scored some points in the standings for this series. He’s actually improved his last two races and this competition may be just the tonic for his old bones to get him moving. Trainer FuzzyCat certainly hopes so and likes the company in this field.
| 5 – RASPUTIN | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | Browns2 | 8 YRS | 34 | 6 | 98.5 | 94.4 | $ 171,165 |
It’s a good thing that this ancient historical figure didn’t know about this race earlier as he has really shaken the standings in his two entries with a second and the win in the last race. Now trainer Browns2 needs to be careful as he will be disqualified from future races in the series if he wins again before Meat Loaf Loop. Jockey instructions may include a bit of a pull-up at the finish if they are too near the lead. A win here would put him in first for the series and a second would tie him for the lead and still allow him to race. Any old guy can figure that out, couldn’t they?
| 11 – HIS TRAPS | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36/1 | SixesPlus | 10 YRS | 62 | 9 | 79.1 | 75.6 | $71,960 |
Stopping Somebody mentioned that retirement starts at 65 and this 10 year old thought they meant 65 races! He is certainly nearing that and would like to finish a race where they are still able to measure his time with a stop watch and not that dang sun dial! He remembers the days, (just barely!) when he was running triple digit speed figures and strutting his stuff for the ladies. Now a days, he is happy to get out of the stall and walk all the way out to the track. Unfortunately, once he gets there they actually want him to run!!
| 12 – BROTHER HOT | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/1 | Panther27 | 8 YRS | 25 | 4 | 94.0 | 89.1 | $ 92,129 |
This guy just missed scoring points in the last race that would have helped move him up the standings. He has contended in his four journeys during the series and is usually in the top two at the top of the stretch. Trainer Panther27 tried to petition the officials at the Vermont track to shorten the stretch for this series and move the finish line up to the end of the final turn so these old fellows wouldn’t have to run so far. They told him they would get back to him on that but he hasn’t heard anything yet and BROTHER HOT will have to find a way to hold on a bit longer.
| 13 – CODE MAT | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/1 | Breathehar | 11 YRS | 41 | 14 | 103.8 | 90.6 | $ 978,682 |
Wow, now this is an interesting entry into the series. This ancient 11 year old actually won a STAKES race with an amazing 112 speed figure only four races back. Speaking of old guys, as Paul Harvey would say, here’s the “Rest of the Story”. That race was way back in 2003 and CODE MAT then took a three year hiatus from racing! Talk about resting on your laurels! This guy sounds like the Ricky Williams of horse racing. What did he do, take a world cruise and visit with the Dali Lama or something? It will be interesting to see how that long rest will translate in this group of oldsters. A welcome addition to the series.
| 14 – A. CONTENDER | ODDS | OWNER | AGE | RACES | WINS | TOP SPEED | AVG SPEED | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 | WindHmHill | 8 YRS | 43 | 5 | 97.1 | 88.2 | $ 149,656 |
Parked way outside, in the handicap lot is this eight year old who has been the most consistent runner in the series. This will be his fifth race and he hasn’t finished lower than 6th. If he could find his way through this crowd he could be there at the finish. That’s a big if as it is pretty tough moving these old timers out of the way on the trip towards the finish. Some of these old guys don’t move too fast. I’m thinking that he will be in the mix at the end though.
Morning Line = 13-10-14-9-4
Yoss Tipsheet = 10-14-9-4
Paz Picks = 10-4-14-13-1
In this series it is almost as important to pick the last place as the first. It should be one whale of a race for last place between CHARISMATIC DANCE and CROOKED DIVER . I like the DIVER in that race. We have a couple of tough looking newcomers to this party with some interesting stories along with some of the series vets. There is more experience in this race than the entire sum of all the other races on the card. I always like to mention our host, MEAT LOAF LOOP and I have him picked for fifth as he always puts forth a good effort. I’m looking for CODE MAT to shake off the rust from a three year layoff and contend but fall into fourth. Speaking of contending, I like A. CONTENDER to hit the board with a third place finish. I like RASPUTIN and DEPUTY WOOD to battle it out for the win and find out which one will be disqualified from future series races. In a squeaker, I think RASPUTIN should be good enough to beat these retirement home horses and take the lead in the series!
Good luck to all runners!
Email your comments to pazjazz.btb@gmail.com. I love to hear from you!
