Old Man of the Mountain Series is Back!

The Old Man of the Mountains Series IV – Race 1
A mile on the Firm Turf Course
$50,000
All horses, 8 years old and up, Non-Winners of THREE within the last year

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If you don’t know about this great series, it started three years ago with Sunnybank hating to see the end of MEAT LOAF LOOP’s career come about too quickly so he set up a ten race series where “MEATY” would host the races with his conditions and any fellow old codgers could join in the fun and gather points during the series for scoring first through third in the races. The twist to this series is that if you win, you have to wait for the Host to win too or you won’t qualify for subsequent races until he does. It always proves to be great fun with grand old horses and usually the final race deciding the winner of the series. This year our host will be trainer Kelsobarn and the LilBitFarms Stables and their grand old horse, THREE WISE MEN who has had a nice long career and is ready for one last hurrah.

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Thanks for joining us at the Pastures of Green here in Vermont, for a wonderful and truly fun series. This week we are running an eight year old NW of THREE in the last year but that could change for the next race with either a win by our host or if he doesn’t he actually may be able to move it back down to NW of two in a year. We have enough experience gathered in this race to probably eclipse the rest of the card at Vermont this weekend. It is always a fun series and a great opportunity for some of our elder statesmen.

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 – THREE WISE MEN	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	10/1	Kelsobarn	8 YRS	43	13	105.35	Last Out	$253,609

Our host is on a hot streak! He has won two of his last four races! Of course he is getting plenty of rest between them…he won in February and December of last year. If he continues that and we only have the series when he runs this series may go on for a few years. Actually I think that he was just saving up for the OMOTM challenge. He is looking pretty good for an old guy but there are lots of challenges here in the race and he may have a tough time coming out on top. Hopefully that won’t tire him out too much.

2 – SKY WAHBIT II	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	24/1	Nineteen	8 YRS	43	8	102.34	2 Back	$97,162

The old gray mare just ain’t what she used to be…oops, sorry about that, I couldn’t resist. However in this case it may be true. A little over a year ago she was running triple digit SPFs and now that seems to have disappeared like the energy she used to have kicking up her heels in the pastures of her youth. She seems to like shorter distances so she might do okay here and want to impress the boys.

3 – GENE SCOTT	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	6/1	BeeAScout	9 YRS	42	12	116.31	Last Out	$303,774

What the heck is this guy on that he’s still running these fast SPFs at the age of nine. Does trainer BeeAScout have a fountain of youth in his stable or do we have another Sports Drug controversy waiting to happen?!? One good thing for the rest of this field is that his best speeds are only every other race and the good one was last time out so his “drugs” must take a while to kick in. One way or another, he should be able to get the old bones up near the front at the end and have a few more stories to tell back at the barn.

4 – THE ARMS OF ORION	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	13/1	CMD2001	10 YRS	53	8	108.21	5 Back	$226,667

What a regal sounding name for this old astronomer. It’s been a few light years since he last saw a speed over 100 SPF too so he may want to concentrate more on the Sundial portion of this race. That is just as prestigious as the champions trophy and is a badge of honor in the series. Perhaps he can get those 10 year old arms moving one more time and shock everyone.

5 – BOSTON ROB	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	9/1	Prosportzd	8 YRS	46	9	109.22	Last Out	$122,984

I have to wonder if this old guy was originally named for the character from Boston that played on Survivor and the Amazing Race. Speaking of the Amazing Race, that is probably what it would take to get a win here for these old bones. He would really like to get to that magical 10th win but he I’m afraid it won’t happen this week.

6 – SON OF RABBIT	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	8/1	WinrsCircle	9 YRS	78	24	122.12	6 Back	$941,822

This regal old gent is still competitive at his advanced age. That Geritol that trainer WinrsCircle is putting in the oats must be working! He really likes the longer distances. He really likes the rain and mud too. Unfortunately, this race has neither of those and he is going to have to remember how to run on a fast, short track. Do you think that there is any chance that his elderly mind can remember that? Some say that it is just like riding a bike and you never forget but somehow I find it hard to believe that this old fogey ever rode a bike even in his younger days.

7 – LONE PINE(NZ)	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	34/1	ERS	8 YRS	64	10	102.54	2 Back	$ 194,397

This old guy has one win in his last 22 races. It was only two races back but it was a claimer at with a same track (T) restriction. Before that was quite a drought. As a matter of fact that last win was back against a group of dinosaurs according to the stone tablet racing form I found for him. He is one of the frontrunners for the Sundial award in this series and that should be fun.

8 – SPANISH UNION	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	82/1	352	8 YRS	16	2	89.28	Last Out	$ 26,592

This is a lightly raced eight year old with only 16 races so far. He is pacing himself for his later years. He is also pacing his speed on the track as he is yet to break a 90 SPF. He has earned $26,000 so far in his career, you don’t think that trainer 352 has spent more than that in training and food over the years do you? It’s time for this old geezer to get his walker oiled up and get out on the track!

9 – DIABOLICAL PRINCE	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	5/1	Ruffino	8 YRS	46	13	115.46	2 Back	$ 689,274

This old Prince may be diabolical but this former Stakes and Graded winner is still competitive at a ripe old age. He’s still swinging those old legs and getting around the track like he’s trying to be the first one in at the Bingo Hall. Trainer Ruffino has been with him all along and would like to see him gather a few more wins for his trophy case to show the Grandkids when they come over. He might get one here.

10 – PENNY SAVER	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	6/1	GotsToBe	8 YRS	60	10	106.31	Last Out	$147,723

This regal guy with the cheap name and the excellent pedigree is aging like fine wine. I’m not sure how but he actually got better in his seven year old campaign. He had better SPFs and was competitive all year. He has taken some time off at the rest home and now looks like he’s ready to go out and stretch those old legs again. Trainer GotsToBe needs to sprinkle some more of that magic dust on him and see if he can improve again!

11 – PJ LORD NELSON	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	AVG SPEED	EARNINGS
	6/1	Plunk5	8 YRS	54	16	111.09	8 Back	$487,982

Another competitor among this geritol set. He has been competitive in his recent races and was a Stakes winner and won three in a row not that long ago. Trainer Plunk5 knows that for this guy it’s like falling out of bed and that is a worry with some of these old timers but I don’t think that is a problem with this guy. He still has too much blood flowing through those old limbs and that should carry him near the front at the end of this one.

12 – PATRIOT STAR	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	36/1	ErnieMan	8 YRS	59	13	106.77	9 Back	$ 149,299

This old Patriot hit a 106 SPF in his past two races, unfortunately that is a combined speed of those two races! Hey, it’s hard moving that walker around that track with all of that traffic. It’s been a while since he found that winners circle and that isn’t like misplacing your reading glasses or anything. He is a genuine competitor for the Sundial award for the end of the pack in this race. He has to hang his star somewhere.

13 – ATAKACHAW	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	AVG SPEED	EARNINGS
	11/1	Cadiz	9 YRS	60	17	121.74	4 Back	$1,809,800

Now here’s a an old guy that has more than paid for his keep. He don’t need no more stink’n trophies to hang in the stable. He is a decorated two time Breeders Bowl participant that has earned more than $1.8 mil. Though most of his 17 wins were three or four years ago he is still quite competitive although the triple figure SPFs are much more rare. Trainer Cadiz would love to see this guy go out with a couple of wins and this series might be just the ticket for him.

14 – PRIVATE CAT TWO	ODDS	OWNER	AGE	RACES	WINS	TOP SPEED	LAST WIN	EARNINGS
	7/1	RedBullet5	8 YRS	41	11	115.47	6 Back	$262,641

As late as last summer, this old cat ran off a long streak of triple digit SPFs and a couple of wins. The arthritis and aches seemed to have crept in since then but he can still run a far piece. That may be part of the problem as he is mostly a router and sometimes by the time these old geezers finally get it going the race is already over on these sprints. Plus he’s parked way outside and it’s a long way just getting down to the rail. I hope he’s up to it!

Morning Line = 9-3-10-11-14
Paz Picks = 9-6-3-1

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It is always tough to pick the first race in the series. In this series it is almost as important to pick the last place as the first. I am choosing SPANISH UNION to finish at the back of the pack but he could be challenged by PATRIOT STAR to finish about a state and a half behind the field. I always like to mention our host, and THREE WISE MEN could be a player here but there looks to be a lot of competition. He could sneak into fourth. I’m going to take GENE SCOTT to quietly finish in third. I like this old nine year old veteran SON OF RABBIT to battle it out for the win but fall just short. I am going with the morning line favorite, DIABOLICAL PRINCE to win the first race in the series and take the early lead in the OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN standings.

Good luck to all runners!

Email your comments to pazjazz.btb@gmail.comI love to hear from you!