[Leica] Ruby and the Track

[rsphotoimages at comcast.net (Bob Shaw)]

Larry:

Methinks nobody told Ruby she has a handicap.

Gorgeous horse, great attitude (check out the ears in her paddock photo), 
and definately a Winner.

Great story with a great update.

Thanks.


Bob Shaw
rsphotoimages at comcast.net


On Aug 6, 2011, at 11:25 AM, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote:

> On the way back from my trip to Rochester to attend a presentation of Kodak
> woes, I stopped at my niece and nephew's very small horse farm in Fairport,
> NY. It isn't really a farm, only seven acres, but they have four thorobred
> horses which they race or show at the nearby Fingerlakes racetrack. Two of
> the horses are racehorses, the other two are show horses (jumping, 
> dressage,
> even a bit of fox hunting - except that there are no foxes). New York State
> gives a tax break for property used as farmland and subsidizes racehorses 
> so
> that there is a small financial incentive to keeping a stable. Even with 
> the
> break, owning race horses is one of the most expensive hobbies known to man
> or woman. It makes Leica collecting look penny ante.
> 
> 
> We arrived early on a race day. One of their horses was entered in a race
> that very afternoon. The horse, a filly formally named "Afteralivebeenthru"
> and informally named Ruby was a real gamble. It is a four year old with
> excellent breeding. It was a granddaughter of Seattle Slew and a great,
> great, great granddaughter of Man of War. The only trouble was that if was
> totally blind on the left side. Ruby had lost an eye from an accident as a
> colt. As it turned its head to the left in an attempt to see forward out of
> the right eye, she tended to veer to the left. She demanded careful 
> handling
> and an understanding jockey to run straight.
> 
> 
> My nephew picked Ruby up from the junkpile at a horse auction for a very 
> low
> price. No matter what the breeding, few owners were willing to purchase a
> handicapped horse. Especially one that ate just as much as a fit horse. The
> next stop would have been the glue factory or a French restaurant. Buying
> Ruby took chutzpah. It was like buying a Leica Noctilux with a big chip in
> the front element at a yard sale. It might work OK but then again it might
> not.
> 
> 
> Ruby showed a surprising turn of speed. During her maiden season of seven
> races she won twice and finished in the money in two more. This was her
> first race as a four year old with a new jockey in the saddle. Here is Ruby
> showing off in the paddock before the race:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Fingerlakes/In+the+paddock.JPG.html
> 
> 
> Here is Ruby's disability. No eye at all in the left side of her head:.
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Fingerlakes/Ruby_s+blind+side.JPG.html
> 
> 
> They're off. About two seconds after the starting gate opened:
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Fingerlakes/They_re+off.JPG.html
> 
> 
> The new jockey couldn't control her. Ruby veered to the left at the start
> and hit the edge of the gate. As bad luck would have it, she lost a shoe
> from her rear left hoof.
> 
> It was a wet soft track. She couldn't do too much damage to her hoof. The
> jockey had the sense to let her breeze around the track in the wake of the
> other horses rather than running full out. Here is Ruby in good running
> form. Note that all four feet are off the ground. Who needs Edweard
> Muybridge when you have a DSLR?
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Fingerlakes/Ruby+in+racing+form.JPG.html
> 
> 
> Ruby finished last. She was just loafing but was not too far behind the
> winners. With a bit more experience on her back the jockey should be able 
> to
> correct that left veering tendency and let her go all out. That's the thing
> about horse racing. There's always tomorrow.
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Fingerlakes/Ruby+finishes+last.JPG.html
> 
> 
> Larry Z
> 
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