Bet my money on a bob-tailed nag--Doo-da, Doo-da

Grandpat (me) enjoying the races.

        As a girl’s day out, last Sunday Christene and I went over to the Inverness  harness races.  I’d never been to a horse race although a trip to Louisville and  the Kentucky Derby is on my “bucket list”.  We had so much fun that when Dan asked what I’d like to do for my birthday, I said I wanted to go back to Inverness for the Wednesday night races and a celebratory dinner at the new Cabot Links Restaurant there.

Harness racing is a form of  racing  where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver (not called a jockey) in a sulky.  At Inverness the horses pace around the half mile track for a distance of a mile. The horses line up behind a slow-moving, hinged gate mounted on a motor vehicle, which then leads them to the starting line. At the line, the wings of the gate are folded up and the vehicle accelerates away from the horses.

 

 

Driver in the sulky with his pacing horse.

Horses lining up behind the mobile starting gate.

Going to the races here reminds me of attending a Durham Bulls baseball game back home in NC, because both are essentially family events where folks of all ages are just having a a lot of fun  It’s fairly inexpensive entertainment.  Admission to the harness race is free.  One can buy a program listing the races with the entries and info about each horse for $2.50 and for $2.00 one can place a bet  I placed a few bets and spent $15.00 total for a fun evening.

On the first race I bet on a quinella.  That means I chose two horses to win and place, and they can win or place in any order.  I chose horse number 1, Liberal Arts Major, and horse number 5, Little Wubbs.  Horses 1 and 2 came in first and second, so I didn't win.  I chose number one because of her name and just randomly chose number 5. 

Gwen (on left) owner of Liberal Arts Major, the winning horse in the first race.

The lady who owns Liberal Arts Major was sitting directly in back of me.  Her horse won the race.  If only I had just picked number 1 to win and had not bet on a quinella!

Program for the harness racing.

I’ve discovered a new past time, have met some new friends, and I’ll be back next year for the harness races in Inverness.