As Jim Dandee opened the Daily Racing Form with customary crackle to jaded eye, his glance glazed over the chess set his kid made him for Christmas. Plasticine royal blue and hunter's green of deeper hue, it sat there just gathering dust on the side table ~ where unprovoked, the king toppled clearly in his view. It was a sign he knew. What sort would work it’s self out soon enough. He righted the fallen ruler and returned his attention to the form. Not all clues would just present themselves.
Yes! How’s this for a clue? ~ “Clueless” was running in the sixth at Tampa Bay Downs and with what Monday's meteorologist Mandi precipitationally predicted, a muddy track it could be -- gul darn it, his majesty's crown was once again down; hadn't he just - - - Oh, whoa it up there Nellie! A photo-finish flashbulb popped enlightening like and Jim Dandee pulled up mid-stretch from restoring royalty to his horizontal highness, poked a nubby finger under the running line and followed it out to see that Clueless was out of monster mudder dam, “Topple Two Times" and in the irons today was none other than Elvis (the king, baby) Trujillo!
Thoroughly bred to bet a hunch, Jim Dandee was no pawn of fate come lately. Odds on, how could he be rooked with The King among jocks atop this Clueless colt born for the slop? ~ Hell, heaven can wait, but when Elvis took off from the gate he won 35 straight in his native Panama, then 55 more from Mexico City to set the pace of the race for three graded stakes titles from South Florida to Churchill Downs.
Kerplunk -- the royal chess piece took another clunk -- "Why that's a triple crowner,” Jim mused unconfused. Third time’s a charm.
At the finish-line rail Jim Dandee patted the plastic talisman and slips of paper in the pocket of his lucky shirt and felt the first drops of anticipation, perspiration and Meteorologist Mandy's predicted precipitation as Elvis Trujillo gave Clueless the reins leading into the stretch in the rain and all the king’s horses stared idly back at all the kings men, no longer subject to their round-heeled ruler’s reign.
* * * * * *
Thanks for enjoying our Daily*Double*
Together we wish you a great Derby*Day and please remember to bet responsibly!
~ Absolutely*Kate & Horsey Harry
Actually A*K say's, "bet responsibly." I say, the less you bet the more you lose when you win. Go nuts!
This is the first Kentucky Derby in years that I haven't had my pick sewn up by now. Tough one to figure this year. Who do you like?
137th Kentucky Derby
Purse: $2 million; 1 1/14 miles; Grade 1
1. Archarcharch, J. Court, 10-1
2. Brilliant Speed, J. Rosario, 30-1
3. Twice the Appeal, C. Borel, 30-1
4. Stay Thirsty, R. Dominguez, 30-1
5. Decisive Moment, K. Clark, 50-1
6. Comma To The Top, P. Valenzuela, 30-1
7. Pants On Fire, R. Napravnik, 30-1
8. Dialed In, J. Leparoux, 4-1
9. Derby Kitten, J. Castellano, 30-1
10. Twinspired, M. Smith, 30-1
11. Master of Hounds, G. Gomez, 20-1
12. Santiva, S. Bridgmohan, 30-1
13. Mucho Macho Man, R. Maragh, 12-1
14. Shackleford, J. Castanon, 20-1
15. Midnight Interlude, V. Espinoza, 12-1
16. Animal Kingdom, R. Albarado, 20-1
17. Soldat, A. Garcia, 20-1
18. Uncle Mo, J. Velazquez, 5-1
19. Nehro, C. Nakatani, 6-1
20. Watch Me Go, R. Bejarano, 50-1
Odds by Mike Watchmaker
Post time: 6:24 p.m. Eastern
TV: NBC
All carry 126 pounds
12 comments:
It would have to be Decisive Moment, wouldn't it? Since we're all about being indecisive? (That is the hardest word to spell, btw, especially when you haven't got enough java juice in ya yet.)
Congratulations, you two, loved the story. You guys write so well together.
Okay, the second paragraph reads like total Kate. The restraint of the first reads more like Harry. But whose idea was a kid making a chess set? Sheesh, I could barely glue macaroni onto cardboard.
I have to wonder, John, why you read Kate and Harry's stories if you don't enjoy them....my son could make a chess set out of plastic as a toddler, (unless I'm missing it though we don't see the child's age here), so, even though this is fiction that's a very real possibility.
Another fantastic collaboration you two! I love your work, both individually and together.
I know absolutely nothing about the races, but I always like to guess who'll win just to see how close I come (the only time I've ever bet I lost big, so I won't do that again!) Just for the cool name, I'm picking Pants on Fire.
I know nothing about horse races (even though as a kid I read every horse book I found) but the story sounds good.
Thanks for joining in on the race everyone! I have decided on my pick. Well, picks. Placed $5 win bets on both Animal Kingdom and Midnight Interlude. I hope you all will enjoy a nice mint julep and some good Derby fun on the first Saturday in May!
You two sure know how smack those words into a sassy pace. As usual, you put us right out in the action, I could practically smell the manure. Hope your chosen horses do you proud.
Kate and Harry, once again marry skills, in the quest of thrills and spills, what a collaboration of quills, for our amusification. :D
Thanks guys.
(Pssst.. Kate? Here's your whisper, my daughter's story is posted.)
How can you test Fate when she gives you a portending chess piece like that. Sometimes you just have to lay your money down. Gamblers are always looking for something, aren't they? A good story.
Wow Harry, you're obviously great at gambling - congrats! Though Pants on Fire didn't win at least he was up in the running for a few seconds. :)
I really liked the rolling style of this - felt like racing commentary, somehow. And yes, that casting around for inspiration on the race winner sounds very familiar...
I shared a flat with a lass who's boyfriend had a vivid dream about strawberrys, or some such, the day before the Grand National. Not being at all into precognition, and having found something like 'Strawberry Boy' at 25:1 he debated with me, slightly freaked, whether he should put cash on that spookly suggested horse. We agree, yes.
Of course, the horse comes in. I congratulate him on an awesome and slightly freaky win, and he says, sheepishly, "Yeah, uh, I didn't put it on 'Strawberry Boy' because I don't believe in 'that kind of dream stuff'".
Sheesh.
Moral of the story: spot a chess set out of the corner of your eye... go for it. lol.
Though, watch out for 'Pasta Boy' at 20:1 and 'You're Rooked' at 18:1.
St.
Thanks everyone! Animal Kingdom made me a rich man! A week from Saturday we'll see if he can win the second leg of the Triple Crown in The Preakness
Hello, traces of everybody who came to Harry's track during our annual joy ~ The run for the roses. This is one of my top three favorite duets with Harry. I just came across it now, as I was back in Ohio for my mother's funeral that weekend. Franny, my Mom, always played for a bag of peanut M&M's with us and I continue the tradition. All five of her kids, their beloveds and nine grandchildren sprawled out in the old Vienna, Ohio livingroom to give good grief a good break that Saturday at race time. So I'm real glad Har reran this run outta da gate.
JOHN ~ Au contraire, your detective linquistics are off. Go back and read-into -- Har and I are getting more seamless with zigging our zags to each other's styles. It looks like I had a few sentences in to start each paragraph. Then, the way Harry closed it off gave us our next direction. We just write, we don't confer til the end, usually when we're celebrating.
STEVE - As I suggested your daughter post on your site, I will check it out, but now you two know why I missed it. (But I'm happy to know it for YourSake, dear sir)
DEANNA ~ I'm giving you my bag of peanut M&M's on this one, for your always sweet kindness ... and ... that indeed I made that chess set as a kid down the basement on the pingpong table with those pour-in plasticine molds. John - I was a kid, and about four of the pieces still lean crooked, but hell, that's all the fun o'the game.
HAR? Check ... mate.
~ Absolutely*Kate
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