Red Mile visits

What an amazing experience it is walk around The Red Mile and see so many great racing personalities. We spent a blustery morning on the backstretch today, after a rain-soaked drive from Columbus.

Our first stop was to Steve Elliott’s barn, where the Jug blanket of roses is in full display and the Jug blanket hangs with great pride. Well Said was having a hind shoe tacked on when we got there, and looking at him you would be hard pressed to find any flaw on his absolutely beautiful and sculpted body. He looks as fit and glossy as a horse could be—no doubt in big part to the care he receives from Steve’s assistant trainer, Toni Rose. Toni is an amazing person and an even more amazing horsewoman, and how much she loves Well Said is clear in her every moment with the colt. Getting to stroke his satiny neck and look up close into the eye of  such a champion was a thrill of the morning.

But it wasn’t the only thrill. We next stopped by Greg Peck’s barn where we watched Muscle Hill getting a bath after his jog session. He looks terrific—alert, in great form, ears up and happy. Greg Peck looked a little tired, and he admitted he was ready for his wife, Nancy, to arrive tomorrow. Great horses, a wonderful wife, successful and charming kids (son Sean has a 4.0 GPA in high school and Brendan has become a media star)—what doesn’t this guy have?!

Muscle Hill’s groom, Sylvia, is home with a cold or flu, and we certainly hope for her a speedy recovery. We know she does not want to miss tomorrow’s festivities.

Mark Hall and I spent a few minutes with Holiday Road, the Peter Haughton winner, who Greg Peck said is done for the year. The powerful son of Yankee Glide (who has a positively towering head) was staring out the window when we first passed his stall, but he soon came over to say hello, shake his head and even take a nip or two at us.

The day has turned quite lovely, with big puffy clouds amid blue sky, and a fast track to compliment the top filly trotters battling for the Filly Futurity crown. Ah, Lexington. There is nothing like it.

Nicole