A Winning Gait Requires Harmony In The Gate
BY JIM WELLS Can you scoff at danger and inevitable injury, laugh off what happened twenty minutes earlier and focus on what’s about to take place? Can you forget about a throbbing leg kicked earlier in the day or an aching shoulder that acts up every time you lift an arm? Can you do all […]
Seabiscuit and 15 Minutes of Fame
BY JIM WELLS Remember Seabiscuit? If you’re a racing fan, you’ve surely read about the diminutive champion and the positive influence he had on Americans from coast to coast during the Great Depression. Or maybe you saw the movie! As Oscar Quiroz did…several times. He bought the DVD when it came out, for personal reasons […]
Video: The Gate Crew
The Gate Crew serves an important function at any racetrack ensuring that all runners get off to an even, fair and – most importantly – safe start. However, the risks involved are significant. Canterbury’s starter Larry Davila explains the job his crew goes through (and the associated risks it carries) each day – both during […]
As Tough As Nails (With Video)
Say it to anyone around the track and you’ll get an immediate look of understanding or a nod of respect. He works the gate. Stories abound around any racing community about accidents in the gate, about horses stomping, tearing or kicking a member of the gate crew into the next county. “I’ve seen horses throw […]
