Weightman family header

Tebowing's First Race

Winner's Circle 1Winner's Circle 2
Linda, with her sisters, Sharlene & Melinda, friend Virginia and other owners in the Winner's Circle

racing form

Sometimes events just happen and it is nice when you can take advantage of them. In this case, Patty's cousin - Linda - is part owner in a race horse and the horse's maiden race was to be this day at Santa Anita. The race track isn't very far from our house and Patty had visited it far more often than Craig due to her family's interest in horse racing. The track itself is not only very beautiful, but the San Gabriel Mountains make a fabulous backdrop for watching the horses run.

Patty & Linda

Before the horses race they are brought to an area where they are walked a bit and then saddled for the jockey. We all watched the 8th race - the big race of the day - and then gravitated to this area.

Here Patty and Linda are waiting outside for the arrival of the horses in the 10th race.

Sharlene and Linda relax on a bench - there are plenty of places to sit around Santa Anita.

Sharlene & LindaSoon after, the horses for the 10th race were brought in and we got a good photo of Tebowing.

Tebowing coming in to be saddled

saddling TebowingThey walked the horses around a bit - to warm them up? - and then saddled them for the race.

presenting Tebowing before the race

Finally they walked the horses back out, circled a showing area where the owners could see their horses from the center, then under the grandstand and out to the jockeys and the starting gate.

 We didn't have a lot of time to get to a place to watch the race, but it sure was fun to be part of all the pre-race preparations that go on at Santa Anita. 

Sorry, we didn't get any pictures of the race. It was too fast and exciting for us to stop and think about a camera. Look below for a video replay of the race.

race result stub

The race started with Tebowing in last place and she stayed that way throughout the first two stretches and the two turns. This horse was lighter and had longer legs than the other horses and I suspect the jockey didn't want her to mix it up with the rest of the pack, because she would probably get bounced around and lose her stride.

It was as they turned the corner for the home stretch that the jockey took her wide and she started to simply blow by horses. There was one point, she was in the middle of the pack, when she took a couple of strides that just seemed very much longer than the other horses and she was suddenly in about 4th place.

At that point it was obvious she was going to be a factor in the race. The lead horse, Unseen Visitor, was valiantly trying to hold on, but Tebowing was moving away when they crossed the finish line. It was recorded as a photo finish, but Tebowing was about a quarter of a length ahead at the finish.

Here is a stub giving all the winning information about the 10th race, with horse #9 - Tebowing - finishing in 1st place.

http://littleredfeather.com/horses/replay/788Tebowing race link image

Click here or on picture to see a replay of Tebowing's race.