http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2016/05/01/canonero.aspx
Apparently you were something of a prankster? Lol. Do you remember the details?
Based on gumtree’s age, and the age of this tale, I would venture to guess that it is gumtree’s father who is referenced in this article. (Gumtree - I met you at your farm about 4 years ago when I accompanied my friend, a turf writer for the TB Times, when she came to interview you)
What a great story!
On a sort of related note, I have been watching Majesto and he will factor in to some exotics for me - he has run four races over one mile and has been recording works at a mile. I have this feeling he may be fit to beat the band, and may end up running right on by some tired horses with shorter odds. We’ll see!
Happy Derby everyone!
That is an amazing story and one which explains why all of us crazy people who are involved in horse racing continue to pour our hearts and our dreams into possibilities. I’ve been involved in my share of unlikely success stories, mostly cheap young thoroughbreds that have won more than their pedigrees or conformation would suggest to be possible, but those are the most thrilling ones.
Thanks so much for sharing this Mara. I had no idea about Canonero’s humble origins!
Terrific story!
I remember watching that race with a roomful of racing folks.
Cool story. Thanks for sharing
Such a great story.
Some parallels to Lani in there too, with the lazy works but connections sitting chilly. Steve mentions it in the comments section.
[QUOTE=Mara;8645330]
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2016/05/01/canonero.aspx
Apparently you were something of a prankster? Lol. Do you remember the details?[/QUOTE]
Well, I’d be the youngest looking 89 year old on planet. I was 15 and and as Nelson guessed that was my father.
Finney and my father grew up together. My father joined Fasig Tipton in the late 50s if memory serves. At that time the company was comprised of around 4 full time people. It grew considerably over the years. Based in NYC until the mid to late 60s when they build a beautiful office across the street from the East Gate of Belmont. A hop and skip from Woody Stevens barn, Buddy Hirsch, Mac Miller, Angle Penna etc, etc. The company’s Board Room also doubled as the “local bar” after the races even when there was no racing. Too bad I didn’t fully appreciate the times I spend as the kid, rather the fly on the wall when allowed to hang out with the gang.
In those days and for many years after the business of selling and racing horses was business but it was also an entertainment business. Just about everyone was a bit of “prankster”. Great practical joke were always well received.
Chic Lang was a great guy but he ran the show his way and didn’t put up with BS. You didn’t want to get on his bad side. After leaving Md he ran the NYRA. I have vivid memories of watching the “new” Belmont grandstand being built. Quite impressive to a little kid, it was really big.
In those days Fasig ran/conducted all of the Florida sales in partnership with the FL Breeders Asc. There were several 2 year old in training and some other types over the winter so the “grew” spent the winter in South Florida. The sales were held at Hialeah and the Miami Springs Villas were around the block where long term bungalows, rooms could be had for the winter race meet.
The place was “home” to pretty much all the great charterers of the turf in those days. Names and nameless. But just about everybody gathered around the pool come cocktail hour. For business and pleasure.
I remember my father telling this story a few weeks before the Derby at a cocktail party at our home. I also heard it several times from Chic himself.
For a number of years there was a very popular comic act on the Ed Sullivan show, Señor Wences used various hand puppet characters with great catch lines that people would imitate in conversation for laughs.
So, Chic thought one of the gang was pulling a “Senor Wences” on him. Even when they kept denying it was one of them. I would bet someone in his family still has that “napkin”.
Darn sham Canonero didn’t win the Belmont. Just about everyone within the NYC Latino community were at Belmont that day. I think it is still the biggest crowd ever for the Belmont. The biggest I ever attended there.
Canonero was sold to King Ranch not long after and Buddy Hirsch took over training him. His son’s Bill and Michael are still good friends of mine to this day.
GT, that is a great story and nice additional information. You appeared to have been hanging out at a great many cocktail parties at a very young age. Hope you had everything under control when you reached high school graduation. Lol. When Haskin writes about Sir Barton I am looking forward to reminiscing.
[QUOTE=Shammy Davis;8647463]
GT, that is a great story and nice additional information. You appeared to have been hanging out at a great many cocktail parties at a very young age. Hope you had everything under control when you reached high school graduation. Lol. When Haskin writes about Sir Barton I am looking forward to reminiscing.[/QUOTE]
“Hope you had everything under control when you reached high school graduation.”
Well, I knew how to drink lol, Keep in mind the drinking age was 18 then.
But I was very much part of the “youth movement” by then. Turned our back on the “cocktail set”. Sex-drugs and Rock N Roll ruled the day and for a few years after.
My father hated my long hair and the Grateful Dead. I lost my hanging out with the “gang” privileges. Wasn’t allowed to go to Saratoga.
He did give me press box tickets for the Belmont the year Bold Forbes won if memory serves. My friend and I did put on jacket and ties. But the usher almost didn’t let us use the seats. He asked where I got the tickets, I said my father, he said who’s your father, when informed he said, Larry Ensor wouldn’t have a son that looked like me, lol. I showed him some ID.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8649722]
“Hope you had everything under control when you reached high school graduation.”
Well, I knew how to drink lol, Keep in mind the drinking age was 18 then.
But I was very much part of the “youth movement” by then. Turned our back on the “cocktail set”. Sex-drugs and Rock N Roll ruled the day and for a few years after.
My father hated my long hair and the Grateful Dead. I lost my hanging out with the “gang” privileges. Wasn’t allowed to go to Saratoga.
He did give me press box tickets for the Belmont the year Bold Forbes won if memory serves. My friend and I did put on jacket and ties. But the usher almost didn’t let us use the seats. He asked where I got the tickets, I said my father, he said who’s your father, when informed he said, Larry Ensor wouldn’t have a son that looked like me, lol. I showed him some ID.[/QUOTE]
Not with hippie stuff, but I totally relate to your father denying your parentage. I think it was after my first teenage arrest that the local J&D court judge told my dad that he was definitely my father.
