Mr. Ark continues a potentially big weekend for the Club with his first race at Canterbury on Saturday.

The race is the 5th on the card for $5000 claimers going six furlongs. Dean Butler gets the ride. Paddock Group 2 will be in the paddock for this one – weather permitting.  Should the paddock get rained out, Group 2 will get another shot next out.

it is Preakness Day so I am unsure yet if we will have any space set aside the odds are we will not but I’ll let you know when I do

Speaking of the paddock…

The paddock is an exciting place to be before a race but it can also be a very dangerous place. You need to be on the lookout and alert for anything. Some of you may recall a couple of years ago that a horse got loose after dumping his rider and broke through the fencing, only captured several yards into where the crowd would have been moments earlier. On opening weekend a horse got loose heading to the race track.  A few strides earlier and he would have been loose in the paddock.

Bottom line – be aware and have the ability to get out of the way should something unexpected happen. If you bring your children in, you are responsible for them. They cannot run around or play unattended.

We do allow one guest in the paddock if you choose (you’re on your honor here) so we could have up to 80 people in there. We can be from our number backward, please do not spread out toward the other numbers and crowd the other owners.

At no time should anyone be on the walking ring once the horses come out of their stalls. Please stay on the grass. If you do not make it to the paddock before the horses are on the walking ring, please do not enter.

In the fortunate event that we are able to get to the winners’ circle this summer we would like to keep the winners’ circle photo to Club Members. Now that we are over 180 members it is too crowded and too dangerous to bring guests in and I do not want members who paid their money, like everyone in the Club, to get shut out. It would not be fair.

That said, as Clubbers we want you all in the picture if we get one! It will be imperative to be quick and be friendly.

By quick I mean should the time come and we win, make your way to the winners’ circle as quickly as possible It is important for the horse to wind down, get to the test barn and get back to the barn so we do not want the horse out on the track circling around waiting for us to all get in.

By friendly I mean that if we are all going to get into the picture we are going to have to get very close together on the risers, maybe even turn a bit sideways to get everyone in. Out of necessity there will be some people on the ground area. I will be there, arms spread wide, begging you all to stay to the one side of me. Behind me is where the horse is going so please don’t try and slip by me, gather together, friendly like, on the other side.

After a race the horse is very high strung and excited and can be hard to handle. They can fire off kicks and strikes without warning and we do NOT want anyone getting hurt. Again, stay alert.

I will be speaking with the track photographer to see if we can get a special rate again this year and will let you all know about that when we know.