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sink or swim

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(photo featured in the Lexington-Herald Leader)


(two part series, 1 of 2)

Yesterday as the horses were turning for home in a 7 1/2 furlong Maiden Special Weight turf race at River Downs, a little gray by the name of Twostep Partner - making only the second start of his career - was in front by three or four lengths, looking for a first win and was going to do it in easy fashion. Francisco Vidal, the jockey, tapped him once on the right side with his whip only to have the horse waver a little to the left. He straightened him and hit him again right handed only to have his mount make a left hand turn leaping over the low inside hedge and leaving Frankie in the turf in front of an approaching field. As the race finishes with C J's Missle in front - paramedics descend on Frankie - and the loose horse disappears from view behind the tote board. And after a tense moment he reemerged on the other side, only to leap headlong - in graceful fashion mind you - into the infield lake right in front of me.

I was in shock at first, looking around for Dennis Moore - the trainer of the now waterlogged colt - before climbing up on top of the outside turf rail to take pictures as everyone rushed to the aid of the horse. Denny reached the lake to see his horse chin deep in water, ears pricked looking proud of himself. As he and Bert Crawford - another local trainer who came his aid - stood looking at the gray wondering how they were going to go about fishing the horse out of the pond. With the arrival of a crowd the horse began to thrash himself around untangling himself from the power cord to the fountain and swam back to shore right into Denny's arms. In the end the horse emerged completely unhurt and unscathed and Frankie Vidal was taken to the local hospital for tests and observation.

The running line for him on equibase is as follows: TWOSTEP PARTNER dueled for lead and set the pace, drew clear in the stretch, shied from the whip and jumped the hedge and lost rider, jumped into the infield pond.

I handed Pat, my boss, the prints at the end of the day since he wasn't around witness it and said it was shame the horse decided to swim instead of run because he would've blown the other horses out of the water. Pat laughed and said well I guess so since he decided to narrow the competition by being the only horse actually submerged.
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Ravenroseserpent's avatar
lol this Funny glad the he and the jockey Frankie was okay at least the horse had fun in the water

Your good at telling us what happens