2006 counts down

Random notes for the Wednesday morning after Christmas..is it just me or is it a bizarre feeling to not have to go shopping, wrap and pack up presents and drive to a family members house, eat a lot, drink a lot and then do it again?

** Sent in my Eclipse Award ballot - it looks a lot like the one sent in by Steve Crist (see his latest column in DRF on the banning of jockeys in the U.S.).

**It's all about charity at this time of year and everyone has their own list of charities they give to (children, medicine, etc.)
No excuses, however, for people in the racing business not to give a little something to the horses - if it wasn't for them, we would not have jobs.
Need a push, read this Christmas story, linked on Equidaily, from a St. Louis newspaper...
a horse named Stan escapes slaughter...wow, this is a great read...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/ story/03709E11929BFDAA86257250000B3C7F?OpenDocument


**Can't wait for Gulfstream to start next week but how messy is it going to be with that Equine Herpes breaking out in Florida? Eeks. Would love to hear reports about how the track is now as far as the paddock, saddling enclosure, grandstand, etc. is concerned since it was so absurdly rebuilt last year.

**The movie An Inconvenient Truth (documentary), is super and shocking, hopefully it will make the difference that Mr. Gore aims to make... I'm off to change all the lightbulbs in the house...