Fortunes welcomed Nicole Pagano, Susan Rhoades and six other friends and family members.
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Silent auction items that have an ‘experience’ attached to them have always intrigued me, for there are several stages of cashing in.
For Susan Rhoades and Nicole Pagano, the first wave of payoff took place at the March 4 Chili Cook-off to Benefit Saratoga RACE at Kings Tavern (See the event wrap-up here.) Their winning bid on an “Owner for a Day” package benefited a nice new alliance of Equine Aftercare Organizations – including the Heading for Home Racehorse Retraining/Adoption Center, Saratoga WarHorse and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Susan, Executive Director of WarHorse, and Nicole stepped up to the plate for Susan’s organization and other like-minded ones. So the first wave of cashing in is that good heart-warming feeling you get from helping a great cause.
Phase two of the payoff came last Sunday, May 7, as Nicole and Susan were given the star treatment – befitting their status as Owners… for a Day.
Their winning package, provided by The Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association (SHHA) and Saratoga Casino, included a meal at Fortunes for six at a prime-view owner’s table, $100 in betting vouchers to back ‘their’ designated steed in the seventh race, access to the race paddock to meet their “Horse for the Day,” and a ride on the starter car before the start of the sixth race.
The newbie owners did have a big decision to make – which trotter would get their owner love (and betting money) in the featured seventh race? Susan describes the scene:
“We couldn’t decide between two horses, Twisted Pretzel or Lucid Thoughts.” Susan said. “My daughter picked Lucid Thoughts for 2 reasons, one, the Driver’s first name was John (MacDonald), the same as my partner’s, and well, she thinks sometimes he has Lucid Thoughts. Nicole picked Twisted Pretzel. We decided to flip a coin and the winner of the toss was Lucid Thoughts.”
And it is now race time. Though some in ‘the know’ raised an eyebrow over their selection, the owners kept their own counsel and plunged in with a $50 win/$50 place bet on the Lucid one in post position 3.
And away they go! Lucid Thoughts had a tough position for much of the trot, running 5th and boxed in towards the rail. But he had plenty in the tank as they turned for home. There would be no catching Soul Train (PP 1), who had the rail trip on the lead all the way, but Lucid Thoughts kicked in and dusted all others in the field, taking the place spot with ease in a nice 1:56.3!
Leading to that third wave of cashing in – Susan and Nicole had that $50 place bet, netting them a cool $122.50. Since they were playing with house money, the expression: “That ain’t hay!” can certainly apply.
Post-race thoughts? “If I ever get the chance to do this again, I would – in a minute!” Susan said.
Arthur Gonick
May 13, 2017
