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MARIE MCCABE |
Weblog: The wife of leading all-weather trainer Alan McCabe with her weekly diary.
The Caspar Diaries -
part two, America
WELL, we're here. The weather leaves a lot to be desired and Louisville is considerably less than lovely, but for once, I don't really care.
There isn't even anywhere to provide the normally pre-requisite retail therapy, so I will be heading home with just about the same amount of money that I travelled over with (which is definitely a first).
As an experience though, it simply cannot be beaten. After a very comfortable transatlantic trip, we boarded what could be the smallest passenger plane in commercial use for a slightly bumpy short hop from Chicago to Louisville.
We arrived in darkness and were collected by a party bus, complete with neon lit interior, bar (unused) and TVs - favourable first impressions.
I travelled over with Charles and Zorka Wentworth, Katie Walsh (from whom the Wentworths had purchased Caspar) and Katie's partner, Ross. We were all pretty tired on arrival, so only had a couple of drinks in the hotel bar before heading up as we had an early start in the morning, having arranged to meet at 6.15am for our first visit to the backstretch of Churchill Downs.
It was still very dark as we were driven to the track, so Louisville remained a mystery, quiet streets and invisible buildings. It was quite a different story when we arrived on the backstretch.
After a thorough checking of our passes(if there's one thing the Americans do particularly well, it's security) we were cleared to enter the inner sanctum of the training barns.
My first encounter of the equine kind came not with Caspar, but with his barn-mate Midday who was stretching her legs around the barn.
Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.
Caspar looked amazing and soon after our arrival Richard Hughes was in the plate to take him for a blow around the track.
Alex has coped admirably with the demands of riding track work with several hundred horses coming at you from all directions, but Caspar in his stronger paces can be quite a challenge and Mr Hughes provided us with his not inconsiderable assistance.
I'm not sure my vocabulary can do justice to the sight of the backstretch of Churchill Downs on a Breeders' Cup morning. The best I can do is to allow you to visualize - picture the M25 when the traffic is flowing freely.Now replace all the cars with the equine superstars of the time, add in a few ponies and outriders and voila.
It was an assault on the senses and I had to keep telling myself to take it all in. Just being here feels so surreal, as though I've wandered onto the set of Seabiscuit or Secretariat. So far removed is it from any of my other racing experiences, I just want to remember every minute.
They provide a stunning breakfast here, better than the hotel and all freefor the many connections of the many participants. Goody bags, freebies, personalised caps and horse clothing, even a $200 voucher for Breeders' Cup memorabilia of your choosing - the hospitality has been amazing.
And so, we find ourselves two days after arrival on the eve of our biggest day ever, nerves may be frayed but excitement is building and I know I will barely sleep tonight. I think I am looking forward to it, but at the same time I would like to skip to the last page to see how the story ends. It is excruciating, but I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.
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