Sunday Racing at the Lake

Wine and racing pair nicely at the lake. (Photo by Geoff Worden)
With an empty house and Judy the Beauty, a favorite of mine, running at Del Mar, I got started on errands and chores early so I could focus on racing later. The day was overcast and some scattered drops landed but sunshine appeared intermittently. A little after lunch I had time to read by the lake and do some swimming - the blessing of being on the east coast, first post at 5:05 ET.
I dawdled a bit too much but made my way up to sit on the porch and study the PPs far enough ahead of the first race that I felt confident making a number of exotic bets. In retrospect, more time at the lake would have been smarter.

Sipping a tequila and Sprite with lime juice and a floater of Amaretto softened the blows of watching my horses underperform in the first races. I could not get rolling with exactas much less Daily Doubles. Letʼs not even mention Pick 3s. I have not done well picking West Coast races and look forward to an in person visit to see if that helps. Despite my happiness with the view, the ideal temperature and the comfort of being outside in a rocking chair with my feet up, my computer apparently had other ideas. Power fading, I searched, in vain, for a plug that would allow my cord to reach. Alas, I would be inside for Judyʼs race, the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo.
The horses competing for the $150,000 purse dropped from a mere six horses to a paltry four with a pair of scratches and the odds shrunk with the field size. The odds declared it a two-horse race between Reneesgotzip (winner of this race in 2013) and Judy the Beauty. Judy got off to her usual stalking position while Reneesgotzip proved she was named correctly. Judy finally flipped the switch on the stretch to win it. I believed the horse could do it, especially with Mike Smith aboard, and she did not disappoint. The other favorite actually slipped to 3rd and I was ready to capitalize on a relatively large wager (for me) on Judy to win/place. Somehow the bet didnʼt go through. Not my day, I guess. Gulp, there went the last of the second cocktail.
RELAXING AFTER A DAY OF RACES

Photo by Geoff Worden
By now some snacks and wine seemed like a good idea. It was also getting chilly. I built a raging fire, powered by driftwood and enjoyed some St. André and Tallegio. The first cheese is a triple cream brie with a lovely buttery texture and delicate flavor. Tallegio is a washed rind cowʼs milk cheese with an intense bouquet but a milder taste. A washed rind, regularly wet can be incredibly pungent, some are accurately compared with stinky feet. I laid these out with some rare steak from two days earlier (Mom, I swear I ate some green vegetables in the kitchen while putting the plate together).
It all went pretty well with the remainder of a bottle of Wild Horse Central Coast Pinot Noir 2012 from a dinner of grilled Sockeye salmon the night before.
Here is my review of the Wild Horse: The nose is all cranberry and raspberry, with plenty of oak and vanilla notes. There was noticeable wood tannin (more aggressive and longer than fruit tannin) both on the palate and the finish, which I found distracting. The aroma is acid-driven and high-toned and the ripe fruit quality was nicely balanced by the tartness. It was a long, strong wine in a way I expect from California Pinots but did not do so far as to be potentially mistaken for Syrah.
WILD HORSE PINOT NOIR

Photo by Geoff Worden
The night before, my father said he enjoyed it but my friend Todd said he found it a bit lacking and would skip it for the price. It did pair pretty well with the Sockeye salmon we grilled and perhaps even better with the fatty cheeses and the steak but, overall, I found it unexciting.
Every wine will not make your heart race and sometimes a safe, middle of the road choice is best. My father and I rarely agree on Pinot Noir so I suppose that should be a sign of success for Wild Horse. There is no listing for the wine at the “Buy Wine” portion of their website. Perhaps they are sold out, the best success story of all. After the wild 7th race I finally threw in the towel. My pick, All Star Bub, finished 4th despite a solid effort and it was time to shut off the computer and enjoy the fire. Visiting a racetrack in Maine has not happened yet for me but bringing the races to the lake made for a fun evening.