Page 10 - April 2008 The Game

10 The Game, April 2008
Renovations at Woodbine
Hope springs eternal. This is what spring train- ing is all about. As race trackers north of the 49th brace against the winds and cold of a strong winter, (where’s yer Chinooks now, Alberta?), there is only one thing keeping us focused: it’s going to get warmer. Forget about the start of racing, forget about hardiness of Canadians,
at some point, somewhere, it’s GOT to get warmer. Amazing how that keeps us showing up every day. Just a few short months ago, (here at Woodbine); people couldn’t wait for the World’s Longest Meet to end. And why shouldn’t they? Some had toiled in the barns nine months and were more than ready to get into some major time off.
Yet, here we are. Is there any organization that clings to hope like horse people? Three year
olds with Queen’s Plate or Derby dreams. Older horses wanting to make the leap and play with the big boys and girls. And then there are the two year olds. Doe-eyed owners and trainers rocking themselves to sleep at night with dreams of glory. No matter what, there is still the hurdle of spring training to overcome. This winter in Ontario we’ve had more snow than the last two years combined and there is more to come. As much
as we curse the snow and cold now, it has been
a blessing. Farmers will have cover for their soil and horses have been turned out in plush snow
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Above:The new standardbred paddock and retention barn under construction in the in eld. Right:
The 50-year-old Willow trees that were becoming a hazard in windy weather have been replaced with younger trees.
Hope makes life tough. We put hope in many, many things that, if we took the time to look,
are loser bets. We hope people will sober up. We hope co-workers will pull their weight. We hope our jalopy will start- BTW, when it’s harder to start each morning, (people, cars and horses), that’s a warning. We hope the track will be good to train on. We hope we can make it to the track before it closes. We hope the Breakfast Special
is what we like. Hope, hope, hope. Hope can seduce us into making decisions that will hurt
us. In a bad relationship, we hope people will change, rather than confronting the situation with honesty and openness. Hope can also seduce us into keeping a horse well after its’ due date. There’s an old saying that says you don’t want to be the last owner of a claiming horse.
Get Tied On
with Chaplain Shawn
instead of frozen tundra. Funny how God works that out: if it’s been dry, brace for rain. It may not come when you want it, but it will come (usually right after you enter in a turf race).
There are then times when things look hope- less. Illness, injury, death. Job loss, nancial ruin, faithless spouses. I don’t know how many
times I’ve heard a person describe their situation as hopeless, yet years later, they’re still here. Somehow things have worked out. But there is an easier way. God wants us to give our burdens to Him and draw our hope from Him. The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affection- ately and cares about you watchfully.” Rather than putting hope in things, animals or people, God longs for us
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to put our hope in Him. Is it easy? On the contrary, it requires commitment and faith. But the payoffs are better than a 50-1 shot. Wouldn’t you rather have someone you can load up your problems with, as opposed to
carrying them around yourself? Spring also means Easter. During this Easter season, you may want to reconnect with God or connect with Him for the rst time and put your hope in Him. Because He cares for you.
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DProlpabcyethyeosutoreoorrdceherscktuosdoautyofno-lrin:e for all your Trainer, Jockey
• Racing Silks • Blinkers
• Paddock Sheets & Bags
or Exercise Rider equipment:
• Clothing • Boots • Gloves • Jackets
• Barn Hats & Jackets
•SafetyVests •Saddles•Bridles
• Saddle Cloths & More!
• Crops • Stall Plaques • Saddle Towels
www.thejocksroom.com
• Ice Boots & Much More!
thejocksroom What Winners Wear
Woodbine Backstretch Store
416-674-3865 or 416-399-4552
Hours: Mon - Sat 9:30am - 1:30 pm
The Game April 2008.indd
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