Tuesday, November 22, 2005

I'm back....

Sorry for the delays in between posts. There IS nothing more annoying than visiting a friendly site, only to find out the lazy bastard(s) hasn't taken the time to update it in, oh, about 6 months!!

O.k., so I exaggerate a little bit, but the fact remains-I am sorry to the loyal 3 readers who may have been missing my attempts at entertainment.

What better way to jump back into the blogging mix, then to combine my two favorite passions-all revolving around my favorite city.

I've pasted in a little tease from the article(see below).

This is from one of my favorite websites of all-time: Jambase (www.jambase.com-link below)

...."Besides drinking, Vlautin's only other major vice is horse racing, a fact reflected in Post To Wire's title, which is a track expression referring to a horse that leads from start to finish.

Vlautin observes, 'I just started betting horses when my friends would go out gambling because it takes a lot longer to lose your money. Maybe I am kind of a gambler (laughs). I go every weekend to a local track in Portland called Portland Meadows. I love it. When we're not touring, I spend the summer following a bush league country fair circuit in Oregon. I just go camping and watch all the races. I'm a pretty pathetic handicapper, but I have a good friend who's a professional handicapper and he's also an agent for jockeys. I wrote an instrumental on Winnemucca called 'Twyla,' and that's for a jockey named Twyla Beckner. She and I have become friends over the years. I get to hang out and see the harder side of horse racing. It's an interesting sport, although brutal for both jockeys and horses. I have a love-hate relationship with it, but I do go out every weekend' (laughs)...."

Who is (Willy) Vlautin? Well if you really care, then read the entire article here.
  • Meet Richmond Fontaine


  • If you are too lazy, I'll just say this:

    It's hard to find an interesting music article with worldwide appeal, whose main subjects are from my adopted hometown, and the subjects somehow manage to mention horse racing AND Portland Meadows.

    This my friends....made my day.

    4 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Boy, you don't get an article like that every day. :)

    t said...

    That's a great article form JamBase.

    I too find myself skirting my blog updating responsibilities. We can't all be Alan at Left at the Gate. So, I do the best I can.

    I love the Winnamucca reference! I've never been to that meet, but I've got it on the schedule for next June. My trainer's mom, Ruby Thomas, trains mules and she never misses that meet. Also, next year she's going to have one of the Taz clones. I don't ever want to see it for thoroughbreds, but I can't wait to see two mules with the identical genetic make-up deuling it out in the stretch.

    Another good bush meet is Red Bluff, although there's no tote board there. If have a bead on a real bush meet in Idaho or Utah, I'd love to hear it.

    t said...

    Was just tooling around before my Reno trip next week and found that the Turf Club [that RF sings about] has been condemned! have you ever been? It was real shithole, but I love playing the ponies there for the characters. Cheggit, 'bout midway down, or just do a find on "turf": http://www.cityofreno.com/gov/retrac/news/

    Ruben Bailey said...

    Nice catch Brad!!

    I saw your post on LATG re: your trip to Reno. I have never been to Reno for extended gambling (although I have been at the Reno bus station at 5am!!-a story for another day!)

    I spent a nice day at the Sports Book down in Tahoe (see my post on July), but that's a totally diferent game altogether then Reno itself.

    I am assuming Caesars has a solid book. But I might recommend you emailing Dave Tuley of the Racing Form who covers sports betting.

    I am pretty sure his email sis dtuley@drf.com

    He is a nice guy who has responded to me every time I've emailed him. He may even remember who I am!! (avghorseplayer.blogspot!!)

    You should email him regardless and see what he says.