Sean's Blog

Raining at 35538. Better than snow. We are trying to appreciate and celebrate small victories. That’s how the winter is gone. A long, slow slog and still slogging. February is about to flip to March and not a day too soon. Dreaming of Warrenton, Piedmont, Old Dominion, Keeneland, Saratoga and … Read More

Next goal wins. Said on every frozen pond on every dying day. From gloved hands, under woolen hats, over rippling ice, through a pair of shoes, into the snow bank. And dreaming of bigger games, bigger days. Jack Hughes. Missing teeth, bloody mouth, digging out the puck, shuffling, skating, looping, … Read More

Wow. That’s the one word text I sent to a couple of friends moments after the 7:30 at Southwell. It’s the first time the 7:30 at Southwell ever elicited a wow from these keys. First time from any keys. Constitution Hill made his flat debut in the 7:30 at Southwell … Read More

Devastating news. John Shirreffs, a horseman’s horseman, died in his sleep Thursday night. A kind, curious, imaginative horse trainer who made the sport, the world, a better place. I wrote “Zen Ten” in The Saratoga Special Aug. 13, 2016. It took John Shirreffs 10 minutes.  Ten minutes to get over the worst defeat … Read More

I love the Winter Olympics. For all its whacky events, high-drama moments and side-gig athletes. USA and Latvia are tied at 1-1 in the first period of the first round of Olympic hockey. Two American goals disallowed, two pucks off posts, a goal saved by an American player who wasn’t … Read More

Miles and I were on our way to a baseball game near Lovettsville, Virginia. A woman braced against a leash which braced against a husky. The dog was winning as the duo careened along the fence line of an expansive farm. “Look at that woman, walking her dog on a … Read More

Eight degrees at 35538. Sunday barn chores. About to begin. I see three huddled masses in the front field. Check. I’ll lug and chug to the barn in a bit to check on the other two. We moved Eli, the goat, and Duchess, the cat, to the tack room last … Read More

In our first start of the year. Sherminator bounced back from a fall at Cheltenham to score in a novice hurdle at Ludlow Racecourse Wednesday. Trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Bryan Carver, the German-bred 5-year-old settled well, jumped well, scythed through the inside, powered over the third-to-last, the … Read More

Time for Sherminator to get back on the beam. Ludlow. Race 3. The Ludlow Members Novices’ Hurdle. 9:23 a.m. Here’s what they’re saying… Neil Morrice Hollywood Bets: Looked to be travelling well within himself when falling at Cheltenham on a second run back from a wind operation. Unfazed after the … Read More

Another coffee shop. Another stolen moment. Or two. Or one. In between a school fundraising meeting and a school assembly. The latter, something about Highest Honors. My honor roll kid who found his loafers in the back of my car and left his lunch in the front of my car … Read More