Trainer's Test/ Lincoln/Murphy's Law

Two tiny water drops on the keyboard do in the new Dell Laptop. And....... wake up to the 2001 Lincoln LS sporting flat as a pancake front right tire. This Lincoln auto, with its brand new Michelin MXV4 tires, that I was planning to use tomorrow to drive to Lincoln State Fair race track to inquire about taking a trainer's test. MXV4 btw, extraordinary tire!

With these two lovely events both occurring within minutes of each other. Around here am once again considering the Murphy's law aspect of horse racing. I needed that computer when I hit the road to the race track.

But, we count our blessings. The car made it into the driveway before going flat, a sudden fit of $$$ of about $2500 came into the business the last two days, the horse purchase account is up to $1000.00, and our good Rollin' Rodney did another breakthrough w/o yesterday. Surely we will get that :14 sec/f before the weekend is over.

It's difficult to get anyone's attention at the race track to take a trainer's test. I have to retake because the Kansas Racing Commission has expired.

How hard is the trainer's test? I took out my first trainer's license in NE in 1999. Took the written test cold after one read through of NE Racing Commission Rules. This resulted in missing 4 of 100 Qs, which the Steward seemed to think was excellent. One miss involved some ridiculous horse anatomy Q--what is a "brown eye" or purple eye, whatever it was. The other three misses were technical racing rules multiple choice Qs such as--do u have 5, 10, 15 or 20 min. to do this and that after last call. Something along those lines.

I have been successful to date in avoiding a barn test, of which I am terrified because I know first thing they'd do is pull out a wrap and tell me to wrap a leg. Since I never wrap, last having wrapped in 1992 when I had a filly that was running down, could see myself flunking purely for failure at correct wrapping. Luckily in Nebraska they require written test only, and if u know horses, have been through race procedures and read the rules a few times, I found the test surprisingly easy. For anyone aspiring to take a trainer's test, I'd say go and do it, and avoid any worry.
Training
Thurs. July 7. Off 1.5 inches of rain.
Fri. July 8: 4 times up and down the hill limited to trot due to wet ground. However, this was an interesting w/o seeming another little break through for this horse. Unlike his previously skittish self, this day big Rod seemed totally focused on what he was doing, he was enjoying his work instead of his constantly looking around for trouble, and the pace of his trot--which is about 4f for each heat up and down the hill was completely different than it had been. I was encouraged as to what I hope to see today and tomorrow.