I drove up to Pimlico Race Course this morning and went on a Sunrise Tour. It was great fun. As soon as we checked in, they gave us carrots and apples. They just stuffed the apples in the pockets of my jacket. Hot coffee was waiting for us on this foggy morning.
We saw horses being washed down after a run, I patted a Clydesdale, met and heard from the farrier and hefted a horse shoe, went to the museum, saw the jockeys' silks hanging and ready for the race, walked through the dining room, saw the betting windows, the spruced up track, and rows and rows of chairs outside ready for the race, 4 days away.
The other people on the tour were lucky to have me on the tour, since my questions pull more data out of the guide than she normally gives. I did not grow up with horses. I'm a pavement girl, only know the city, but I've studied the history of horses in Maryland, back to the 1600's. I took The Smithsonian Institution's Resident Associate Members to Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt's North Baltimore County horse training and breeding farm, Sagamore, in 1991, and began studying thoroughbreds for that tour. After Vanderbilt died, and homes were going to be built in the Valley, I knew the leaders of the fight to keep developers out. And I know Kevin Plank's farm manager. Kevin, owner of Under Armour, bought and is restoring Sagamore, and I go out for a breather whenever I need to escape the city pavements.
Anita, our guide at Pimlico this morning, works on a privately owned horse farm in Sparks, up in the county. She gave me her phone number, and invited me to come see the farm. I think I'll go. What's interesting is that not one other person on that tour listened to the guide's answer, when I asked her how she got in the horse business, and learned where she works now.
One more thing: I told Anita how much I appreciated the tour, and asked for her Supervisor's name, saying I wanted to relate how good our tour was. Anita went off the fetch her Boss, while I waited. Professional tour guides do things that are extra, and much appreciated.
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Zippy Baltimore
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