The Turk and Little Turk at 500 Posts

500 Blog Posts!  

Sometime in the late summer of 2008, I was sitting in the Chicago Airport, a Friday evening, on a flight delay, when I found a horse blog called Equispace. The Japanese have a word for it, Satori! Sudden Awakening. I knew what I wanted to do. I have been handicapping on or off since 1986 when I found myself living in Saratoga and spending more time at the track than I should have. I love to handicap, and I enjoy writing out my thoughts. I've never proclaimed any special skill or knowledge, as humility is a key handicapper trait I've always tried to retain. I'm passionate when inspired, and since this blog came to be my inspirations have been the animals I write about: Rags to Riches, Hard Spun, Curlin, Zenyatta, Tuscan Evening, Quality Road, Einstein, Rachel Alexandra to name a few.


As life has it, Equispace is the blogchild of a fellow Western New Yorker, Geno, and not only was a blog created, but a friendship was forged as well, often in cigar smoke. I think what I have most enjoyed about writing The Turk and the Little Turk is the people I've met because of it. Sometimes strangers write me, just to talk horses. I get tweets and comments and Facebook messages, but I've never had a bad experience. My Facebook friends list is populated by greater horse fans, and much better handicappers, so I do my best just not to be an ass clown.

In honor of my 500th Post, I am guaranteeing a $500 donation to a charity very close to my heart, the Tim "Tiznow" Reynolds fund. Win or Lose on Kentucky Derby Weekend, the first $500 is already spoken for, a legacy of this blog and the positive feelings you can generate by connecting with like minded people in an honest way.

I wish to thank Mrs. Turk, a good sport about wrapping family vacations around Grade 1 racing. I'd like to thank my co-author, The Little Turk, the keenest-eyed natural I've ever meet and Sister Turk for the wacky road trips on Woodward Day. I'd be remiss for not thanking my Dear Aunt Rosie, who loved the horses and with who I spent so much time before I was ten years old and so much time missing her since.



Thanks for reading friends, Turk Out!