A horse named Peat Moss - fond memories brought to life at Colonial Downs!
 

Today at Colonial Downs, an Irish-bred import named Peat Moss won the handicap hurdle at 2 1/4 miles under Parker Hendriks for trainer Keri Brion and owners Atlantic Friends. Brought back wonderful memories. Would love to see the Irish Peat Moss at NYRA - home circuit of an earlier great horse also named Peat Moss.

When I first got into the sport in late 1980, Peat Moss ran off 5 straight wins in starter handicaps over the course of the winter while being asked to carry some big time weight. He quickly became one of my favorites. Owned by Murray Garren, trained by Gil Puentes, and ridden by Frank Lovato, Jr. of Equicizer fame.

In between those starter races, he'd run in stakes races. On December 31, 1980, he won the long time last-card-of-the-year stakes, the Display Handicap, ALSO at 2 1/4 miles (don't remember how much he carried for that one).

Here's an article about the first Peat Moss after he successfully toted 145 lbs (35 of it lead, 110 of it Lovato) to win over 2 miles:

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/26/s...under-145.html

From the article:

Peat Moss ( the original ) was such a super cool horse.

True story, he made his debut for David Whitely when I was in High School, and I always loved the Whitely horses, so called my bookie from the pay phone ( he called back but that's another story:D ) outside the lunchroom to bet a few bucks on him. I believe he paid $18. It was love at first cash.

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Peat Moss lost by a head to John Henry in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 1981 at 50-1 or so.

The rider of Peat Moss (can't remember the rider's name) claimed fouled against Willie Shoemaker who crowded him on the rail. I also recall the entire field was outstanding and I thought Peat Moss had caught John Henry. That was a very long time ago.

Cool story. Love it.

That 1981 Jockey Gold Cup was simulcast at Delmar. That was a max bet at the time $20WP on John Henry. John Henry always made it interesting. That was word association, Pete Moss made me think of John Henry. Definitely wasn't a big fan of Shoemaker suing everyone after his accident.

The 80s were such very good times for the inner. I too cashed on him at least once in those marathons. Kings Swan too, my word, 107 starts 31-19-18. Horses like these can make fans for life. Thanks OP.

Yes! King's Swan - another super hard knocker easy to root for. In 1988, he had 14 starts at the NYRA tracks - all in graded stakes!

Thanks Andy Serling for the little bit of extra back history on Peat Moss and the great story. Didn't know he was originally a Whiteley horse.

Shoemaker and Don Pierce would hang out after playing golf at the now defunct Sierra La Verne golf course and get very lathered up at the bar many nights a week.

Shoemaker tried to make that drive home one too many nights. My dad owned a house that was directly next to the course, he was smart enough to know he could crawl home from many a night at the same bar.

Thanks trifecta for providing the video of the race. The race was way more exciting than what I remembered all those years ago.

So a month after the season ended, and just 5 months after simulcasting had first been legal and implemented anywhere on the continent, you were at Del Mar watching a simulcast of John Henry????


Was anyone else there??


Maybe a bookmaker... with a "max bet" (wagering limit) ??



Or was the 1981 JCGC simulcast at Del Mar in 2006???

i think that a big race like the Jockey Club Gold Cup would have been on World Wide Sports or CBS at that time because it was a big race on a Saturday afternoon.. and at Del Mar back then there were plenty of Bookmakers running around the place booking peoples action in the wide open.

40 years ago, I do get a few things mixed up. OTBs in so Cal didn't come for another 5 years or so. Prior to that the tracks did have an occasional simulcast race. I know I bet that as I remember Pete Moss and his high price
happy that he inflated the place price without stealing the win.


The tracks I went to at the time all had sporting events on various TVs, whether it be a big out of town horse race or football, basketball, etc. I had a friend who was a cab driver in LA County, cab drivers know where all the illegal activities are.


The only bookmakers I bet with
were usually bartenders at dive bars. Never bet with an on track bookmaker.
They usually followed Vegas book house rules on pay-offs. I know I bet that race, maybe it was with Al the bartender. I know for certain I watched the race at Delmar.