Twenty Puns

Here's what got me hooked. For better or worse.

The second racehorse I ever owned was Twenty Puns. I owned him for 5 weeks. Here's how the 5 weeks unfolded.

I was working with Trainer Karl Grusmark at the time and I was looking to claim a horse. Karl recommended Twenty Puns. He was running for 10K at Rockingham Park on July 4, 2000. I think he finished a respectable third that day. We watched the race from the pavillion which was a little ways from where the groom picked up Twenty Puns when my claim was successful.

I watched with binoculars and noticed that Mary Cameron who owned and trained the horse was crying as our groom led Twenty Puns away. We got back to the barn to check out my champion and everyting seemed good.

Over the course of the next week, me and Karl talked about running the horse back and at what level. Karl is very consevative so I knew to be realistic. I told him I saw Mary crying and I thought she would take him back if we ran him for 10K and that I'd like to run him for 12.5K. Karl said "I hope we don't get embarrased" and entered the horse for 12.5K on July 19th.

Twenty Puns went off at odds of 10-1 in an 8 horse field, ridden by Magali Mascarte. Early on in the 6 furlong sprint he trailed the field. Turning for home he circled the field passed every horse in the race and just got his head down at the wire to win the race!