- The day after Thanksgiving 2011 brought us the birth of the Space Filly. She has certainly brought us great joy over the past year and she gets to celebrate her first Black Friday with the Space Gal in the Cuse. Not a bad way to get this year off to a good start.
- The Space Gal is one special woman, and I'm thankful she was able to enjoy her first Oaks/Derby experience with me this year. We also enjoyed an impromptu trip to Toga for the Whitney where we hung out like old times all afternoon at the Paddock Bar. The big thanks though is for putting up with my obsession and track excursions during the year while she holds down the fort at home. (She's also one of the best proof-readers in the business).
- Thanks to The Buffalo News for taking a chance on a racing blogger to fill a huge void created by the untimely death of longtime writer and Buffalo legend Bob Summers. It was a tremendous experience covering the Triple Crown, Saratoga, Woodbine and the Breeders' Cup over the past 12 months. Thanks also goes to the Space Gal and Saratoga Resident in this area as they both pushed me and helped me get over the hump.
- I'm thankful for the Canadian friends I met this year at Fort Erie and Woodbine, and of course, Keith McCalmont, who is one of the hardest working guys in the business.
- Thanks to guys like Tim Wilkin and Mike MacAdam from the Capitol District who helped show me the ropes as I wandered aimlessly as a rookie at Saratoga and the Derby.
- I'm thankful that I got to meet a lot of folks who have read this blog, my Twitter feed and the Sports, Ink blog from the Buffalo area, including the folks at Buffalo Raceway. They run run a top-flight racetrack and I've seen it first-hand during my first ever harness track visit in January. It was also great meeting the Rochester-based WNY Horse Racing Group at Finger Lakes opening day in April, even if they did card eight straight 4-1/2 furlong races that day.
- Thanks to Joe DePaulo from HRN, for interviewing me at the Preakness, so when potential CPA clients google me they find me at a race track talking horses.
- I'm lucky to be a part of ThoroFan, a grass roots group that is doing the right things to give the fan a voice when it comes to thoroughbred racing. We're just getting started and before long it'll be bigger than we ever imagined. Thanks to the Board for listening to my idea for creating the Tiznow Fund, it's going to help make a difference in a little girl's life.
- I'm thankful for having the occasional Saturday morning cigar with The Turk (and that I was able to meet the Little Turk at the BC!).
- I enjoy being part of the Wireplayers Derby Dozen poll and being included on their team from time to time.
- I'm forever indebted to the TBA, as they provided the platform for starting this blog and launching into other areas. I appreciate all of the TBA'ers who assist me in keeping up the weekly Handicappers' Corner over at ThoroFan, you're hard work is truly appreciated. I actually recently wrote a piece for a local Buffalo magazine that should hit the stands soon, so stay tuned.
- I'm also fortunate that I was invited to be part of the newly-formed Turf group, and am humbled for being included by the talented founding members.
- I'm most thankful that my laptop never failed in the middle of a deadline, because that would have really sucked.
- I'm sure I missed somebody, so if I did, thank you too (you know who you are).
Have a great Thanksgiving, enjoy the big racing weekend.
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