Keeneland Racetrack, Breeder's Cup 2015: The CKRH Kids Meet 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee, "Lava Man"

On Saturday, Keeneland Racetrack, which is here in Lexington, Kentucky, will be holding the what is essentially the gold cup of world-class thoroughbred racing, The Breeder's Cup - for the very first time!

With very heightened security (the Kentucky National Guard is actually there as security detail), at the very last minute, legendary horse trainer, Doug O'Neill, called Mark personally to give us the green light that he had gotten approval for a few of the kids from the Central Kentucky Riding for Hope to come meet the newest 2015 Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame Inductee and Champion - "(Coach) Lava Man!"

Look at the look on precious C's face, aw - is there anything more wonderful in life than to see joy on a child's face? :)

C is one brave little girl, ladies and gentlemen - she just survived a brain tumor,  completing her treatment just a couple of weeks ago - and she adores horses and riding with CKRH :)

Lava Man, much like California Chrome (whom we met just a few weeks ago), loves attention and posing for the camera (note when you pull the camera up, he stands still and puts his ears forward)!

...but he's much calmer.  In fact, you would not believe how calm and gentle he was with the children, he was so patient. He wins the prize, by far, for the sweetest champion horse we've met yet :)

These days, he's a "stable pony" or "coach" - meaning he accompanies the up-and-comers during their travel and accompanies them up to the starting gate.  On Saturday, he will be walking up-and-comer "Nyquist"  :)

And he was so curious, about everyone and everything.  He especially like my hair, I'm not sure why, perhaps it was my new shampoo?  (I don't have a picture of him nuzzling in my hair, I was the one working the camera today.)

And these two twin sisters, S and S, had a great time -  the twin in white, on the right is blind - and it's like Lava could sense it and was especially gentle with her :)

The proud mamas and their babies from CKRH with Lava Man :)

Mark even got to lead him around a bit, he was in 7th heaven! :)

Look how happy he looks in this photo, he looks like a kid again!

I didn't lighten this photo, btw, it just came out like that, and it was the only one of us because I was behind the camera the whole time, except for the two seconds a Kentucky National Guardsman was kind enough to offer to get one shot in of both of us with Lava Man before the kids arrived.

 (Great photo of Mark, terrible of me - I haven't figured out how to do my new longer "wob" haircut properly/like she did at at the salon yet! Maybe that's why Lava Man was nuzzling in it, he was trying to fix it for me lol;)

Doug O'Neill had a meeting he had to attend at that time, but was so gracious in calling us several times to make sure the kids could meeting, I cannot thank and commend him enough - what a wonderful, down to earth man!

The above photo (not mine) is the man himself (a saint, as far as I'm concerned, after today) that made all of this possible today - Doug O'Neil - legendary trainer of "Lava Man" and "I'll Have Another"  

But he made sure Sabas took very good care of us:)

Sabas is Lava Man's groom and morning exercise rider - what a wonderful, patient man, he was, and so proud of his baby :)

I asked what it was like to ride him versus other horses and he said, "You know how riding in different cars can be different, right?  Lava's like riding in a lamborghini!"

Again, we cannot thank you enough, Doug O'Neill, Sabas and Sharla for arranging this for us with such heightened security (you would think it was Fort Knox at Keeneland right now)

The girls were absolutely THRILLED!!! :)

On the way out, we discovered that triple-crown winner, American Pharaoh, was only 2 stables over - so I thought:  "What the heck? I'm gonna walk myself right over and ask that important-looking man with the walkie talkie if we can snap a quick photo with him - the the worst they could say is 'no', right?"

Well, that important-looking man happened to be none other than John Wayne, Executive Director of State of Delaware Horse Racing commission, who was helping the Baffert team with security detail :)

John Wayne, Executive Director for the State of Delaware Horse Racing Commision (not my photo)


What a nice man, he was, he said he'd ask for us - but just at that moment, American Pharaoh's trainer, Bob Baffert, walked up to the stable with his wife, Jill. and son, Bode!

Unfortunately, Bob's answer was "NO ... HELL, no" -  apparently because they were in a big hurry as Am Phar had an evaluation and other prep things to do before the race just then.

But thank you so much to Mr. Wayne for asking for us!

Mr. Baffert seemed so busy and serious, at that moment, I figured I'd best toddle off rather than even ask to get a picture him, but he was standing 20 yards from me (that white hair is unmistakable) !!!!

Bob Baffert, legendary trainer of American Pharaoh,  Bodemeister, War Emblem and Real Quiet (not my photo)

As we were leaving, we turned around in our car just in time to see Breeder's Cup contender (coming in 4th in the Kentucky Derby and third at the Belmont) - "Frosted".

I don't know what it is, but I'm a sucker for a gray, I LOVE Frosted! :)

I am so glad the girls got to go and see all the hustle and bustle excitement - again, all thanks to Doug O'Neill Racing!