But wait, there's more: A p.r. rep named Veronica who works for Guinness sent me an email tonight (you never know who is reading this blog) to let me know that the brewery has donated a supply of the new, limited-edition Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout to Derek Ryan and/or Musket Man.
Once this blog post gets around, Veronica is going to hear from every ex-pat Irish horse trainer in America...and there's a lot of them!
Click here to read the New York Times story about the trainer's unorthodox ideas about how to feed a racehorse. Considering that the colt was bought for $15,000 and has won over $500,000, I would not change a thing.
I fully expect to see Musket Man's photo framed and hung on the wall among all the Guinness and racing memorabilia in Saratoga Springs when we return in August. He'll fit right in.
I have a feeling that Derek Ryan, the Irish-born trainer of Musket Man, has that all figured out. The winner of the Illinois Derby was exposed today when the New York Times wrote about his unusual diet, which includes a daily Guinness and raw egg--shell and all.
Musket Man goes to the post tomorrow with the best wishes of his horseshoer, Bruce Anderson who normally shoes in the Tampa, Florida area or in New Mexico. We believe he is wearing Kerckhaert Kings Plates all around (thanks to some detective work by Dan Burke of Farrier Product Distribution).
Thanks to Sniper Photography for catching Musket Man sniffing out his favorite beverage on the backside at Churchill Downs.