Subject: "Bet on Chinaco" update
 

 BC:
 
 Since I was downtown for a 3:30 meeting with a client
 yesterday afternoon I went to the OTB on Jackson Blvd. near the Chicago
 Board of Trade beforehand to see if I could catch some of the action
 from Sportsman's.  I caught the 4th race, then checked out what was going
 to be happening in the 5th, the race in which Chinaco was going to be running.

 I knew that betting on Chinaco was probably a sure winner as Mighty Joe Young
 had scratched, but, apparently, a lot of other people have a taste for fine tequila
 as Chinaco was going off at 2.6-to-1, as was some beast with the improbable name
 of Uwana Prop.

 I learned that Chinaco was to be ridden by Laviolette, is owned by Irma M. Yates,
 trained by Roger Brueggemann, and is a six-year-old (I guess Yates had knowledge
 of this fine tequila long before I had even heard of it) out of Northern Prospect -
 Andthebeatgoeson, by Navajo.

 Feeling optimistic, I put $50, about the price of a bottle of its namesake, on Chinaco to win.
 The 3/4-mile race went thusly:  Chinaco's post position was 1 out of the 5 horses in the race,
 and broke poorly.  At the 1/4-mile pole Chinaco was in 5th, but the pack was very tight.
 At the  1/2-mile post, Chinaco retained 5th place, but was not behind the rest of the field by much.

 ...and down the stretch they come!!!

 Chinaco was still in 5th, but was looking much stronger than all of the other horses with the
 exception of Uwana Prop, which had moved from 3rd to 1st just past the 1/2-mile pole.
 But Chinaco refused to give up, drove hard, and nosed out Uwana Prop at the line to win!

 I  went to the window and collected my $130.  I went to see my client and told  him the story,
 and Brad, knowing that I know jack about the ponies, asked how I knew to bet on this horse.
 I told him, "I drink Chinaco; I bet on Chinaco."

 Maria and I had a wonderful dinner (and a couple of Chinacos, naturally)
 in Chinaco's honor at Hacienda Tecalitlan last  night.  Pretty cool.
 

 David J. McConnell
 Senior Ediotr, bartcop.com
 

 Good story, David!
 Thanks,

 bc