Father, mother and son run on same card

In a racing rarity last week at River Downs, a sire, dam, and their foal all competed on the same card.

Fifteen to Life and Get Me Even, both now 7 years old, were inadvertently pasture bred as 2-year-olds. The resulting foal was Eight and Change, now 4. Joseph Czyzewski trains all three for owner Dave Wilson.

With the help of River Downs racing secretary Gary Wilfert, who scheduled races all three could compete in on the same day, father, mother, and son earned a unique distinction in the history of River Downs.

Unfortunately for the connections, all three horses finished far behind in their races. The mare Get Me Even did the best, finishing sixth. Eight and Change finished last of 11 in his debut, while dad Fifteen to Life, who is now a gelding, was eased in the final furlong of his race.

* Final preps for the two premier events of the meet, the Cradle Stakes and Bassinet Stakes, for 2-year-olds and 2-year-old fillies, were contested last week. Longshot Arctic Sand wore down odds-on choice Cloudy Mist to win the $20,000 Cradle Prep by a length. An odds-on choice also went down to defeat in the $20,000 Bassinet Prep. First-time starter Keen Scent defeated Shesa Hot Ticket by a length, while favored Crack the Books finished fourth.