OVERDOSE UPDATE!

Regarding my blog on the Hungarian-based colt Overdose, it turns out that he wasn’t actually entered in a race against competition at Kincsem Park in Budapest on New Year ‘s Eve. Instead, he was the headliner to the day’s events, and he was galloped on the turf track between cart races so that appreciative fans could see this national hero in person.

You can get a flavor of the day’s events from Budapest-based Jennifer Hodgson’s blog : “We went to Kincsem Park for the New Year’s Eve horse races. The park is out in the city hinterlands, in an area dotted with enormodrome stadia and suburban retail developments. When we arrived, the park was empty and freezing, freezing. Through the grand Hapsburg-era entrance, where a ragtime-ish brass band played, there were more signs of life; hot wine, beer tents and sausage stands meant it must be party time.

“Thousands of Budapestis arrived in dribs and drabs to watch rag-tag cart racing, show off their ski suits, neck beer picnics and catch of glimpse of Overdose, a 5 million euro thoroughbred and the day’s main attraction.

“We supped expensive beakers of hot wine, exclaimed at the cold, caught the drips running off our noses and retired for curry and beer towards teatime.”

Now that’s the wonderful Old World feel of Budapest that I remember!

What a story it would be if Overdose went to Dubai for the Group 1 sprint and won it!

Remember, this colt started off racing in off-the-path European racing countries where black type is not recognized – the so-called “Part III” countries.

To put this in perspective, racing in Zimbabwe – the former Rhodesia in Africa – is a “Part II” country where black type is recognized internationally.

And a few years back, a Zim-bred filly by the name of Ipi Tombe went to Dubai and conquered all before her!! She then came to America and won a graded race, too.

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