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Thursday, December 29, 2011

CalX1 - Mares Make It Twice As Nice For Clements

Robin Clements’ one-two punch of Taxi Dancer and Tutiming Gal come into the final week of 2011 in razor-sharp form, having captured three of their last four combined starts.

Tutiming Gal will be gunning for a hat trick to close out the year, while Taxi Dancer is fresh from a win and a game second and will be eyeing her 12th snapshot on the season.  Once again, they will have Steve Wiseman giving directions.

“Both of these mares have been racing well lately and it helps that Steve gets along so nicely with them,” Robin said.  “Taxi Dancer loves this time of year and she has made amends from racing in the recent amateur series, as she just seemed to run into a lot of bad luck.  Now the luck seems to have swung the other way.”

Both Taxi Dancer and Tutiming Gal race off the Desomer farm and are constant companions.

“Tutiming Gal is a temperamental mare and doesn’t seem to like people too much, but she loves Taxi Dancer and if they’re separated they go ballistic and start hollering for each other until they get together again.”

Clements related a recent incident that backed up that statement.

“Taxi Dancer was taken to the blacksmith one day and Tutiming Gal got so upset she actually broke out of her stall to go look for her.  Luckily, she was caught by one of the grooms and the small patch of grass helped to contain her in the barn area.

“Tutiming Gal also has a habit of trying to buffalo the driver on the final turn by wanting to cheat and get lazy, but Steve knows how to handle her and those last two wins have been a real nice birthday present.”

For Robin, seeing this pair go out and do their thing on a weekly basis is something special.

“I get a real kick out of these mares and it was really something when they won on the same night a few weeks ago.  It’s my passion for the horses that keeps me in the game of harness racing.”