Lean on Pete

Tonight the boyfriend and I went to see one of our recent favorite authors speak at a local library. His name is Willy Vlautin and he most recently wrote a book called "Lean on Pete". I would highly suggest picking up that book or one of his others, "Motel Life" or "Northline". He's a sort of down-on-your-luck working class author. I enjoy his books for their brash, realistic look at life for most of us... just holding it together, or maybe not holding it together, but somehow waking up every morning and starting it over again.

"Lean on Pete" is a favorite for me because the Pete in the title is a racehorse at our local track, Portland Meadows. The real Lean on Pete was a TB who raced something like 40 times and only made around $37K. When Vlautin first moved to Portland he discovered Meadows as a place that reminded him of his home in Reno, NV. Over time he made connections with trainers, jockeys, handicappers, and just plain gamblers. "Lean on Pete" includes a lot of time on the backside, the darker side of horseracing, and that special moment of love we all feel with that first horse who really gets to us.

Vlautin spoke eloquently and emotionally about the track. He spoke of his love for the horses, the sport, and the jockeys and the pain he felt watching them after he began to know their stories. I was impressed with his understanding of the sport and willingness to expose some of the seedier sides of life at a low end track. And just in case you are thinking, yeah but what's he doing about it, well he's adopted a few horses off the track and they have permanent homes with he and his girlfriend on his property outside of Portland.

Lean on Pete the racehorse was at the track the same years as Rusty. They never raced against each other, they were always a day or two apart, but they were there together. Pete kept racing, I think he raced 4 or 5 seasons. His final season, according to Equibase, he was racing at a track I've never heard of, running claiming races. I really wanted to ask tonight if he's followed up on Pete. Does he know where he is? Has he offered him a retirement home? But for some reason I couldn't. He talked about how he felt that Pete's owner was a "good guy" and that Pete was lucky. I couldn't help but think that he might not be and I really wish I knew where he was.