I’m on that “tweetering” edge (bad joke… had to do it) of adults who grew up just barely on the outskirts of social media, unlike our Gen Y’ers who have never known life without it. And so, even as a marketing professional (I’ll reluctantly admit), I had to be dragged in by my teeth to the underworld of Twitter. Who has time for this, I thought.
Apparently most of the world. And it is a powerful engine that allows people into personal spaces not otherwise available.
@MileyCyrus? Uncool. @MLauer? Yawn. @KingJames (aka Lebron James)? Think I just got an eye twitch. @IAmLavaMan? Now we’re talking. Remember Lava Man? The multi-millionaire bay racehorse gelding who stole everyone’s hearts on the track and now is stealing hearts as a very proud track pony/stable prankster. Yep, he tweets. A lot. Guess how many followers he has? 2,537 as of this morning. Why not? I’m happy to leave the Brangelina story on the shelf. But give me a pic and tweet of Lava Man in the morning, and my day will be better because of it.
Quiz? Who was Lava Man’s famous young stable mate he mentored to stardom? The underdog Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another… or @Ill_HaveAnother, with 6,680 followers who keep track of him in his post-racing career at stud in Japan.
Moving on to international sensations. The great Frankel, who lived up to the stardom of his namesake Bobby Frankel, boasts a following of 8,057 followers @Frankel_Horse. And of course, the most popular racehorse on Facebook? Our sweetheart, Black Caviar, with a whopping 36,723 followers @blackcaviar2006. She is feeling the love.
But this week is all about Breeders’ Cup. Did you know there are several top 2013 contenders with active twitter accounts? Be sure to look them up. They’re a hoot.
Filly/Mare Turf: @the_fugue
Turf Sprint: @TheCaracortado (who likes skittles)
Juvenile: @DanceWithFate
Juvenile Turf: @DanceWithFate (cross entered)
Sprint: @TrinnibergColt
Turf: @the_fugue (cross entered)
Dirt Mile: @TheGoldencents
Mile: @WiseDan_
Classic: @PaynterZayat (“The Miracle Horse”)
One last twitter tip. The week before a big race, twitter is an unbeatable place to see cool, candid shots of horses, landscape, back barns, track and people. It gives you a real-time, behind-the-scenes look at the final prep of these horses and their personalities as they head into their big races. A few of my favorite twitter accounts to follow that offer fabulous pics are photographer Barbara Livingston (@DRFLivingston), announcer and exercise rider Zoe Cadman (@zoecadman), and Blood-Horse correspondent Claire Novak (@ClaireNovak).
And of course, yours truly will be onsite this Thursday through Sunday @turfsoul, tweeting pics and thoughts that will convey the energy and excitement that is the Breeders’ Cup.
Start your tweeting for best of Breeders’ Cup 2013!
turfsoul 