MAY 2010 - Dogwood Stable

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The Boss’s Office: An Insider’s Glimpse
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Editor’s Note: Cot Campbell’s
office is more than his inner
sanctum – it’s the hub of the
Dogwood operation. Large
enough for the daily staff meeting,
Cot’s office sports an unusual
array of items that are near
and dear to the boss’s heart.
There are photos, books, saddle
towels, and the indefatigable
Darlene D’Ogwood, who oversees
the daily workings from her
corner chair! We thought we’d
give you a closer glimpse – think
of it as a personal tour!
1. John Velazquez’s boot, worn while piloting Limehouse to victory in the Alysheba Stakes. Makes an attractive lamp! 2. Boxing ring bell. Cot
calls the morning meetings by ringing it – and it’s also rung when we have a winner. 3. Cot’s Royal typewriter from his newspaper days. The
animals change periodically – but they all sing! 4. The Honor Scroll presented to Cot by the Thoroughbred Club of America in 2004 when he was
named the Honor Guest. 5. Papier-mâché dog gives up on finding a fire hydrant. 6. Family photos and halter from G1 winner Cotton Blossom.
7. Wallenda’s saddle towel from the 1993 Kentucky Derby. The framed photo is Wayne Lukas and Cot – both younger! 8. Catalog page from
the 1969 Keeneland Fall Auction keeps Cot humbled… The horse in question was inspected by Cot, who noted that the colt had a crooked front
leg and wisely passed him up. The rejected animal turned out to be Canonero II, winner of the 1971 Kentucky Derby and Preakness!
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Cot Campbell’s autobiography, Memoirs
of a Longshot… A Riproarious
Life, has been reprinted for a third
time. Published in 2007, Memoirs
has perhaps been the most talked
about and appreciated of Campbell’s
three books (Lightning in a Jar and
Rascals and Racehorses are his previous
books).
If you haven’t heard about the
book, the flyleaf still describes it best:
Teenage drinking diverted Cot Campbell
onto the perilous slope of alcoholism.
This invidious enemy stymied
the talents of the young Campbell,
who lurched from job to job and
from jail to jail. Finally disgusted
by his personal failures, Cot
grasped the aid of Alcoholics
Anonymous. Thereafter, he forged
a rising career curve with passion,
imagination, and integrity, taking his
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cherished wife and family along for the
ride. Campbell founded one of the South’s
leading advertising agencies, then found a
way to turn his love of horse racing into a
sporting career, and his success completed
a remarkable transformation. Memoirs of
a Longshot is a sprightly telling of that
unique tale. It is indeed a story of a
“Riproarious Life.”
The book can be ordered through
www.xlibris.com and www.amazon.com.
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