"Always Open"
Too close for comfort says Nigel Soult
8/28/07 KyHarnessRacing.com

    Photographers often get upclose and personal with
    the horses they are photographing. To get the right
    shot, that's just part of the job.

    This morning, racetrack photographer Nigel Soult
    would say the phrase "upclose and personal" is an
    understatement as to the close call last night.

    In last night's ninth race at The Red Mile, Nigel was in
    his usual position to get the photo for the finish of
    the race. He was standing about two or three feet
    from the outside rail. With his eyes buried into his
    camera, and the normal sounds of horses thunder
    down the stretch, Nigel was unaware of the horse on
    the far, far outside of the track headed right towards
    him....he was in the path of a thousand pound
    animal, traveling at 32 mph.

    As the field of two year old fillies headed down the
    stretch, driver James Foley had moved out for the
    stretch run. His filly veered toward the inside. He
    corrected her by pulling the outside reign. The filly
    responded.....over responded may be a better term.
    That left Foley with his hands full trying to keep his
    filly in the center part of the track, and did not see
    the photographer.

    Gasps could be heard from the crowd. "Nigel! Nigel!
    Nigel!, a patron desperately cried out. Others could
    be heard yelling, "Nigel...watch the horse!" As the
    horse past, the wheel of the sulky slightly touched
    the pants of Nigel, spinning him around to grab the
    outside wall and regain his balance. After gaining his
    thoughts, all Nigel could do was smile and catch the
    next photo.