And all along I thought he had e.s.p.

Alan and I have always shared a special connection, probably because it took so long to develop it. He was here five months before he trusted me to wrap my arms around him, and bury my face in his neck...and come up with a big mouthful of dirt. And he's the littlest of the equines, which makes him the resident underdog, not that any of the coyotes around here are buying into that.

Over the last year, Alan has developed an amazing sixth sense. He knows when I'm almost ready to come out of the house and lets out a great big HEE HAW. I absolutely love that sound. I like to think he's shouting out HEY MOM.

While I follow a pretty regular feeding routine, I'm not too precise. For example, lunch is served around 11:30 - it may be 11:42 one day and 11:27 another. Regardless, about a minute before I put my shoes on and walk out the door, I hear Alan, "HEE HAW HEY MOM HEE HAW." We are so connected, he just knows when I'm coming. It's like he has e.s.p.

So imagine my disappointment when I finally realized what was really going on. Like everybody else around here, I am a creature of habit. Before I go outside, I make a pit stop and flush the toilet, wherein the well pump runs for a few minutes and a certain little burro with very big ears can hear it. He has made the connection that hearing the well pump around feeding time means mom will appear in about a minute. What a smart little guy, and what an extra stupid person I am to have not figured this out months ago.

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As further evidence that New Mexico cowboys who train 50-1 longshot racehorses that can win the Kentucky Derby are cool, here's a story that appeared this morning on thehorse.com.

Derby-Winning Connections Give Roses to Fans

Visitors to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum May 3, the day after the 135th "Run for the Roses," got a surprise gift from the team behind Mine That Bird, the 50-1 longshot who won the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Chip Woolley Jr. suggested Sunday morning that the mantle of roses worn by Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby winner's circle after his victory be placed on the new sculpture of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro located at Churchill Downs' Gate 1 entrance. After consulting with co-owners Mark Allen with Double Eagle Ranch and Dr. Leonard Blach of Buena Suerte Equine, the trio decided to give the nearly 400 "Freedom Roses" that make up the garland to Derby fans who were visiting the Barbaro Memorial and the Kentucky Derby Museum on the day after the race.

The garland had been stored in refrigeration overnight in the museum, and at noon was briefly placed over the rail of the Barbaro sculpture in tribute to the ill-fated 2006 winner of the Kentucky Derby. The garland was then removed and Woolley and Allen began handing out the roses, one-by-one, to fans who happened by the larger-than-life sculpture as they visited the museum and Churchill Downs.

"This is a tribute to a great horse," Woolley said. "I wanted everyone to have a little piece of the Derby. We wanted to give something back to the game. We just want to show how important horses really are. That's what this is all about. We want people to know just how important these horses really are to us. They're not just animals, they're a part of us."

A line of fans formed in front of the Barbaro sculpture as they awaited their opportunity for a Derby rose won by Mine That Bird, and Woolley and Allen also posed for photos and signed autographs until each rose had been distributed. The two men greeted fans in front of the Barbaro Memorial for more than an hour and a half until each rose from the garland had been handed out.