The Book Worm Ted’s odyssey filled with Chance By Antoinette May Herndon Franklin “Ted” Laskin of Angels Camp, a retired lawyer, has written a book that’s certain to please horse racing fans, horse lovers and just about anyone who enjoys an exciting read. His account,“Chance, a Jockey’s Odyssey, and a Look into the California Racing Circuit,” follows the adventures of the jockey, Chance Rollins, in the county fair venues of California, depicting the racing world and Chance’s racing competitions from 1999 to 2006. Ted’s father first introduced him to the world of jockeys and thoroughbreds when Ted was a young boy. Father and son attended races in Los Angeles venues, among them Santa Ana. Ted’s enthusiasm grew when, as a teenager, he attended his first county fair in Sacramento . The turning point came some 15 years ago when Ted happened to meet the rising you jockey, Chance Rollins, and became an avid follower. From the start, Ted recognized that Chance had a great future in horse racing. Additionally, the luck potential embodied in the young jockey’s name gave him a buzz. Ted not only got to know Chance and his manager, Paige Schvaneveldt, but received an insider’s view of the jockey’s meteoric rise in standings and races. Ted says that the highlight of his racing experience was winning big at the Kentucky Derby in 2000. The winning horse, Go for Gin, paid 15 to l, and between Ted and his woman friend, who chooses to be nameless, they bet $20 total, winning enough for dinner and then some. According to the story, they picked the horse because someone told them he “was a good mudder.” Heavy seasonal rains had turned the track into a sea of mud, added obstacle to the racing horses. But the deciding point for Go for Gin’s selection was the coincidence that one of the couple was enjoying a gin martini. “Luck works like that,” Ted says, drawing heavily

from experience. The two friends won four out of five races in a row at that year’s Kentucky Derby. Ted recalls how a racing enthusiast would call out to them, “Who are you betting on?” They would tell him and he would bet with them and win big. It worked great until one time Ted and his friend picked the wrong horse. The man immediately stopped asking them for tips and moved on. From the astute observations described in Ted’s book, one might assume that he was a high stakes gambler, but his friends insist that he was actually quite thrifty, keeping bets down to a mere $2. The point of it all for Ted has always been the experience itself, the thrill of watching the horses race. Sometimes he would just break even but he would still have a great time doing it. Above all, Ted loves going down to the paddocks, talking to the jockeys and trainers, and finding out as much as he can about the horses—or mules—running. Ted also very much enjoys mule racing. “The experience of enjoying the fair, going to watch the horse races and betting on favorites was and still is a family experience,” he says, “with kids, picnic baskets, coolers and tables, right there at the track. The venues depicted in “Chance, a Jockey’s Odyssey, and a Look into the California Racing Circuit” encompass a decade of information about the jockey life, the horses and training required, particular races and information about many of the specific events and venues Laskin explored throughout the state. Besides practicing law, Ted is a member of Writers Unlimited, whose Manzanita publications he frequently edited. In 2010, Manzanita Writers Press published Ted’s literary collection of short stories under the title, “George A. Custer, Please come to the White Courtesy Phone.” Ten years earlier he co-authored with Michael B. Arkin a non-fiction book, “From the Depth of the Mines Came the Law, A History of the Bench and

Bar of Calaveras County.” Ted’s poetry has appeared in the Dartmouth Quarterly and Manzanita: Poetry and Prose of the Mother Lode and Sierra volumes. Ted’s unique prose style and longtime editing experience have also earned him a number of prestigious awards A graduate of Dartmouth College, where he edited the campus daily, and Yale Law School, with honors, Ted maintained a solo law practice in the Sierra foothills for many years, with areas of his practice including both public and private criminal defense clients. Upon his retirement, the Calaveras County Bar Association placed a tribute to Ted in the law library at the Government Center in San Andreas. Besides his law career and writing achievements, Ted was also an active member of the Metropolitan Theatre group, acting and assisting in countless productions. Many may recall the re-enactment of the trial of Black Bart, in which Ted played the judge adamantly condemning Glenn Wasson, another thespian who portrayed the daring himwayman. Ted is most certainly a man for all seasons. In addition to the law, writing, and dramatic interests, he has been a competitive tennis player and an avid skier in his time, traveling throughout Europe and the US, from East to West Coasts, in order to follow his competitive passion in both sports. VITALS: “Chance, a Jockey’s Odyssey, and a Look into the California Racing Circuit” was published this month by Manzanta Press. Copies are available on spdbooks.org, manzapress.com, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Nobles as well as at the Calaveras Arts Council Gallery. The price is $21.99. Additional information may be obtained by calling 754-9171. * * * Helen Bonner of Jackson will be discussing her new novel, “MsDemeanors,” at the Amador County Library, Saturday, July 13 at 2 p.m. A novel of the 70s, MsDeamors tells the true story of the joys and tribulations of feminism.