Video: Mule Wins Race, Exits Stage Rail

“Were you going to do a celebratory fist pump?  I’m gonna check out the infield while you do that.”

As HN resident mule wrangler Maria Wachter states, “a mule will take every opportunity to make a fool of you. A mule has a great sense of humor.” And no one is laughing louder than Dashing Jack. This is one of those “wait for it…” videos: you’ll want to watch all the way from the starting gate to the finish line and what happens next.

What excellent form he showed over the infield rail! That’s mules for you…

Yep, mule racing is a thing: it may not have the same mesmerizing speed and poetry of motion as Thoroughbred racing, but these longears are pretty quick sprinters over very short distances (as in the 350-yard race in the video above, held on May 16, 2011.) The sport is generally found only in California, where the American Mule Racing Association is based.

Go mules!