Count me among the curious. I had no plans to bid on horses at the auction at Rita Crundwell’s Red Brick Road ranch. I wasn’t assigned to the story. I just wanted to witness the circus-like atmosphere Sunday.

It reminded me of a mini-county fair. A lot of denim. A row of food vendors. Horses on display. An auction.

One difference: No parking.

Shuttle buses took auctiongoers to the ranch, with stops in downtown, BorgWarner and the airport, among other places. On the 10 a.m. bus, most of the people held bid packets, showing their seriousness. Others seemed to be lookie-lous, just like me.

At the ranch, I got a bite to eat and then looked at some of the horses.

Crundwell had a theme with her horses’ names – wealth. The names included “Money’s Moxie,” “Invited to the Party,” “One Posh Kid,” “Potential Fortune.”

The most eye-popping name, though, was “Have Faith in Money.” Indeed, the federal government used that name to title its seizure case against Crundwell, the former Dixon comptroller accused of misappropriating $53 million from the city over more than two decades.

Crundwell has yet to get her day in court. But it’s fair to say that she knew money, as a visit to her ranch demonstrates.

Sandra Morgan also knows money. At the auction, Morgan bought the three-time world champion performance halter stallion, “Good I Will Be,” for $775,000.

In May 2011, Morgan won $35.7 million in the Canadian Lottery. It changed her life. The money helped her show horse business. Her husband quit his job. And she got to satisfy her shopping addiction, according to GoHorseShow.com.

“I don’t think anyone has treated us differently – oh, except for when we were in Las Vegas and my husband ordered a $3,600 bottle of Rothschild red wine at dinner,” she said in a January interview with GoHorseShow.com. “The managers came down to meet us and shake our hands and told us we were always welcome there.”

And Morgan certainly was welcome in Dixon, which hopes to get the money from the horse sale.

Who is putting up campaign signs?

Years ago, I asked a political candidate about his opponent’s greater number of yard signs.

“Signs don’t vote,” he answered.

True enough, but they may indicate a candidate’s organization and seriousness.

The other day, I drove around Sterling to see what types of campaign signs were popping up. Not many, but you see a few here and there.

Probably the most common sign is for Bobby Schilling, the incumbent Republican running in the 17th District, which includes both Sterling and Rock Falls. Not far behind is Cheri Bustos, Schilling’s Democratic opponent.

This is a big race – one that Washington considers a toss-up.

So far, Schilling has raised $1.5 million to Bustos’ $1.3 million. That’s nothing like the race in the 16th District, which includes Dixon. There, Republican Adam Kinzinger, the incumbent in the 11th District, has pulled in $1.7 million to Democrat Wanda Rohl’s $5,000.

The 16th is considered solidly Republican, so the Democratic leaders in Washington aren’t putting up a fight. Area party leaders picked Rohl to run against Kinzinger after March’s Democratic primary.

Also in my drive around Sterling, I saw a lot of signs for Joan Padilla, the Democratic candidate for Whiteside County recorder. Not so much for her Republican opponent, Dawn Young, the incumbent.

Young may have little to worry about, though. Countywide, voters tend to choose Republicans for down-ballot races. Sure, they may cross party lines for governor and president, but they stick with their party for the low-profile contests.

Most people here and everywhere are talking about the race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. But it matters little how the Sauk Valley votes for president. Obama is sure to win Illinois.

Sauk Valley Media reporter David Giuliani covers the Whiteside and Lee county governments, Morrison and other smaller communities. He can be reached at dgiuliani@saukvalley or at 800-798-4085, ext. 525.