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rabid1stThe one thing I really like to see is a race horse that holds the rest of we mere mortals in contempt.
It is a rare animal that truly believes that we should be honored to be in his presence. Secretariat had that look. Spectacular Bid. Affirmed. That's what gave Affirmed the edge over Alydar. Alydar was a marvelous animal, a Triple Crown Winner in any other year. Like the little remembered Sham, who ran second to Secretariat in every race. Had Secretariat been born in another year, Sham would have won the Triple Crown, too.
But the real look of eagles belongs to a gelding named John Henry. He raced until he was 13 years old, winning major stakes races. He truly believed that he could kill a bear or a lion, that he was born to rule. And seeing him in person, it was hard to say he was wrong about that. This year, I watched the prep races on YouTube until today...and so I had little opportunity to see the horses up close, off of the track. This means I couldn't judge their condition as objectively. It is hard to tell much from squinting at tiny saddled animals in the distance.
But today, I watched the Road to the Kentucky Derby. I was impressed with Lookin at Lucky going in. His race card is masterful and I know Bob Baffert can deliver a fit horse to Louisville. But something was telling me this was Todd Pletcher's year even before I got a good look at the contenders. Maybe because Todd has nine of them in his stable. :grin: This was my mindset as the horses were going into the post at Santa Anita. Then, I got a good look at the #4 horse, just as he loaded into the gate. I felt that frisson I get when I see a winner. I always say the same thing, "Oh, Nice Horse!" Sure enough, I didn't even know his name, because he'd had no coverage from the network (and don't get me started on that...you need to SEE a horse to know if it can win on any given day...condition is everything)...but I was all tingly so I wasn't surprised to see # 4, Sidney's Candy win the race.
However, that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about the other feeling I got today. The one that went way beyond the frisson of knowing I've seen real quality horse flesh. This feeling is like...finding religion or something, I imagine. I get all misty eyed, and then I feel...elated. As soon as I saw Eskendereya walk by on his way to be saddled for the Wood, I was hit with the transcendent feeling. I said, "God!" Which is what I tend to say...I've noticed...usually, I say, "Oh, that's a very nice animal" for a well conditioned horse. But for that rarest of horses, I just say, "God!"
I can't explain this feeling I get, sort of a tingle along my skin. My ancestors are Irish and the Irish have long been tied to the horse trade, so maybe it's partly genetic. Certainly, the bible (which was written by people who knew a few things about horses) speaks of that look of eagles and how God has clothed his neck in thunder to honor him. There is something about a really fit and dominate stallion that mesmerizes me. I truly believe I saw such a horse today.
Eskendereya is a Triple Crown Horse. I think he's more than a nice horse. He's what a stallion should be, an egotistical monster. And when he finished trouncing those other stallions in New York today...he had that look of eagles in his eye, too. Not only was it nothing to him to win, it was as if, in his book, we should be happy we were granted an audience to see him do it. That, my friends, is a thoroughbred. It's about damned time we had another one show up.
But here...don't take MY word for it...
It is a rare animal that truly believes that we should be honored to be in his presence. Secretariat had that look. Spectacular Bid. Affirmed. That's what gave Affirmed the edge over Alydar. Alydar was a marvelous animal, a Triple Crown Winner in any other year. Like the little remembered Sham, who ran second to Secretariat in every race. Had Secretariat been born in another year, Sham would have won the Triple Crown, too.
But the real look of eagles belongs to a gelding named John Henry. He raced until he was 13 years old, winning major stakes races. He truly believed that he could kill a bear or a lion, that he was born to rule. And seeing him in person, it was hard to say he was wrong about that. This year, I watched the prep races on YouTube until today...and so I had little opportunity to see the horses up close, off of the track. This means I couldn't judge their condition as objectively. It is hard to tell much from squinting at tiny saddled animals in the distance.
But today, I watched the Road to the Kentucky Derby. I was impressed with Lookin at Lucky going in. His race card is masterful and I know Bob Baffert can deliver a fit horse to Louisville. But something was telling me this was Todd Pletcher's year even before I got a good look at the contenders. Maybe because Todd has nine of them in his stable. :grin: This was my mindset as the horses were going into the post at Santa Anita. Then, I got a good look at the #4 horse, just as he loaded into the gate. I felt that frisson I get when I see a winner. I always say the same thing, "Oh, Nice Horse!" Sure enough, I didn't even know his name, because he'd had no coverage from the network (and don't get me started on that...you need to SEE a horse to know if it can win on any given day...condition is everything)...but I was all tingly so I wasn't surprised to see # 4, Sidney's Candy win the race.
However, that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about the other feeling I got today. The one that went way beyond the frisson of knowing I've seen real quality horse flesh. This feeling is like...finding religion or something, I imagine. I get all misty eyed, and then I feel...elated. As soon as I saw Eskendereya walk by on his way to be saddled for the Wood, I was hit with the transcendent feeling. I said, "God!" Which is what I tend to say...I've noticed...usually, I say, "Oh, that's a very nice animal" for a well conditioned horse. But for that rarest of horses, I just say, "God!"
I can't explain this feeling I get, sort of a tingle along my skin. My ancestors are Irish and the Irish have long been tied to the horse trade, so maybe it's partly genetic. Certainly, the bible (which was written by people who knew a few things about horses) speaks of that look of eagles and how God has clothed his neck in thunder to honor him. There is something about a really fit and dominate stallion that mesmerizes me. I truly believe I saw such a horse today.
Eskendereya is a Triple Crown Horse. I think he's more than a nice horse. He's what a stallion should be, an egotistical monster. And when he finished trouncing those other stallions in New York today...he had that look of eagles in his eye, too. Not only was it nothing to him to win, it was as if, in his book, we should be happy we were granted an audience to see him do it. That, my friends, is a thoroughbred. It's about damned time we had another one show up.
But here...don't take MY word for it...