Long live Barbaro

On to bigger and better things...

I love horse racing. It is so fun to see the athleticism of thoroughbreds. They are a magnificent animal - a true gift from our creator. If you've read Seabiscuit (the book by Laura Hillenbrand) you know that horses live to run - and love to run. If you've ever been to the track you see their ears prick up and they can get fractious when riled and ready to run. It is very exciting. I hope to spend some time at Emerald Downs this summer. It's a cheap date too - free parking and about $4.00 to get into the infield.

The picture above is Barbaro - winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby and favorite to win the Triple Crown in 2006 before pulling up lame in the Preakness one year ago today. He recently was put down due to his injury.

Today's close finish at the Preakness was reminiscent of the 1938 match with Seabiscuit and War Admiral (famous son of Man'o War) with gangly Seabiscuit winning by a nose.

The race they say isn't to the swift. But it is always to the swift and the game. It so happened that Seabiscuit had these two qualities in abundance. War Admiral could match neither flying feet nor fighting heart. Man'o War's brilliant son hung on with all he had until it came to the big showdown--to the point when the hard-way thoroughbred , the horse from the wrong side of the track, began really to run. -Journalist Grantland Rice - Baltimore Sun - 1938.

I will end with a little quiz -

____________ won the Kentucky Derby in 2007
a) Barbaro b) Hard Spun c) Scat Daddy d) Street Sense

____________ won the Kentucky Derby in 2006
a) Lawyer Ron b) Jazil c) Barbaro d) Brother Derek

____________ won the Preakness Stakes today
a) Hard Spun b)King of the Roxy c) Curlin d) Street Sense

____________ was the last Triple Crown Winner in 1978?
a) Affirmed b) Secretariat c) War Emblem d) Funny Cide

Good luck on the quiz and no cheating - there may be a prize!!