Horse Racing: The 2008 Derby

knowing next-to-nothing about this sport, i couldn't help wondering why her front ankles weren't taped?

I have always thrilled to races like the Derby. No more. I don't enjoy watching animals stretched beyond reasonable limits like that.

A friend who knows horses has always said those three year olds are doing too much too soon. I suppose there are breeding questions too.

Damn, I've always loved thoroughbreds racing, ever since the first race I saw on tv - think it was the 1954 Derby won by a horse named Swaps, which I picked out at a neighbor's house during the parade, since I liked the name. I was twelve, don't think I'd ever heard of the K. Derby or any other horse race. And he won. After we moved to California, my dad took me to see him at Hollywood Park. Those were the days I first started reading Sports Stories of the Year books from the library, and first got Sports Illustrated. Had quite a stack, which I tossed (slits wrists, re collectors, but never mind, that was one of the ways I learned about a wider world.)

I've loved Secretariat... (and so have some horsies.) Oh, don't get me started on the beauty.
Long time fav, John Henry.

My husband and I used to go to Santa Anita, not to bet, but to see the first races from the rail, and then we'd go over to the Arboretum for the afternoon, carefully leaving before the stands at S. Anita emptied. Those were always good days.

Eight Belles not the first.

This is part of a commentary by Frank DeFord gave on April 30th. I had not know they mix up the distances like this, and it does seem dangerous to have these young horses run the longer distances first, with no building up to it......




What's Wrong with the Kentucky Derby?

Nothing, though, is so dopey as the way horse racing conducts its premier event, the Kentucky Derby, which, of course, is run this Saturday ?- by custom, the first Saturday in May. In how many details can they screw it up? Let me count the ways.

First of all, the Derby is run at a mile and a quarter, which is a long distance for young 3-years-olds to cover. Thoroughbreds race a lot less now, and they're bred more for speed. As if running the mile and a quarter early in May isn't asking too much, the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness, will be conducted just two weeks later. Not only that: The Preakness is shorter than the Derby. So, they run the longer race first, then rush into the second, shorter one.

Then, just three weeks later comes the Triple Crown finale, the Belmont. That means the three races are jammed together in only five weeks. Big Brown, the probable Derby favorite, has so far only raced three times in his whole life. The Belmont is run at a mile and a half. This is a distance virtually no race horse in America runs anymore ?- except for the Belmont.

But to make it sound special rather than idiotic, a mile and a half is always called a "classic distance," which is true enough, especially if you think classic means out of fashion. The Belmont is a classic the way the set shot in basketball is. But, of course, nobody in basketball is dumb enough to use the set shot anymore just because it's a classic.

Moreover, at the Derby, to start the Triple Crown off, they let 20 horses run, which is far too many. So the most important race in America is more determined by luck than skill as the thundering herd blasts out of the starting gates. No wonder no colt ever wins the Triple Crown anymore.


I really feel badly for the poor animal.

And Barbaro and Ruffian and and...

I'm sure I'm forgetting some, as I don't follow much any more. But I still love the beauty.

Lovely photo in one of the Guardian photo series in the last week or two. Back with a photo.

Which brings up Cutter's Way, the horse scene. I've given links to that before here. Forgive me, a favorite movie, I'm a cult of one. See the movie, don't look up the scene, that would be a spoiler.

Back with the Guardian link first.

On the Guardian, I guess I'm late. Can't figure out how to access prior photos in the 24 hr series. Will try again when my humor is better.




A2K amaz link to Cutter's Way

I saw it on Netflix not long ago. Slow by some standards, though I like it for real life aspects. So, I'll just call it languid.... but pay attention. Eh, still a movie of mine. Plus the barn photography. Freeze it for x seconds...