How It Feels To Own a Race Horse

In April I had a chance to see cousins and relatives in Southwest Ohio where my dad grew up. Whether old friends or relatives, it's always nice to catch up, reflect on stories of where we've been, rehash memories from days gone by and share what's new in our lives... like the joy of being grandparents, for example.

Twilight King will be racing today in Cincy.

What I didn't expect, but saw glistening in the eyes of my cousin and his wife, was how much enjoyment one can get from being part owner of a race horse. Gary and Melinda seem to have found an interest that I hadn't expected, though I see how it could have evolved. SE Ohio is just a river-hop to Louisville and the Bluegrass State.

"Being an avid race fan, it is really fun having an actual stake in a horse," Gary said. "I try to travel to see as many races as possible. I've gone to Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and Indiana Downs to watch Moon Launch, and Turfway Park, Belterra, and Mahoning Valley in northern Ohio to watch Twilight King race. I've also had shares in a few harness horses."

There's something visceral about racing that gets your juices flowing. Whether cars, boats or horses, racing in all its iterations can be fun to watch and fun to be part of.

"It's just kind of fun to say that I'm part owner of race horses. I have a wall in my man cave devoted to my horses with my winners circle photos," Gary said.

It's something akin to owning shares in a company you like.

Today will be Twilight King's first race in 2019. "After a winter break you never know how he will respond. Some horses come out after a long layoff refreshed and raring to go while others need a race or two to get back in the groove. Let's hope he is well rested and ready to run."

Moon Launch

Both horses come from a good lineage, each descended from Secretariat and Seattle Slew, the great Triple Crown winners of 1973 and 1977. If you like horse racing, Twilight King will be racing at Belterra Park in Cincinnati later today.

If you see Gary and Melinda, say hi for me....

Related Links
Secretariat: A Movie Review
Mine That Bird

Secretariat

"Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery -- with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin -- manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years."

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I finally got around to seeing Secretariat, the 2010 film about one of the great race horses of all time, if not the greatest. The movie was well done, for what it's worth. John Malkovich, in his roll as the trainer, was his usual unusual self and helped keep the film's entertainment value from lapsing.

Diane Lane as Penny Chenery Tweedy does an admirable job of being the tough mama who is the driving force behind Big Red's success. Not being familiar with the actual story behind the scenes, it was interesting to see the inner workings of modern horse racing. The Secretariat fable takes place in the early Seventies against a backdrop of Viet Nam, so there's a bit of spice added as Mrs. Tweedy's daughters get involved with a bit of the anti-war consciousness that prevailed among students of that time.

Efforts were made to create tension, but we all knew how it would end so these little attempts to create false drama felt hollow. For example, someone noted that one famous horse's heart burst because he'd run so hard, and when Secretariat was galloping so incredible hard at the Belmont Stakes it might be that he was also endangering himself. Since we all knew the outcome in advance, the nail-biting seemed almost silly.

Some readers here will remember the story of how my sister-in-law Rosemarie got to see Secretariat in all three of those races to win the 1973 Triple Crown. Not only did she see Secretariat and Sham do their show, she also bet Secretariat to win with Sham second in all three races. At the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, she and her older sister shared quite a bit of jubilation. Alas, poor Sham was burned out at the Belmont.

Some of the reviewers at imdb.com called this the best or one of the best sports movies ever. I guess I didn't see it that way. Nice film by a director who knows how to make films, with a resume that includes Braveheart and Pearl Harbor, but when it's over it's pretty much, "Yeah, O.K. that was interesting." I just didn't care that much about all these people for some reason.

The feelgood ending with "Oh Happy Day" seemed designed to help everyone leave the theater with hearts lifted, and I guess that's O.K., too. But the next morning, life goes on and there is very little takeaway.

A bit of trivia here: several horses played Secretariat in the film... and the actual Penny Chenery picked the horse that played "Big Red" by means of a lookalike contest. Must have been fun for her a re-live a bit of her own personal history. All I have are a few photos of myself from that time. But I remember it well. 1973 was an interesting, even life changing, year for many of us.

For the record, you can see the real Secretariat at the Belmont right here on YouTube.

Mine That Bird

I believe it was my son’s grad party and we had fifty or so people out in Susie’s garage or mingling in the yard, then forty and thirty. The number kept dwindling. No one was leaving the party. Rather, they were ambling inside waiting for the opening bell when the gates would open... "And they're off!" I had brought the TV up and put it on the dining room table for Cassie and a few others, which turned out to be half the party.

It's been called the fastest two minutes in sports. Don't take a potty break or you'll miss it.

Yesterday’s winner was the long shot, Mine That Bird. Whether you’re into horse racing or not, who doesn’t love the names? Entering the weekend there were four favorites for yesterday's Run for the Roses: I Want Revenge, Pioneer of the Nile, Friesan Fire and Dunkirk. I Want Revenge was scratched the morning of the race so we only had nineteen contenders.

At 50-1 Mine That Bird was supposedly just there to fill out the field. Surprise! At the finish, Pioneer of the Nile took second, and Musket Man third. Mine That Bird went from dead last to first. Other names I liked from yesterday’s field included Chocolate Candy, Papa Clem, West Side Bernie, Hold Me Back and Mr. Hot Stuff.

Kentucky Derby Trivia
I’ve never owned a horse but I did own a horse racing game as a kid. The tan colored horse was named Tim Tam.

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is considered the greatest achievement in horse racing. The last horse to accomplish this was Affirmed in 1978.

Seattle Slew is the only Triple Crown winner who never lost a race.

The eleven horses that have won the Triple Crown are...

Affirmed 1978
Seattle Slew 1977
Secretariat 1973
Citation 1948
Assault 1946
Count Fleet 1943
Whirlaway 1941
War Admiral 1937
Omaha 1935
Gallant Fox 1930
Sir Barton 1919

War Admiral was the powerful horse defeated by Seabiscuit in 1937 in the film and book by the same title. It's a great book, well-researched and rich with details showing both the grit and glory of horse racing.

Horse Racing Hall of Famer Eddie Arcaro was the only jockey to ride two different horses to the Triple Crown: Whirlaway and Citation. He rode five horses to the winner’s circle in the Kentucky Derby. I liked Eddie Arcaro as a kid because his name was Eddie.

The place where the Kentucky Derby is run each spring is called Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is nicknamed the Run for the Roses.

It was at the 1970 Kentucky Derby where artist Ralph Steadman met Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson who was doing a story for Esquire magazine.

Of the 37,939 thoroughbreds eligible for the Kentucky Derby this year, only 20 participated, or rather, 19 after I Want Revenge was scratched.

My brother’s wife Rosemarie was there at Churchill Downs in 1973 when Secretariat won the Derby in the fastest time ever, a record that stands to this day. Her sister took her to the Big Race as a high school grad present. Their infield seats on the fourth turn weren't the greatest, but the experience was rich with memories as Rosemarie had bet on both Secretariat and Sham, the 1-2 finishers.

To celebrate their good fortune, they proceeded to the Preakness (at Pimlico, in Marlyland) and once more placed bets on Secretariat and Sham, who again finished 1-2. A short time after they took in the third jewel of the crown, the Belmont Stakes, where they once more put money on Secretariat and Sham. Sham failed to deliver while Secretariat gave the performance of a lifetime, tearing away from the field to win by 31 lengths, and still accelerating! What an incredible horse, and a wonderful set of graduation memories for Rosemarie. Don't you wish you coulda been there?