Rachel Alexandra

Stonestreet’s grand lady was feeling feisty today, romping through her field and playing a bit with her buddies, pensioned mares in their 20s. In spite of Rachel’s dominance on the track, she is not the dominant mare in the pasture.

Weanlings

Rachel Alexandra lives on Stonestreet’s nursery farm year-round, and comes in for lunch when the weanlings do, as they all reside in the same barn. While the routine they follow mostly sees them living outside, coming in for lunch gives Stonestreet staff time to check over each weanling and take a temperature to keep a daily log. The foals have been weaned since my last visit in late July, and all have calmly settled into the routine, which has not varied much from when they were with their dams. They are still with the foals they grew up with, and each stop for a bite of grain outside the pasture gate before going in to their stalls, an incentive to come to the gate instead of be spread all across the pasture.

I got acquainted with Rachel’s Valentina’s colt a bit in the barn once he finished his lunch. As described, he does have quite a calm demeanor. He is buddies in the pasture with Fiftyshadesofhay’s weanling.

Rachel’s Valentina’s colt

https://youtu.be/6IKRANszxpY

 

 

 

Retired jockey Joe Steiner led a new “Horseman’s Tour” at Old Friends one recent morning, telling insider stories and showcasing parts of the property not often seen on tours. Michael Blowen joined part of the tour, socializing with Silver Charm and attempting to get War Emblem to race him along the fence line.

It always feels like a privilege to see and have interactions with Silver Charm, who continues to perfectly embody all one could hope to see in a racing ambassador. His kind eye draws people in, and his nature appears nothing short of gentlemanly, as much as that seems to be a human characteristic.

War Emblem thrives at Old Friends, as well. He definitely has settled into a routine and his demeanor, while he will never be one that can have direct access to visitors, has mellowed somewhat. Steiner said he essentially decided when he was done racing when he went to the track one morning, theoretically to train, and refused to move one step that would have him joining the others that morning also getting in works. It was to eventually become the same story when he transitioned to a breeding career, famously refusing to breed mares at all, prompting his retirement from the breeding shed and opening the door to his repatriation to the United States. He seemed to want to do things his own way whenever possible, and may very well have found it reassuring that life at Old Friends doesn’t come with expectations to race or breed. He has dappled out nicely over the summer and is quite photogenic.

Afternoon Deelites stuck his head through a stall door nearby, beseeching the three visitors on the Horseman’s Tour for carrots.

Alphabet Soup was also in a stall, with his relatively new constant companion, the donkey Gorgeous George. Blowen talked about the experimental treatments that were done for his melanomas, which responded by shrinking drastically.

The tour then passed by several fields of horses off of the typical tour paths, including one that housed a horse who had sold for millions when younger.

Driving along a narrow path lined by trees that once had been a train bed, our group arrived at the home leased from Old Friends by Steiner and his wife, resident artist Dagmar and their young son. She recently completed a book of paintings honoring Old Friends residents, and had a lovely painting she created of Zenyatta hanging in the entranceway of their home. She paints in pastels, and studies the direction horses’ hair grows in to add another dimension of authenticity to her paintings. It was evident in the Zenyatta painting how meticulously she works, especially when examining the noseband on Zenyatta’s bridle, where each fiber appeared to have been painted individually and looked as realistic as a photograph.

Moving to the living room, her large painting of Silver Charm held court over the couch. It was nothing short of a masterpiece, capturing every nuance of Silver Charm, from the brown spots that dot his grey coat to the depths of his eyes and a nobility that transcended the single dimension and drew you in, much as his actual presence does. It was a painting that was difficult not to study for hours and to turn my back on (and it will be included in the forthcoming book), but to listen to Dagmar talk about a new style of painting she is trying, which primarily consists of geometric shapes and little detail, I did.

She also paints them upside down, and mentioned that it is an exercise in getting outside of her usual style, which is one of intense attention to detail. She also said that Picasso could paint in a straightforward style, where his subjects were easily recognizable, but that it can be beneficial to pick up a paintbrush and try a style outside of what might normally be used.

After the interesting visit with Dagmar, it was back through the property and along the train bed, with a stop at one of the fields that is not on the usual tours to feed carrots to the horses there.

Future plans were also discussed, like developing some recently acquired land and possibly opening up parts of the farm to guests in cabins. Blowen’s vision continues to grow, and while Steiner noted he can’t save all the horses, he’s to be commended for trying and for the impact he has made on their lives and how their stories touch the many people who visit each year and get to go home and say they’ve gotten acquainted with Game On Dude or fed a carrot to a Derby winner.

Stories of Catlaunch also abounded on the tour, with many of the Old Friends staff and volunteers stopping by to reminisce about the top Ohio-bred, since his owners were present on this Horseman’s Tour. The way a horse can touch a life, even with just a few moments of interaction, is a lot of what Old Friends is all about. Catlaunch touched many people during his time at Old Friends, with his incredibly sweet demeanor. His owner, touchingly, spoke of how he put his business name under owner instead of his own, because the glory belonged to Catlaunch.

This was an especially fitting tour for a story like that to be unfurled.

Breyerfest, a celebration of model horses and their real-life counterparts, rolled into the Kentucky Horse Park in mid-July for its usual annual extravaganza. Each year, Breyer chooses a different theme that largely directs which guest horses are invited, what the special models are, along with a host of other details.

I was thrilled that this year’s theme was “Off to the Races.” Not only did that offer opportunities to see demonstrations by people and horses in the racing industry that I admire, but it also presented chances to learn about facets of racing beyond the Thoroughbred industry.

Several top Arabian racehorses were in attendance, like Empres and Spin Doctor. Based on information presented during their daily demonstration at Breyerfest and during a panel of Arabian racehorse owners and breeders, I learned that many Arabian racehorses go on to top show careers after racing. It was interesting to hear that the Arabian owners on the panel, with 40 to 50 years of involvement, had only bred in the range of 40 to 60 horses during that time, even with Arabian racing being somewhat limited in the U.S. One of the owners and breeders, a veterinarian, said they don’t start racing their horses until age 3 or 4, and will see tendon issues or other problems from time to time but no fatal breakdowns.

Both Spin Doctor and Empres are perfect examples of the versatility of the Arabian breed. Empres was foaled in Poland in 1995, racing there for one year in 1998. He has also lived in the Netherlands, the U.S. and Canada, where he now resides with his owner. In each country of residence, he has had a successful show career and stud career, producing foals that went on to success at shows and on the racetrack. Empres himself has won numerous championship titles in the show ring, in dressage, western, halter, and trail classes, just to name a few.

Spin Doctor successfully raced for three years, and was noted to appear to have the conformation and movement to excel in both racing and dressage in his first year of life. He proved that assessment by owner Cathy Smoke to be correct, as he makes strides in his post-racing life to transition to a dressage career, where he has already won a championship after a short time of training in that discipline. He is now 11 years old, and has been competing as a show horse for four years, with the aim of continuing to progress through the dressage levels.

Other notable attendees were Harley, the renowned track pony, Rosie Napravnik, Blythe Miller, Donna Barton-Brothers, Zenyatta’s first colt Cozmic One, and the top money winner in harness racing history, Standardbred Foiled Again, who had recently won his one hundredth race.

Retired jockeys Rosie Napravnik and Blythe Miller appeared in a panel of Women in Racing, moderated by Donna Barton-Brothers. (Napravnik also appeared in demonstrations with her off the track Thoroughbred, Old Ironsides, and with horses being retrained after their race careers for the Thoroughbred Makeover.)

During the Women in Racing panel, Napravnik spoke about her career from its beginning to her unexpected retirement. She would ride ponies in pony races as a child but unlike most of the kids who participated, she didn’t just pull them out of the pasture and race them; she actually trained them like racehorses and rode like a jockey even then, with her stirrups high. She knew she wanted to be a jockey very early on. It was her burning ambition, and that was reflected in the incredible amount of success she achieved in a very short time, success borne out of hard work and lots of preparation and an intense focus on her goals evident underneath the calm, even serene, demeanor she often presents when aboard a horse. That demeanor, observed when she rode on the track, was one I thought the horses probably picked up on and responded to well.

When she began riding as a jockey, she said trainer Dickie Smalls asked how she wanted to be listed in track programs. They settled on “A.R. Napravnik,” so that if and when she rose through the jockey standings, trainers would see who was among the top jockeys at a track and want that jockey, not having any possibility of bias creeping in because of her gender before she became known.

She never let notions about what women could or couldn’t do hold her back during her career, and when she spoke of resistance she faced, it was not with malice or bitterness. Instead, encountering resistance further fueled her determination to excel.

At one point, she heard a comment about how women working at the track would rather be getting their nails done, and that drove her to never wear makeup at the track so that no one would question what she was there for.

She also said when she encountered trainers who told her they wouldn’t hire female jockeys, she eventually did ride for every one of those trainers and win for them, noting that they couldn’t ignore success.

Later, Napravnik rode in a preview of the Thoroughbred Makeover that will take place this fall at the Horse Park, a preview that Cozmic One also participated in. I spoke to his young rider in charge of his progression for the Makeover. She said he hated racing but has taken well to show jumping. I followed him only sporadically, and standing next to him was a bit of a revelation, as I had either not realized or had forgotten he had inherited Zenyatta’s height, standing at 17 hands or a shade taller. He was a little antsy in his stall but once outside of it revealed a calm demeanor and seemed to take everything in stride. He is a nice mover, reminding me of how a lot of foundation work was put into him to get him to even be able to be tractable to be trained for racing. He is in good hands to go on to the next phase of his working life.

It was incredible to see how far the other Thoroughbreds in the Makeover had come already, with just a short time off of the track. They had never been in a rather open setting like the outdoor ring where the presentation occurred, yet they handled it well. One even was ridden around bridleless, though initially his rider was not sure how he would react to that. But after a brief warmup she saw it didn’t faze him and rode him in front of the gathered audience without his bridle.

Seventeen-year-old Brass Hat, Breyerfest’s Celebration Horse this year, was another nice mover as he appeared in the arena each day before attendees, and he appeared to love the attention from people who congregated at his stall to get acquainted.

It was an incredible three days of a celebration of racing and horses that have touched people’s lives because of it.

Sources:

http://www.empres.ca

http://www.empres.ca/showcareer.htm

“2015 SHN Rally in Raleigh.” Molly A. Benstein. Modern Arabian Horse: Issue 6, 2015.

 

American Pharoah filly out of Yong Musician

https://youtu.be/ZDgenaWV51E

https://youtu.be/oL39oGwrSV4

Belle Meade was founded in 1807, and had Thoroughbreds standing at stud within 10 years of that date, launching an equine dynasty closely linked with the family who resided there and saw it become one of the premiere Thoroughbred farms in the country. As Jenny Lamb wrote in a history of the farm, “it was customary for Southern gentlemen to own and race Thoroughbreds at that time,” and when farm founder John Harding moved from Virginia to Tennessee, he brought that tradition with him.

It’s been decades since Tennessee was a fount of top racehorses, though there is still a limited breeding industry there today. That makes it even more interesting that the bloodlines of horses raised and bred at Belle Meade have progeny in top races around the country to this day.

Nashville had its own racetrack then, and several others in close proximity. John Harding’s son William followed in his father’s footsteps, helping him train horses and bringing more prominence to the breeding industry in Tennessee by launching yearling sales in 1867 of horses he bred, held nearly continuously until 1902.

One plaque on the property featured a quote from William Giles Harding, written to the American Turf Register in 1839, the year he took over Belle Meade from his father John, further attesting to Tennessee’s importance in the Thoroughbred world at that time. Harding wrote, “This, I suppose is the acknowledged center of the horse racing region. Blood stock here is all the go. To be without it is to be out of fashion and destitute of taste. So, I too, have procured a little of the real grit which by-and-by I hope to increase.”

It is interesting to note what he said, given that it could now be used to describe Kentucky and is a mere afterthought of Tennessee’s contributions to racing, if thought of at all.

The farm achieved even greater prominence when Selene Harding, William Harding’s daughter, married General William Hicks Jackson, who moved to the Belle Meade property and was granted 1/3 of the ownership of the farm. He acted as “daily manager… and his flair for entertaining and his confident outgoing nature helped the farm to attract thousands of people to the yearling sales,” according to Jenny Lamb’s record. Dignitaries flocked to the renowned farm, drawn by its name and the Jackson family’s status in society. Thoroughbreds had indeed made the difference John Harding anticipated they would when he founded Belle Meade and sought to emulate the gentlemen of his day.

The family did have an enslaved populace during most of the years they owned Belle Meade, and one footnote to that provided insight I had never heard before about what happened to men who served in the Confederate Army after the Civil War was over.  The tour guide during my visit made certain to mention it would not be sugarcoated that this too, was part of the farm’s history.  William Giles Harding was imprisoned in Michigan for 6 months for his role as a staunch supporter of the Confederate cause and his service, after which he was returned to Belle Meade and placed under house arrest for the rest of his life, according to the tour guide.

Family illnesses, deaths, and financial concerns began to signal the end of Belle Meade’s status in the early 1900s, although William Harding Jackson inherited the estate at the age of two, along with his aunt and a few other family members. Jackson went on to serve as Deputy Director of the CIA, the first in his family in generations not to have a strong link to Belle Meade and the tradition that had been fostered. He found his success elsewhere, understandably since the plantation lifestyle and the Thoroughbred’s importance in Tennessee were both receding quickly.

Another interesting item of note from the tour guide was that the reason the Thoroughbred industry died out in Tennessee was partially because of the temperance movement and their strong condemnation of any social public gatherings that involved drinking and gambling, and they did target the racing industry. Kentucky was described as having been a few steps ahead of the temperance movement, so the racing and breeding industry retained its foothold there.

Yet without the commitment to the breed and industry shown by generations at Belle Meade, some of the foundation that flows through the bloodlines of the Kentucky industry would not be present.

Bonnie Scotland was far and away Belle Meade’s most successful sire. He was imported from England to the U.S. in 1857, standing stud in several states before being acquired by Belle Meade when they lost their top stallion, beginning his stud duties there in 1873.  He was America’s leading sire in 1880 and in 1882, though he died early in 1880. He is the grandsire of Ben Brush and many twentieth century Kentucky Derby winners trace their lineage to Bonnie Scotland, among them Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed.

Iroquois was another renowned import acquired by Belle Meade, and was the first American-bred to win the English Derby, and also won the St. Leger.  He was acquired by Belle Meade after his racing career, and his 1892 stud fee of $2,500 was a huge sum at the time and he also became a leading sire. In fact, Iroquois was so revered at the farm that there are to this day two unique items associated with him in the grand Belle Meade mansion.

One is an elaborate creation of his pedigree, entirely hand-stitched and hanging on the wall in a frame. I have never seen any other pedigree created like it. Iroquois’ photo was at the center of it and radiating outwards were the names of his ancestors enclosed in circles and with most having their notable racing achievements listed beneath their names.

The other “memorabilia” in the home associated with the famed horse were a pair of his hooves, preserved after he died of kidney-related ailments, sitting on a desk.

Luke Blackburn, while not owned by Belle Meade, was a prime example of the excellence his sire Bonnie Scotland was renowned for producing. He won 15 consecutive races as a 3-year-old in 1880, and upon retirement he took up stud duties at Belle Meade. He had only three stakes winners, but he wrote his name in racing history with his prowess on the track and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1956.

Enquirer was sired by Leamington, and descended from Diomed. He won 7 of his 9 starts, and was named champion three-year-old of 1870 after winning all of his races that season. He quickly became a success as a sire in Kentucky, and was acquired by Belle Meade in 1879 for stud duty. Author Ridley Wells II wrote in Belle Meade Bloodlines that the plan behind his addition to the stud roster there was to succeed Leamington as the top American sire and “back up the aging Bonnie Scotland…however, Enquirer did not succeed Leamington as the top American sire; Bonnie Scotland did.”

Enquirer did continue his streak of success, however, and was among the top sires annually, ranking third on that list in 1886, and remained at Belle Meade until his death in September 1895.

Since Enquirer was named for the newspaper the Cincinnati Enquirer, Wells wrote, “During the Tennessee Centennial Celebration [in 1897], a handsome marble monument was erected to Enquirer’s memory at Belle Meade by John R. McLean, publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer. About 400 people, including a large group from Cincinnati, were present for the dedication exercises held over the horse’s grave in his paddock. The monument now stands near the stable at Belle Meade.”

Wells also wrote of Gamma, a gray filly foaled in 1836 who went on to win several 4-mile heats in the course of her race career. She was also not a product of the Belle Meade breeding program, but was purchased as a three-year-old by General Harding and endeared herself to him by defeating the great Wagner in a four-mile race when she was four years old. “She was considered ‘one of the gamest and most beautiful race animals that ever graced the turf of Tennessee.’ After her turf career ended, she served many years as a broodmare at Belle Meade, bearing several colts that won renown. Gamma died at Belle Meade on February 24, 1867, in her thirty-first year. General Harding’s eyes teared when he showed her portrait to visitors.”

Those are just a sampling of the top horses that were bred or served as sires or broodmares at Belle Meade. In addition to being honored with portraits still hanging in the home, like the one referenced of Gamma, some of the successful horses are also remembered with wines named after them that are offered at Belle Meade. Each tour includes a wine tasting with a chance to purchase bottles of wine named after Enquirer and Iroquois.

One final note about the Belle Meade legacy comes from The Thoroughbred Record in 1923:

“When they had racing at Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee was full of breeding farms and some of the foremost citizens of the state were engaged in breeding thoroughbred horses. A very few breeders still continue to breed good horses in that state because they can’t help it–it is a natural attribute, but the great thoroughbred horse breeding industry of Tennessee is gone, in eliminating horse racing they established and uncongenial atmosphere and drove most of the breeders out of business. And what a superlative record Tennessee has as a breeding state, farms such as Belle Meade and Fairview, would each have fifty or more yearlings to sell at public auction annually, while Captain James Franklin, with only a small number of mares, sent to the races such equine stars as George Kinney, Luke Blackburn and many other high class horses. Belle Meade is one of the oldest of the Western thoroughbred nurseries. It was settled by Mr. John Harding, the father of General W.G. Harding, in 1804. The mighty Priam, winner of the English Derby in 1840, here held court, also Eagle and Bluster, imported horses, were in their day at the head of Belle Meade Stud. Here too the mighty Vandal, great Jack Malone, Sir Richard, Highlander, and Childe Harold, each succeeded in his turn to become lord of the manor. These were succeeded by imported Bonnie Scotland, who died full of years and honors in 1880. John Morgan, Enquirer, imp. Great Tom, Luke Blackburn, Bramble and Iroquois followed as reigning monarchs on the throne of Priam and Vandal. The number of great race horses bred at Belle Meade is legion, among the number is Gamma, the mighty grey mare which dominated the turf in her day, about seventy-five years ago. Charles Reed’s Fairview Farm was another famous nursery that sent annually to the races horses of great distinction, among the number may be mentioned Don Alonzo, Hornpipe, Woodcutter…and many others that were champions in their day. All this emphasizes the fact that Tennessee is one of the best horse breeding states in the Union, but on account of adverse legislation and no racing, the business has fallen from the proud position it once held as an important agricultural asset to the state. Maryland is reviving and emulating the deeds of her early pioneers in establishing pleasant, comfortable homes out on the farms and breeding high class horses. It would be possible with a reasonable law to attain the same results in Tennessee.”

Nearly one hundred years since those words were written, racing has not regained its foothold in Tennessee and is unlikely to, yet the legacy of Belle Meade endures. It became even greater than it was ever hoped for, when owning Thoroughbreds enhanced the status of the individual. Instead those Thoroughbreds and their descendants went on to enhance the status of the breed itself, with careful management and wise investments in horses with top pedigrees and excellent race records. Their names are remembered and written in racing annals, and some are inscribed in the Hall of Fame. Yes, Belle Meade has endured.

 

Sources:

Belle Meade Bloodlines, Ridley Wells II, 1990.

The Thoroughbred Record, April 14, 1923.

“Luke Blackburn.” https://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/luke-blackburn

“Bonnie Scotland.” http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/BonnieScotland.html

June 2018

Rachel Alexandra

It is always a thrill to see my favorite race mare. This was my first time seeing her in about a year, and it was even better that she came over to greet her guests and I got to pat her on her incredibly soft nose, contact she doesn’t always seek.

Stonestreet is always incredibly gracious, and even thought of providing ideal photo opportunities of their star, briefly removing her fly mask for this visit.

Part of the broodmare band

Rachel’s Valentina, part of the illustrious broodmare band, had an impressive-looking Curlin colt this year, her first foal, and has been bred to Pioneerof the Nile for a 2019 foal. Many of the foals below were also by Curlin, and some of the dams include Fiftyshadesofhay, My Miss Aurelia, and Maggy’s Melody, a daughter of Afleet Alex’s dam Maggy Hawk.

 

 

Some of the beautiful layout of the farm, formerly Buckram Oak, and now managed by Barbara Banke in a serene setting for the nursery portion of the farm, where the mares live with their foals until weaning, when they are moved to a different Stonestreet property until they foal again. Barbara Banke has expanded the Stonestreet operation into Australia, continuing to build upon the legacy her husband began, with nothing less than a goal of world domination.

Downs After Dark, June 16

 

Parading Justify

 

One of the wonderful things about sporting events and gathering at them in person is the camaraderie that can be created. It can be all too easy to find divisiveness in differences of opinion and clashes when individuals from various social media “bubbles” cross one another’s paths.

That is why Justify being paraded at Churchill on June 16, a week after his Triple Crown victory, was a credit to the sport on many levels.

Arriving at Churchill earlier than expected, I had time to talk to several ladies who had never seen him in person and trade stories of racing memories, and later read news accounts of one woman who drove seven hours to see Justify that day and made friends with the people on either side of her.

While Churchill offered its usual plethora of stakes races that Stephen Foster day, Justify was naturally the biggest draw, and throngs of people held spots at the paddock even in the sweltering heat well ahead of his appearance.

One of my favorite moments was when his connections stopped him at the request of the crowd, to give everyone a chance to take his photo while he stood still and took everything in stride, just as he appears to always do. It was also wonderful to see the pride evident in the dazzling smile of Humberto Gomez, Justify’s exercise rider, as he accompanied the colt around the Churchill paddock along with assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes and groom Eduardo Luna.

Wherever Justify goes from here in his racing career, time will tell. With a crown newly placed by his name over the Churchill paddock in the spot reserved for the most recent Kentucky Derby winner and the crowds gathering just to see him walk the paddock, it also reminds me “time loves a hero,” from the title of a favorite Little Feat song, and a Triple Crown winner is certainly hailed as a bit of a conquering hero in racing circles.

Nothing will shake how glorious it was to witness him as he stood like a statue when his connections were requested to have him stop for photos, or how wonderful it was to know he crossed that wire first in the Belmont.

Even his gallops around Churchill post-Belmont further revealed what an extraordinary athlete he is, still looking well and full of energy.

It will be most intriguing to see what he does achieve from now on, even more so for half of his total races comprising the Triple Crown.

 

Patches of mist settled over horse farms around Lexington, rendering the horses pastured there as shadowy images glimpsed in silhouette. The castle a little bit past Keeneland truly did look like something out of a storybook, appearing to almost rise out of the fog lying around the rolling field surrounding it, with the earliest hints of a pink sunrise illuminating its turrets.

The mist that enveloped parts of Lexington gave way to fog so thick the highway ahead disappeared into it rapidly, reminding me of the Preakness conditions 2 weeks ago, when Justify prevailed after being pressed hard by Good Magic for much of the race and then holding off another batch of pursuers nearly in the shadow of the wire.

It was definitely no coincidence Justify was on my mind, with even foggy conditions drawing my thoughts to him. His trajectory through the first two races of the Triple Crown, with less-than-ideal conditions and how he’s revealed, whatever may yet unfurl in New York at the Belmont Stakes, has revealed he is extraordinary. Even while he raced a bit greenly in the Preakness, he has still shown a tremendous amount of talent, particularly for a colt who didn’t begin racing until February this year. What also struck me, prior to the Preakness, was how incredibly muscular he is, with a bulk that seems to belie the fact that he is 3 years old.

The purpose of the drive I took through the thick fog, the other reason Justify was on my mind as he’s been particularly since the Preakness as the questions swirl about what he may yet show he’s capable of a week from today in the Belmont, was that I was driving to Churchill Downs to watch him train during the special time set aside specifically for Belmont horses.

While I attended his Derby and saw him train prior to the Derby as well, with a limited number of horses training for the Belmont on the premises, this was the most time I had spent in proximity to Justify, providing the opportunity to note details I had never seen before..

One was the look in his eye. The other was how he came off the track after his gallop looking fired up. He seems like he will be tough to beat. Yes, the questions swirl – will stamina be a limiting factor? Will inexperience or two possibly tiring track conditions in the Derby and Preakness have taken their toll? Will one of the fresh Belmont contenders play spoiler?

Those are the unknown factors. What is certain is Baffert is confident in the way Justify has trained and that he is not dropping weight. What I observed myself is that he still appears to be full of energy and training strongly.

It was great to be at the track again, among others who gathered primarily for Justify, though Tenfold, Bravazo, and Free Drop Billy also trained at Churchill this morning.

Justify walked the shedrow under Baffert’s barn, already saddled and wearing the neon saddlecloth embroidered with his name, while waiting for the time set aside for the Belmont contenders only to train. It was a thrill to suddenly catch a glimpse of him upon arrival, this horse I drove up specifically to see and that intrigues me as much as he does, for all the possibility he represents, for the aura of greatness that he may well be on the way to claim.

A dad waiting outside Baffert’s barn with his young daughter answered her question about what Justify looks like, saying he has four legs, and pausing before delivering his punch line, that the horse is pink.

 His daughter was old enough to realize a horse can’t be pink, in all probability, questioning increduously, “Pink?”

 The exchange made me smile, as did the beautiful morning spent at the track, and the kinship felt by being among people all gathered to see this horse.

His pony Sunny escorted him to the track, with Justify appearing to tower above him. I took a spot where I watched the Derby and all the other races that day, though thankfully it was not in a downpour this time. Justify ran by twice during his gallop, the first time he went by causing a lady to murmur that he was “poetry in motion.” All chatter stopped as he went by, everyone soaking in the sight of him running by, possibly trying to assess how the gallop indicated what he may do in a week’s time, as best a gallop can reveal what potential lies within a horse to unfurl a winning effort in a race.

This is definitely the kind of horse to make one dream, given all he’s already accomplished in such a short time.

Following him back to the barn for his bath, he stood calmly, while nearby Sunny stuck his nose in a bucket of water and lifted the sponge in it out with his teeth. He appeared to have a bit of a playful demeanor now that he was done accompanying Justify to the track, trying to grab at the towel used to dry him after his bath, and toying with his lead shank.

The training session set aside for the Belmont horses was rather short-lived, with much fewer on the grounds than Derby horses. I was grateful that Churchill had set aside this training time, giving me a specific time frame to aim for to see Justify along with anyone else who hoped to see him, since I drove up from Lexington the same morning he galloped.

 Afterwards, I visited the Derby museum for the first time this year, primarily to see the collection D. Wayne Lukas had donated to them and their famed racing fillies exhibit.

 As a gatherer of racing facts and one who is immensely interested in racing trivia and history, seeing Lukas’ Derby trophies side by side made it possible to note when the horseshoe on them was switched from being open side down to open side up. I particularly noted that because I read years ago how the Derby trophy used to have the horseshoe open side down for quite a while, until the realization struck that according to superstition, that is bad luck, and the horseshoe was placed open side up.

 Yet it seemed on the trainers’ Derby trophies, the trend had not been observed as quickly as on the large Derby trophy always seen on TV. It wasn’t until Lukas received a trophy in 1999, for Charismatic’s victory, that the horseshoe was right side up. Yet all his Oaks trophies, even the ones that predated his earliest Derby one, had the horseshoe open side up.

 It was also interesting to see items I didn’t know trainers are given that he had to commemorate victories of horses he trained, like a small replica of the canoe in the Saratoga infield that is painted each year in the colors of the Travers winners, awarded to Lukas for Will Take Charge’s victory in that race, and that he also collected memorabilia with ties to significant racing history, beyond those he achieved.

I also went on the Churchill Downs walking tour for the first time, learning a few more history tidbits I never knew before.

 I wrapped up my visit viewing the famous fillies exhibit.

Justify’s Belmont

Being near Justify reminds me of the Helen Keller quote, in a slight paraphrase, that the most beautiful things must be felt with the heart. While she also said they can’t be seen, the sentiment that deepest meaning arises from emotional connection holds true in many cases.

So it was with Justify, most of all on a quiet morning on the Churchill Downs backside a week before the Belmont, when I felt I really got to know him, taking in his calm demeanor and powerful frame, and what TV cameras and photographs can only partially reveal. This was a near indefinable quality that emanated from him, a sense that he is truly exceptional. I once did not know what to make of him, bursting onto the scene and being hyped as a near “wonder horse” with light racing experience, and so it did surprise me when he won the Derby, a race that has unnerved even more experienced horses, between the huge throngs of people present, all the noise and the large field to thread their way through or in some cases get stymied by. It was the first inkling that perhaps the hype had indeed not been hype. His connections probably knew Justify had the caliber it took to contest the Derby. Not questioning that. The disbelief that was hard to suspend was that a horse could achieve what he has by essentially throwing out all the known “rules” of how a horse wins a Kentucky Derby.

The Preakness victory, later described as him not bringing his best effort, and still winning, and how he subsequently trained leading up to the Belmont both proved to me that in spite of his light racing experience (which did show as he raced a bit greenly in the Preakness, not too unexpected for only his fifth lifetime start) is when it became evident to me what Bob Baffert had been suggesting all along. This horse has the potential to be one of the greats.

Knowing I would not be able to attend his Belmont and that he seemed to have  an incredibly legitimate chance to win the Triple Crown , compelled me to attend his training session early in June, to have another experience witnessing his run for glory.

As I stood near him as he left the track after his gallop that day, seemingly not even breathing hard, that is when I sensed some of what lies within him that has made it possible for him to achieve what he has done. When I reflected on that, it was the morning of Belmont day, and however the 1 ½ mile Test of the Champion unfolded for him, I would always remember I was in the presence of an exceptional horse.

There was a good feeling among many people about his chances to capture the Triple Crown. He trained like a powerhouse around the Belmont surface. While the race would reveal what no training session could, he appeared more than ready for the task ahead. His energy and strength levels had remained consistent and even appeared to increase. His muscular build is incredible to see, almost seeming to indicate he is older than three. He had also faced his stiffest challenge in a race in the Preakness and had not been found wanting. Heart, courage, and an ability to dig in to prevail should serve him well.

He does have what it takes, as long a stamina isn’t a limiting factor, a question in some circles.

As remarkable as it is he is at this juncture, having only begun racing in February this year, he seems to have an incredibly realistic shot at the Triple Crown.

I believe it is his to capture because I saw him train that morning at Churchill, and because at every step along the way, he continued to show what he was made of. May the next steps, the marathon distance of the Belmont, be his proving ground as it was always intended to be.

And, as is well-known now, he did indeed come “roaring home” and prevailed, further cementing what American Pharoah had shown me. Everything does not have to be perfect or by the book for a Triple Crown winner to occur. He won the Triple Crown because he is exceptional, just as I had seen June 2. Still, in spite of having thought he had what it took, until that moment when he burst out of the gate and was able to stretch a front-running style to a wire-to-wire victory, the questions had to be answered and answered them emphatically.

What an emotional moment it was, to hear he had won the Triple Crown. As a near lifelong racing enthusiast, and this being the second Triple Crown winner in my lifetime, how that moment felt that June 9 will likely linger with me for a long time. As it should, for the rare achievement it is, in a sport that is part of me as surely as if it were in my DNA to love it and be drawn to it.