I find it hard to put into words how I feel about this event that has never before occurred in my lifetime.
Last year I wrote on Belmont day about the frustration California Chrome's connections expressed but how I felt strongly that changing the rules would somehow take away from the few great horses who had managed this accomplishment, it would change their company.
Experts everywhere said it would never happen again. There would be no great racehorse in modern bloodlines that could appear and take on such a feat as the impossible triple crown. Science predicted against it even.
Then we saw him yesterday, stretched out with an ease that seemed supernatural, as he left the field and a deafening roar engulfed him. This horse was exactly the horse, in exactly the way, it should have happened all along.
As a thoroughbred lover, I have to say I never thought the experts were right. I know it's easy to say that in print now that it has happened, still the experts didnt know that "something" that my beloved TB's have in them. They don't understand the magic that comes together. More importantly, they didn't realize that the magic was not dead in our horses veins, the triple crown was just that difficult to achieve.
In addition to loving the breed I also greatly enjoy the good side of racing. Those of us who do are constantly fighting the war to shed light on the good trainers/breeders/owners and help change the bad. To this day both of my ex-racehorses are followed by their last owners, they join me in wins and defeats and have only the best interest of the horses in mind.
I love this sport. I love these horses. And I love that for a few minutes yesterday, we all felt the same way watching a short tailed bay come down the stretch.
My brother texted me, "the city is wild right now" from his home in NYC.
Czech's breeders texted me Czech's pedigree and American Pharoah pointing out how they were related to each other top and bottom.
Bandon's race trainer and my long distance riding coach messaged joy and could feel it too.
As I went up to the barn last night to bring them in, I told the boys about the victory for thoroughbreds today. How the whole world cheered just for them for a few minutes that night.
I looked at Bandon and couldn't help but think of how similar my journey with him had been. Full of expectations, frustrations, small victories, encouragements, and experts saying to give up already.
And yet just that morning Bandon and I turned in our best show so far (is there a better way to spend Belmont morning than on a triple crown descendant?). There was no "well except for" or "he was great after...". Nope. We were each other's partner as we cruised around lines that happened to have brush jumps, oxers, and stone walls. We held a canter in the flat class while another horse was in front of us. We just did it with an ease that didn't need fighting or asking to get. And all the failures and dashed hopes that led us there made it oh so sweet. Our goal for that show was hit, then we nailed a few more just because we could. I was over the moon thrilled!
Telling the judge the story of how he came to be mine, his days of being labeled vicious, were almost funny as he tried to lick my face with goofy half falling ears.
Once in awhile special happens. You can't force it. You can't control it. All you can do is keep working, loving, and trying. Then one day it just comes along easily when the moment is there and all the tears and sweat suddenly have their meaning.
*I'd like to add that American Pharoah connections have pledged 50k in support to Thoroughbred retirement in addition to other great after care programs. If you won on AP yesterday, please consider making a portion of that a donation yourself! New Vocations, Old Friends, and CANTER are great places to start.
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