12/22/24
May 15, 2004
The latest Seabiscuit-in-the-making, Smarty Jones, won the Preakness today by a record 11-and-a-half lengths, putting the undefeated 7-for-7 horse in line for a Triple Crown bid at the Belmont Stakes on June 5.
i'm not a broadcaster, degenerate gambler or the queen and i enjoy horse racing (the sport, i don't care too much for the industry). i try to make it out the track a couple times a year. and i make an effort to follow the triple crown. there's usually some interesting stories to come out of it, like Tapit the Guinness drinking horse.
posted by goddam at 07:57 PM on May 15, 2004
I've been a casual fan of horse racing since Affirmed beat Alydar. I adopt the sport for the Kentucky Derby and last as long as there's a Triple Crown chance. One of the funniest things I ever heard on a sports radio station was an argument over whether a horses knows that he won a race.
posted by rcade at 09:38 PM on May 15, 2004
posted by yerfatma at 01:26 AM on May 16, 2004
Wouldn't be the first time. The 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, ended up as pet food.
posted by rcade at 09:32 AM on May 16, 2004
I follow the big three races, and I use to go to Longacres in Seattle to watch. It was always a really, really good time. Now we have Emerald Downs but I've yet to go. Rcade, re: whether or not a horse is aware he has won a race - READ SEABISCUIT! There is a whole chapter devoted to both wild horses and race horses awareness of their racing skills, and for the best ones their drive to win. There is a section in the book detailing especially how horses feel when they have lost a race, not only do they know it but can sometimes get depressed after losing, not eating for a few days and generally acting very mopey. Wild horses evidently frequently compete against one another to see who is fastest! It was a very fascinating book. Having said that, I mostly only pay close attention when a horse has the chance to win the triple crown. I will be excited and rooting for Smarty Jones to win the Belmont.
posted by vito90 at 11:11 AM on May 16, 2004
I was listening to WIP yesterday evening and a little bit this morning.....I had no idea that everybody in Philadelphia had been a fan of Smarty Jones since he was foaled. They're already talking about a parade down Broad Street after he wins the Belmont. The horse is credited with getting the Phillies out of the doldrums and somehow he's going to take the Flyers to the Stanley Cup playoffs. What a great time to be a PhillyFan! But we all know how it's going to end. Smarty will fall and break a leg with a quarter mile to go in the Belmont. The Phillies will go on a ten game skid, leading to a clubhouse blowup and a player mutiny. Terrell Owens will tear his ACL in training camp, and the Flyers will lose to Tampa in triple OT in game 7. It must be this way. I love you, PhillyFan.
posted by mbd1 at 11:12 AM on May 16, 2004
mbd1, well done. I couldn't have put it any better myself. Except for that maybe Smarty gets a concussion before the Belmont, decides not to race and then Bobby Clarke calls him a sissy for not being a man and playing through it.
posted by rosey8810 at 12:39 PM on May 17, 2004
I've always wondered, do people care about horse racing who aren't (a) broadcasters, (b) degenerate gamblers, or (c) the Queen? On the other hand, I guess if it came to a choice between NASCAR and horse racing, I'd go watch the horse racing.