Putting Derby talk to rest

A person I respect very much recently wrote something over on Derby Trail Forums that precisely articulated just about everything I, and apparently many other fans of horse racing, have been feeling since the Derby was run on Saturday. To take a few brief excerpts:

But, people are angry. Trust me, I'm an angry guy, I understand. We're upset about what happened to Eight Belles and we're upset that this unfortunate incident is now being used by ignorant zealots with an agenda against this game that we love. And, even though we know they are wrong about most of what they speak, we sadly know there is at least a hint of truth in some of what they say ( truth, in all likelihood, that they don't even understand ). We're also frustrated that nobody in power in the industry has come out rationally, or almost nobody, to attempt to quell the hysteria by those outside the industry.

We're also frustrated that this Derby weekend was marred by infighting within the industry that dramatically affected the disemination of the Churchill Downs signal for betting purposes. We can't understand why the industry seems to continue to act in a way that is contrary to our interests, that is the racing fans who support the game, and even though many of us do understand and sympathize with the parties involved, it's hard not to be frustrated that all too often we seem to be the ones left out in the cold.

But I'm not frustrated. I'm happy that Belmont is open, and there's still eleven weeks left at that beautiful racetrack, and then there's six weeks at glorious Saratoga, followed by seven more at Belmont in the Fall. I'm happy that there's a great chance that in less than five weeks there will be a huge crowd at Belmont hoping for a TC and for a few weeks in NY people will actually care about horse racing. I'm happy that I'll be frustrated on a daily basis betting on the game I love. I'm happy that horse racing exists to give me something to bitch about. I'm happy that there will be many Pick-6s coming up for me to take tough beats betting. I'm happy that my life isn't as boring as those that haven't figured out how great this game is on a daily basis.

Bravo. I personally think this is the perfect way to put the Derby behind us, good, bad, ugly, and everything in between. No matter what you remember the Derby for, it's my humble suggestion that you should make it just that, a memory. Dwelling on what's already happened seems like an awful waste of time, considering that there are so many new things to witness and learn and consider every day in this game.

To go along with what that person said, I'm pissed off as well. About Churchill's paved highway taking another life, about repeated horse doper Dutrow possibly having racing's first TC winner since '78, about all of the (mostly unwarranted) negative publicity the sport is getting due to Eight Belles' death, but I refuse to dwell.

Churchill will hopefully learn its lesson soon enough about not screwing with the track on big days, a horse with a legitimate shot at the Crown trained by Dutrow is better than no horse with a chance at the Crown, and the spurious outrage from the press will soon go by the wayside, provided there are no more fatalities in the TC series.

In the meantime, we have a Preakness to get to. And though certainly not the quality of years' past, the middle jewel definitely will have its intrigue. Big Brown, though obviously at the head of his class, will now have to come back on just two weeks' rest, and even the previously supercilious Dutrow doesn't sound so cocksure this time around:

"I don't think I'll be as confident," said Dutrow, who was extremely confident before the Derby. "I really do like training a horse up to a race, and I can't do it now. It looks like he's the best horse in the Preakness. I don't like coming back in two weeks, but I've got no choice."

There's also the prospect of Harlem Rocker, the easy winner of the Withers, 106 BSF in hand, taking a shot at the big horse, reminding many of Bernardini's path to the '06 Preakness. The decision made on behalf of the silver Macho Uno colt will go a long way towards determining whether or not the Preakness a race, instead of a showcase for Big Brown, but even if he doesn't show, and the field truly is inferior, I sure won't be complaining about a Big Brown win.

In terms of gambling, there still will be plenty of ways to make money on the race and on Preakness Day. And as a fan, nothing would delight me more than to see three weeks of Belmont buzz to help marginalize the zealots and remind everyone how compelling racing can be.

So please, everyone take a breath, get a grip. The Preakness is 11 days away.

/dick joke