THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

For my first post on this blog, I’ve decided to share the video I made to pay tribute to the 2007 Horse of the Year: Curlin.   

Curlin is without a doubt my favorite horse of all time.  I realize that is a bold statement, but from the moment I first saw the replay of his run in the Arkansas Derby I knew he was a special colt.   Going into the Triple Crown I had him pegged as the horse that could win it all for the first time in 30 years.   Thanks to an impossible trip in the Kentucky Derby and a “kiss of death” post position, his chance to claim that honor evaporated.   However, rather than give up he fought on gamely to take 3rd place when many other horses would have surrendered.

Moving into the Preakness, I once again boldly predicted that he would run down the wildly popular Street Sense.   The more I watched the replay of his Kentucky Derby run the more convinced I was that if given a clean trip he could make history.   I was lucky enough to be in the stands that day at Pimlico as he took aim at both Street Sense and the long standing track record set by the great Secretariat 30 years ago.  I can still remember standing there in amazement and disbelief, unable to comprehend what I had just seen.   Our seats were perfectly situated and in my memory I was looking right at him when he made his first step in pursuit of Street Sense.   I remember grabbing my wife’s arm, squeezing, and yelling out emphatically “There he goes!!!!!!”   From our seats it was impossible to discern who had won as they hit the wire.  I saw Robbie Albarado celebrating and immediately my heart began to skip beats.  Finally, after what seemed an eternity the photo finish was broadcast on the big screen for all to see.  Curlin had nailed him right at the wire to win, in perhaps the most exciting Preakness since Sunday Silence and Easy Goer went at it in 1989.  The feeling I had was incredible.   I knew I had just seen history in the making, and that one of the greatest colts ever had announced to the world that he was here and that he meant business. 

As the Belmont approached, I wanted desperately for Curlin to win his 2nd portion of the Triple Crown, but it was not to be as a fresh filly named Rags to Riches bested him by a nose at the wire after yet another thrilling stretch run.  To this day I’m convinced that the sounds of my cursing and swearing are still floating around in the upper stratosphere.   After the race I was unable to speak.  All I could think of as I contrasted the finishes of the Preakness and the Belmont was the famous Dickens line “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” My heart had been effectively broken.  

After the Triple Crown, Curlin didn’t quite seem the same in the Haskell at Monmouth Park.  On that day Any Given Saturday romped home while Curlin finished a distant 3rd.   It seemed that folks like me had overestimated his abilities and that perhaps Curlin wasn’t quite the horse we had thought he was.   The feeling I had after the Haskell was that we had been cheated, and that some cheap impostor from the claiming levels had fooled us all into believing he was Curlin.   There was simply no way that could’ve been the same courageous competitor I had seen before.   I began to worry that perhaps we had seen his best race.   In my heart of hearts, I knew he wasn’t finished yet though.  This story still had some chapters left to be written.

Next up came the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Curlin’s first true test against older winners.  He faced off against Lawyer Ron, who had become the de facto top horse in the nation after an injury had ended the career of the defending Horse of the Year, Invasor.   As expected the race turned into a duel between Curlin and Lawyer Ron, with Curlin besting him just in time at the wire.   Curlin was back!!!   Would it be enough to win the most anticipated race of the year in the Breeder’s Cup Classic?  Would he finally prove to the world he was the horse I had thought he was several months ago?

As Breeder’s Cup day loomed, Curlin was entered in what appeared to be the most competitive race of the year.   Curlin would have to do battle with his legendary foes including top older male Lawyer Ron, whom he had just bested in the Jockey Club Gold Cup,  as well as 3 year old rivals Street Sense, Hard Spun, Tiago, and Any Given Satruday.   The rains had been coming down for 2 days as they approached the starting gate.  Curlin had never run in the “slop” before and his only attempt on this track had been the worst race of his career.  As such, the betting public had all but given up on him, as they made Street Sense, Lawyer Ron, and Any Given Saturday the top three favorites.   But that was alright.   Nobody told Curlin that he wasn’t supposed to win.  Just like nobody had told Curlin that this race was supposed to be competitive.  As the field turned for home in the Classic, Lawyer Ron was already out of it.   It seemed we were being set up for a thrilling duel between Curlin, Street Sense, and Hard Spun to finally decide not only who the best 3 year old in the nation was, but who the overall best horse in the world was.   Curlin, however, had other things in mind.  With one move he quickly shot around Hard Spun to the outside while Street Sense labored to keep up with him by skimming the rail to the inside.   As quickly as it had started to develop into a Triple Crown rematch it was all over, with Curlin powering away with his trademark giant strides and settling the score conclusively.   No more would folks be able to doubt the raw talent and ability of Curlin.  

His name now firmly entrenched atop the rankings, those of us that take pleasure in watching him run can only hope that he returns for a 4 year old campaign.  If he does, it just might be the stuff of legends.  Regardless, he will always have a special place in my heart as the best horse I’ve ever seen.   He’s a special one, for sure, and part of me is saddened to know that they’ll never quite be another Curlin in my life.   Sure, I’ll love plenty of horses by the time my days here are through, but nobody will ever quite compare to Curlin.   It fills my heart with joy just to see him walk out onto the track.   Here’s hoping we haven’t seen that for the last time.

Here’s to you, Curlin.   Thanks for an amazing season that I’ll never forget.