Several days ago owner Jess Jackson announced to the world that he believed the sport of horse racing needed more heroes. Jackson, of Kendall Jackson winery fame is the majority owner of Eclipse Award winner Curlin, who was recently voted Horse of the Year for 2007. Jackson indicated that he felt the sport needed to give back to fans, and that they need their heroes to cheer for. With this in mind they moved forward with the idea to return the super-colt to action in 2008, rather than follow all of his famous rivals from the 2007 campaign into his stud career.
The feeling I had when I heard this was one of absolute pride. As I’ve posted continually on this blog, Curlin is quite simply my favorite horse of all time. The euphoria I experienced watching his triumph in the Preakness this past year ranks as one of the all-time greatest moments in my life. Likewise, the disappointment of his defeats in the Belmont, Derby, and Haskell were things you might say I took rather personally. I can’t help it…..this horse just sparks something in me that I can’t describe. Nothing brings me more joy than watching him compete. Some people have a favorite player in baseball or football, and for many of my formative years I was no different. Now, however, my emotions are firmly invested in Curlin, and I long for the day when I can cheer him on again. Read the rest of this entry »
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