There's no secret betting is a part of visiting the track. For many the excitement isn't in cashing a ticket - it's in watching a blanket finish or the jaw-dropping performance of a young horse so precocious in speed that the world is at their feet. And, while many people see racing on Kentucky Derby day, and many on Breeders Cup day there is more than that too.
For the horse racing fan there's also the All-American futurity, the Hambletonian and Little Brown Jug. There's speed in sprinters and chariot racing and trotters and pacers. Each has legends and each has horses fondly remembered by fans. There's the likes of Rambling Willie. I got to see him go once at the Quad City Downs many moons ago and the fire in his eyes coming down the lane was every bit as determined as Smarty Jones or Curlin.
There are many outstanding horses that have made their respective divisions exciting and this is a chance to look at some of the stars, past and present. For some it might be the first real look at horses seen in a pedigree or on a page. The stories in the racing world are awesome. Those who look from the outside and criticize never hear the stories behind Tiznow. They'll miss the works of Curlin and the accomplishments of SomeBeachSomewhere.
Here's to the horses.
Keywords: All American Futurity, Breeders Cup., Hambletonian, harness racing, Kentucky Derby, legends, Little Brown Jug, quarter horse racing, Thoroughbred racing
