The most exciting two minutes in sports
This weekend at Churchill Downs, beautifully-groomed horses and miniscule jockeys will compete in the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby.
Most people know about the exciting finishes, accentuated by NBC's broadcaster -- whoever it happens to be that day -- announcing, "And down the stretch they come!"
Common knowledge, too, is that the infield at Churchill Downs is chock full of kegs and drunken fans, all there to bet and do other things, I'm sure, but above all, take in the most exciting two minutes in sports. I'd love to go witness the madness someday.
Inside the world of horse racing, there are many important entities that affect each horse that jumps in the starting gate. The trainer. The jockey. The owner. The breeder. And, of course, the horse itself.
Through the years, I've been a biggest fans of the horses, their amusing names always able to elicit from me a chuckle or two. Of the 20 horses running this year, I will list my five favorite names:
1. Sinister Minister 2. Deputy Glitters 3. Bob and John 4. Lawyer Ron 5. Keyed Entry
While the horse with the best name rarely wins, I still root for it anyway.
I've tried to make it a point to watch the Derby every year since I was little, and I haven't yet gotten caught up in the whole betting facet of the race. (Although I did win $14 this winter betting on greyhound races in Tampa, Fla. A huge thrill. Seriously.) Sure, there's money to be won and it's always fun to root for something you've invested in, but there's also a downside to it.
This column by ESPN's Pat Forde shows the darker side of horse racing: the plight of the jockey. Many jockeys are pressured to lose weight, much like a super model or a wrestler, right before their races. It's understandable -- the lighter the weight on the horse, the more easily it can stride, no doubt -- yet I don't see why it has to happen. Perhaps it's the $2 million purse. Or the competitive nature of jockeys who seek the glory of victory at all costs. I just think it's sad.
What if jockeys came in all shapes and sizes? It would make the turns and the skill of the horse all the more important. I'm 6'4'', 210 lbs. Could I be a jockey? Every horse trainer out there would tell me to take a hike. But what if I honed my skills privately and became crafty, specializing in turns and positioning and creative tactics for inspiring my horse? Would it even matter? Is the weight atop the horse that much of a factor? Probably. I think I just thwarted my dreams of becoming a world class jockey before they even left the ground.
Still, it's sad to see bulimia and anorexia so associated with something like the Derby -- a sport, a game. It's equivalent to steriod use in baseball. To ruin your body for the sake of a horse finishing a split second faster in a race or hitting a ball 10 feet farther? Not worth it to me. I guess that's why I'll never win a Triple Crown -- in either sport. I'll never have roses draped around my horse's neck celebrating a win at Churchill Downs. But if I ever did have the chance to ride, my horse would surely have the best name of the bunch.
I'd call him Resplendent Pendant. Beat that.
Most people know about the exciting finishes, accentuated by NBC's broadcaster -- whoever it happens to be that day -- announcing, "And down the stretch they come!"
Common knowledge, too, is that the infield at Churchill Downs is chock full of kegs and drunken fans, all there to bet and do other things, I'm sure, but above all, take in the most exciting two minutes in sports. I'd love to go witness the madness someday.
Inside the world of horse racing, there are many important entities that affect each horse that jumps in the starting gate. The trainer. The jockey. The owner. The breeder. And, of course, the horse itself.
Through the years, I've been a biggest fans of the horses, their amusing names always able to elicit from me a chuckle or two. Of the 20 horses running this year, I will list my five favorite names:
1. Sinister Minister 2. Deputy Glitters 3. Bob and John 4. Lawyer Ron 5. Keyed Entry
While the horse with the best name rarely wins, I still root for it anyway.
I've tried to make it a point to watch the Derby every year since I was little, and I haven't yet gotten caught up in the whole betting facet of the race. (Although I did win $14 this winter betting on greyhound races in Tampa, Fla. A huge thrill. Seriously.) Sure, there's money to be won and it's always fun to root for something you've invested in, but there's also a downside to it.
This column by ESPN's Pat Forde shows the darker side of horse racing: the plight of the jockey. Many jockeys are pressured to lose weight, much like a super model or a wrestler, right before their races. It's understandable -- the lighter the weight on the horse, the more easily it can stride, no doubt -- yet I don't see why it has to happen. Perhaps it's the $2 million purse. Or the competitive nature of jockeys who seek the glory of victory at all costs. I just think it's sad.
What if jockeys came in all shapes and sizes? It would make the turns and the skill of the horse all the more important. I'm 6'4'', 210 lbs. Could I be a jockey? Every horse trainer out there would tell me to take a hike. But what if I honed my skills privately and became crafty, specializing in turns and positioning and creative tactics for inspiring my horse? Would it even matter? Is the weight atop the horse that much of a factor? Probably. I think I just thwarted my dreams of becoming a world class jockey before they even left the ground.
Still, it's sad to see bulimia and anorexia so associated with something like the Derby -- a sport, a game. It's equivalent to steriod use in baseball. To ruin your body for the sake of a horse finishing a split second faster in a race or hitting a ball 10 feet farther? Not worth it to me. I guess that's why I'll never win a Triple Crown -- in either sport. I'll never have roses draped around my horse's neck celebrating a win at Churchill Downs. But if I ever did have the chance to ride, my horse would surely have the best name of the bunch.
I'd call him Resplendent Pendant. Beat that.
posted by RGarfield @ 3:25 PM
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