Man o' War's shoes

They came in the Jazz Age to see the noble Man o’ War

During the Depression people cheered their great Seabiscuit

Rock and revolution were at the track to greet Secretariat

Now this twittering age bids farewell to our mare Zenyatta

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She has stepped into the gate for the very last time

Calm as a mouse yet larger than life

For me, those ears are her secret pride

slightly tilted and off to the side

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It is all now a haze in the mind’s fluxuations

Coming down to the wire with Blame eye to eye

What a mean little difference not seeing her stomping dance

Led away from the stage of our games of chance

Led away from the stagX

Her losing a race makes little difference to me

She has come back to the shed row healthy and spry

But cruel November has left us quite cold

Now that Zenyatta has stepped from the racing fold

Zenyatta winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic

In this past Friday’s New York Times Sports section there was a touching story about trainer/owner Tim Snyder and his horse, Lisa’s Booby Trap, stepping up in a stakes race at Saratoga after 3 wins at Finger Lakes. The story is rather amazing. Tim Snyder has been around horses almost all his life having been born in the first aid room at Scarborough Downs in Maine. Doesn’t seem to have had too much success with the horses but he did meet his wife at the track. His wife, Lisa, unfortunately died of ovarian cancer. Sometime after she died, a friend told him about a horse. A filly with a bad shoulder, blind in one eye, and a club foot. Doesn’t sound like a good tip to me. But, Tim saw some potential, I guess, and bought her for $2,000 upfront with $2,500 to be paid if she won a race. He named the horse Lisa’s Booby Trap after his wife and a favorite strip club. On her death bed, Lisa had told him she wanted to come back as a horse. Well, what do you know. After finding some special shoes, Lisa is now 4 for 4. She convincingly beat her rivals in the Loudonville  at Saratoga on Friday. The crowd at Saratoga roared with delight just as they have in the past for great fillies like Rachael Alexandra. There was Tim Snyder in the winner’s circle. Don’t tell anyone, but I had a tear or two well up in my eyes as I watched the race on a video screen.

On Saturday, Zenyatta, the much heralded undefeated 6-year-old mare from California ran at Del Mar. It was the 18th start of her career and her 18th win.  Another squeaker. She always runs from the back of the pack and just gets up to stick her neck out in front at the wire. She’s owned by Jerry and Ann Moss and trained by John Shireffs. They don’t need the money, they don’t need the fame, but they always seem very excited by their horse and the fan response to her.

What a tale of two horses. Equally inspiring. This year is probably Zenyatta’s last. Lisa’s Booby Trap is only 3. Who knows how many more wins she has in her. Tim says he’s been offered $500,000 for her. She’s not for sale. Win or lose she will always have a home with him.

The Natural and the Theatrical

On this day of winter’s horse racing retreat
brings me to dreams of our two great fillies in a matched heat.
You punters and horse lovers and backers alike
help me to conjure a bit of excitement in this grey light

There she is – The Natural – undefeated in every trip to the gate
The lady Zenyatta takes it slow off the pace
but she knows where the wire spreads out overhead
And when it is late she is passing the also-rans without breaking a sweat

Look at the size of her with hair and ears a flapping
At least 16 hands and everyone of those, and ours, are clapping
The way she runs, she is a hero from Hollywood, but this no film
Her desire to win burns so hot, you’d think she was foaled in a kiln

There dear friends is Rachel Alexandra – the Theatrical beaut.
She makes a race so dramatic, so alluring, right out of the chute.
Like in a dark theatre where she is the only player on the stage
We cannot look away from her as she runs in a rage

She is a star, and like a heavenly body, has the power of attraction
A force of gravity that has yet to reach maturation.
One who has taken on all comers no matter how well–meant
Her true character shines; to the wire first, how wonderfully hell-bent

For these two horses are unmatched on any track
Worthy of a tale of yore and a fabled race so sublime
like a watched clock that has yet to chime
What a bold pair these two would make – The Natural and the Theatrical

Oh the palms do sweat and the hands do quake
Seeing will be believing when they are off  in this great stake
And nary a number will I be punting
Just holding my head on high to see them so stunning

But, oh for the chance to see them fly by!

Zenyatta is a pretty special horse.

We got to see her run at Santa Anita last Saturday. She’s the classic come from off the pace horse. She seemed to win easily though she doesn’t seem to need to dominate the field the way RA does. A couple of things we loved about Zenyatta on Saturday: the way she was hoof tapping before and after the race,  and the way her ears were up for at least the last quarter mile.

(Thanks to Fran Jurga at her Hoof Blog for  posting this image.) (more…)