Autumn Colors Week: brown

Brown makes me think of all the horse racing I watched last Friday and Saturday during The Breeder's Cup. It was 2 of the most exciting days of horse racing I've had the pleasure of living vicariously.

The highlight of Friday's Breeder's Cup would be the fight between jockeys Calvin Borel and Javier Castellano. During the second race Javier found an opening he couldn't refuse and in the process made someone's horse trip (but it didn't fall). Borel's horse was next to it. Even though Javier was disqualified, moving Borel from 4th to 3rd place, it wasn't enough and they had a brawl which took all the cameras away from the winners circle. Who won that race? I can't even remember. The rest of the day the fight was practically all the sportscasters could talk about since you never get to see the jockeys fighting like that.

Corey hasn't liked Calvin Borel since he won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird in 2009. Calvin gave up the opportunity to ride Mine That Bird in the Preakness and rode Rachel Alexandra instead. Corey thinks he should have stuck with Mine That Bird and tried to win the Triple Crown. After the fight he felt like he saw Calvin's true colors and felt vindicated in disliking him.

During Saturday's first Breeder's Cup race we saw Rough Sailing slip and fall, throwing his jockey. Then Rough Sailing had to be put to sleep because he fractured his leg. Too sad.

Hey horse breeders! If you name your horse Rough Sailing I think you're just asking for trouble.

Then came Goldikova's race. It was her chance to be the first horse to win the Breeder's Cup 3 times and she did it! My favorite part was after the race when we got to see video of her groom (outside the track rails) running on the ground alongside her as she was closing in on the finish line. When she won he celebrated like he'd just won 2 million dollars. It was priceless.

(See the groom? He's wearing purple.)

Finally, the race we had all been waiting for, Zenyatta's final race. Zenyatta's chance to retire undefeated and Zenyatta's chance to be the second horse to win 3 Breeder's Cups. We hoped and cheered and she came from behind like she always does and...she lost by half a head! (That's her on the left. The horse on the right is Blame. Ironic, right?)

I was so sad. Corey was sad. Of course things never get to end the way you want them to! Instead of our American Sweetheart being the star of the day, the French Goldikova gets all the glory. But after I thought about it I felt like Zenyatta coming in second only makes me like her more. Second place seems to be the metaphor of all of our life stories. Goldikova can have her noodle salad but Zenyatta is one of us!

P.S. Photo Credits:
Calvin Borel
Rough Sailing
Goldikova
Zenyatta