For one moment.....

[moosepalm]

For 364 days of the year, we toil in relative anonymity, and some years it is 365.  But in those occasional years when the Triple Crown is on the line, we rule the world for one day.  Today, I got to share the event with close friends who were having a gathering that had absolutely nothing to do with the race.  These are folks whose knowledge of the sport does not go past the ability to distinguish the front of a horse from the rear.  But, they were all keenly aware of the race, and at post time all other activity ceased, and all eyes were glued to the flat screen.  After the race, I was truly amazed by the level of exhilaration they all experienced.  Almost immediately, my daughter texted me from her high school banquet to say that she and all her friends had watched the race on their iPhones, and all teen age conversation and predilections had ground to a halt for those two minutes.  This is a girl who, on every visit to Saratoga, spent the day fully immersed in a book.

Yes, I know how short-lived this will be in terms of fan interest.  It is mostly over already.  But, it was still extremely gratifying to see that our much maligned sport can, in these rare instances, transcend its often moribund status in our nation\'s collective psyche.  We may be losing ground, by the minute, to the demand for instant gratification, but even the hypnotic power of slot machines, with all their collective heft, will never touch the pure beauty and majesty of that horse and that moment.

[jp702006]

Awesome post!

[Tavasco]

Thanks for sharing that, very moving along with some first rate language.

[jbelfior]

Well said Moose. There were people in tears. A great day. Life doesn\'t give us many of these.

Good Luck,
Joe B

[joemama]

Wow.  Wish I had the talent to put into words this wonderful heartfelt thought. Thank you.