Our Horse is gone

[Craig Keller]

Hey guys,



A sad day in the horse racing world today as Barbaro had to be put down. He fought a gallant fight and there was hope he might be put out to stud, but now only memories. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Jackson family for their huge loss.

Ther wife and I did win some good money on him at the Kentucky Derby and living here in Lexington, Kentucky, which was to be his home after recovery, it hits us and our community a little extra hard.

Barbaro, may you rest in peace and pain free and join your brethren that have past before you and may you all race your hearts out in heaven.



Craig

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Craig,



Thanks for the post. I hadn't heard the news yet. Given that I live in the Philly area I expect I won't be able to miss it on the local news the next couple of days.



I'm not a horse racing fan, so I never quite understood the hype surrounding Barbaro, but your post explains that whatever the sport, there are true fans and you have to respect that.



P.S. Do the jockeys use whips on the horses in heaven? Or do you think in horse heaven the horses ride the jockeys?



(hoping the humor helps with a sad time like this)



TJR

 

[Craig Keller]

Hey TJR,



We were never big racing fans either until we moved to horse country. You get a whole new understanding of racing when you can go down on the track early in the morning and pet the horses and talk to the jockeys while they train.

It is like any other sport, you have to go there and see it in person. It is easy to see why so many people are addicted to horse racing. It is very exciting to see them as they round the final turn heading for home.

I work for a law firm that handles several of the horse farms in the Lexington area including the Royal family of Dubai. I have seen some of the expense and tax reports they have to fill out. It is an extremely expensive sport and quite a lot of paperwork is involved with each horse sold or traded. They have a pink slip just like cars do and have to be registered with the Jockey Club of New York, as well as the jockeys themselves and each farms colors are also registered.

If you get the chance, watch the movie "Dreamer" with Kurt Russell. It was filmed in the Lexington area and Keeneland racetrack was used for the races.

In heaven the horses know when they are getting whipped but they can't feel it.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

I saw Dreamer...good movie.



Thanks for the info on horse heaven.

 

[Bill V]

OK, here's the latest one going around...



And it doesn't work very well when typed--it's one that you need to hear spoken, as the punch line relies on an audible play on words--but we'll try it this way anyway:



Q: What do you get when you combine Barbaro and euthanasia?



A: 25 pairs of Nike shoes.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

I don't get it Bill V...please explain the "play on words" part.



Yes, I know kids in Asia make sneakers. But I still don't get it.



TJR

 

[Bill V]

Actually, for the most part, you did. Yes, it's that "youth in Asia" make sneakers--and they need horsehide to do it.



I didn't claim it was extremely funny--just that it was going around...

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I was born in Kentucky and was never a racing fan. It is sad to see a horse that good end in such a terrible way though. Too bad he wasn't able to breed either. They don't allow thoroughbreds to be sired by artificial means.