Okay, part of what was really great about the Thoroughbred Center tour was that Mike Cameron, a racehorse trainer, generously gave us some of his time and let us visit his barn at the facility. He was really a hoot. He talked about how the horses are supreme athletes, very competitive, and that's why they will bite you, strike you, kick you, etc. He was very clear that they are not pets. He told us great stories about racing and the fun of training. He said that horse racing is not for those "with short pants." And he said that he felt that any handicap horse in the country, including
Better Talk Now, who I threw out in the mix, could beat any of the current crop of 20 three-year-0lds entered in the Derby. He said that older race horses were just better and faster and wiser. He told us that he didn't like that horses were retired to the shed so young, rather than proving that they are true longterm champions. And he told us something really cool about how you need to be BRAVE to be a Kentucky Derby winner, let alone a Triple Crown winner. He said that there are more people at Derby Day than the horse has probably ever seen and that if you sometimes see horses bobble coming around the far turn to home, it's because they suddenly hit that turn and see a WALL of people in the stands and a SEA of people in the infield and they hear a steady obliterating ROAR. It has to be scary for them,they need to be brave to want to win. He said that his favorite horse he ever trained could "run through a hole in the wind." I really liked this trainer, he was a super ambassador for the sport!
Okay, part of what was really great about the Thoroughbred Center tour was that Mike Cameron, a racehorse trainer, generously gave us some of his time and let us visit his barn at the facility. He was really a hoot. He talked about how the horses are supreme athletes, very competitive, and that's why they will bite you, strike you, kick you, etc. He was very clear that they are not pets. He told us great stories about racing and the fun of training. He said that horse racing is not for those "with short pants." And he said that he felt that any handicap horse in the country, including Better Talk Now, who I threw out in the mix, could beat any of the current crop of 20 three-year-0lds entered in the Derby. He said that older race horses were just better and faster and wiser. He told us that he didn't like that horses were retired to the shed so young, rather than proving that they are true longterm champions. And he told us something really cool about how you need to be BRAVE to be a Kentucky Derby winner, let alone a Triple Crown winner. He said that there are more people at Derby Day than the horse has probably ever seen and that if you sometimes see horses bobble coming around the far turn to home, it's because they suddenly hit that turn and see a WALL of people in the stands and a SEA of people in the infield and they hear a steady obliterating ROAR. It has to be scary for them,they need to be brave to want to win. He said that his favorite horse he ever trained could "run through a hole in the wind." I really liked this trainer, he was a super ambassador for the sport!