AR Mythology vs. Fact

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258 – July, 2022

By Amy Fernandez

I trust that everyone watched the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby in May. The first jewel of the Triple Crown returned to its traditional spot on the calendar (Yeah, Westminster). But that’s where the nod to tradition ended. That unbelievable race rivaled any Triple Crown victory for sheer drama and back story. Experts had no time to debate the relative merits of Rich Strike, he came into it way too late for that. No one had ever heard of him anyway. His entire trip to the Derby was–as his owner and trainer admitted–sheer luck. And that’s the only way to describe his impossible, rail hugging victory. Incredible from start to finish line.

The immediate looming question was obviously the Preakness. And that’s where the story truly departed from tradition. A couple days after Rich Strike’s victory, his owner, trainer and jockey confirmed that they would skip Pimlico, repeatedly emphasizing that the horse comes first. It was about the health and safety of the horse. Their mutual, well-publicized decision to opt out spelled death for 2022 Triple Crown prospects. And the inevitable backlash from fans was fast and furious.

Some say they were overly cautious and maybe even a bit sanctimonious about their reasoning. I disagree. It’s about time someone started making noise about that aspect of Thoroughbred racing. Otherwise, the general public will remain totally anchored to AR disinformation.

Click here to read the complete article
258 – July, 2022

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