Reflection: Twelve Years of Horses and Humanity

NEVER FORGET

It was not a racing year that was much unlike any other. Monarchos was far from the betting choice back in May at Churchill Downs, but nevertheless, he would unseat the heavy favorite and find his way into the winner's circle, where he was showered with roses. The public remained loyal to their big gun from the big barn, though, and they were handsomely rewarded as Point Given, piloted by jockey Gary Stevens, went on to capture both the 2001 Preakness and Belmont Stakes. It was a scenario that had been seen before, and certainly one that would be played out again. The underdog had won the battle, but the king had gone on to win the war. As the allure of the three-year-old thoroughbred campaign faded from the headlines, fans were eagerly anticipating the Breeders' Cup, scheduled for late October at Belmont Park in New York.

Then, on the eleventh day of September in 2001, the collective heart of a great nation would be tested like it never had before. Life was no longer about racing, sport, or competition. It was about survival, and the welfare of our fellow man and woman. It is not necessary to recount the devastation that took place that fateful Tuesday morning. Each of us carries a solemn remembrance deep inside for just that. It can be said, however, that from tragedies are born miracles, and the miracles that arose from the ashes of that day were never ending. Ordinary citizens became extraordinary heroes. As women displayed their resiliency and bravery, men shared their unique gift of compassion. Our youth took on very adult responsibilities, and our prejudices once reserved for others were quickly dismissed. 

It was a day that changed our country forever, yet it was also a day of great awakening. For the first time in many years, America was one, speaking with one voice, and feeling with one heart. We not only cared for family and friends, but also for the brothers and sisters clear across the country that we had never met. American flags began to fly in cities all across the land, and the sights and sounds of hope soon began to resonate throughout our communities. Our wounds were deep, yet America was determined to press on with great pride. We were a nation that knew no other way.

As October arrived, the sporting world was still mourning right alongside the rest of the country. Competition resumed, but not without the heartfelt tributes that quickly became an integral part of every game, match, or race that took place. It was decided that the 18th running of the Breeders' Cup would not be cancelled or delayed, and it was appropriately dedicated to the firefighters and police officers who had lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks.

One year earlier, Giant's Causeway, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Lemon Drop Kid squared off in the Breeders' Cup Classic, yet it was an unlikely three-year-old named Tiznow that would triumph over that field. The dark brown colt, sired by Cee's Tizzy, was welcomed back to Belmont Park in 2001 to defend his title. It was a most daunting challenge, though. Not only had a horse never been a repeat winner of the Classic, no horse had ever won the race twice. Challengers included the likes of such accomplished thoroughbreds as Sakhee, Aptitude, Galileo, and Macho Uno. In the end, it was Tiznow that would once again be be victorious in the long drive to the wire, this time edging out Sakhee. It was the story that was meant to be written. The king of the Classic had returned and had gone on to win the war. He was the public's hope that became America's champion. He was a horse that knew no other way.

Looking back some twelve years later, little has changed. The Kentucky Derby still offers its updated version of heavy favorites and wild long shots. Gary Stevens continues to weave spells and find ways to win Triple Crown races, and America is as united a country today as it was back in September of 2001. This harmony is unfortunately forgotten from time to time, but in the face of extreme adversity, we are continually reminded that falling is not an option, for united as a nation we will always stand.

The Devil of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the gallops had begun
I danced with the clockers under showers and the sun
I came up from Hades and I danced on the turf
In Lexington I had my birth

Dance, then, your tickets, may they bleed
I am the Devil of the Dance, said he
And I lead you all in places made of greed
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced for the wealthy and I danced for the poor
I danced on the dirt for the racing raconteur
My prominence spread from coast to coast
And I then reveled in the losses felt most

Dance, then, your tickets, may they bleed
I am the Devil of the Dance, said he
And I lead you all in places made of greed
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced for the writers and the families
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for a gambler named Drop Jaw Jack
He placed his wager and he danced right back

Dance, then, your tickets, may they bleed
I am the Devil of the Dance, said he
And I lead you all in places made of greed
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on a Saturday, the first in May
The cash rolled in unlike any other day
The amateurs cursed, and wept, they sighed
Monetary pain is felt far and wide

Dance, then, your tickets, may they bleed
I am the Devil of the Dance, said he
And I lead you all in places made of greed
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

They prayed to the heavens as they bargained on the earth
It's the last bet I'll make. Take my word for what it's worth!
So I smiled, and I laughed, and I danced on the town
For your trifle little win will keep the Devil coming 'round

Dance, then, your tickets, may they bleed
I am the Devil of the Dance, said he
And I lead you all in places made of greed
And I lead you all in the dance, said he


Hope you've enjoyed this satirical take on Sydney Carter's 1963 Lord of the Dance lyrics. 
The hymn itself is based on an 1848 Shaker melody by Joseph Brackett known as Simple Gifts.

Animal Kingdom: The People's Champion

Much of the horse racing world had latched on to Uncle Mo back in the spring of 2011. He was a big gun from a big barn, and nothing short of a Kentucky Derby day victory would have been acceptable. This outcome was not to be, though. Uncle Mo was scratched during Derby week, leaving Dialed In as the top choice among the betting public. Nick Zito had Dialed In primed for a monumental derby run, yet when he failed to fire, the gates of opportunity were left wide open for a new hero to be born that day.

John Velasquez had picked up the mount on Animal Kingdom when original rider, Robby Alborado, was sidelined with an injury. It may very well go down as the most prolific pick-up mount in Kentucky Derby history. As the race unfolded, Animal Kingdom sat well off the pace, and as they turned for home, Velasquez and the three-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux stormed the Churchill Down's stretch, leaving the remains of a tiring field in their wake. A new hero had been born, indeed.

Animal Kingdom battled injuries following his triumph in the 2011 Run for the Roses, and subsequent second-place finish in the Preakness Stakes. It appeared that Graham Motion's colt was just another derby winner that would amount to little beyond his crowning achievement, or so it seemed. Then, in early 2012, Motion found a spot for Animal Kingdom in a race on the Gulfstream Park turf course. He would go on to win against allowance competition handily, yet little did the public know then that Motion was carving out a path that would soon take the derby champion to some of racing's most coveted stages.

Neither of Animal Kingdom's next two races resulted in a win. In the 2012 Breeder's Cup Mile, he finished a fast closing second to eventual Horse of the Year, Wise Dan. Many believed that the best horse did not win that day. He also finished second in his next outing, a race where jockey Joel Rosario was criticized for moving Animal Kingdom up too soon, ultimately succumbing to the outside pressure from Point of Entry.

Joel Rosario was anything but the scapegoat the next time these two would hook up. On March 30th of this year, Graham Motion decided to bring the Animal Kingdom road show to Dubai in order to take part in the planet's richest race. It was one of the most dominant victories yet to be seen in the Dubai World Cup.

Animal Kingdom has proven himself on conventional dirt, on synthetic surfaces, and on the grass. He is far from undefeated, yet each time he loads into the starting gate, fans are aware they are about to become witness to something very special. Animal Kingdom is a horse with far superior intangibles than past performances. His company lines read like a who's who of today's racing. He has attracted the sport's biggest riders, and he remains an equine specimen you can't help but root for.

Tuesday Morning, Animal Kingdom will attempt to conquer the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race renowned for posting such recent winners as Frankel and Goldikova. Should he win there, he has a chance to cement his place alongside some of the sport's all-time greats. He is our reminder that being down is not necessarily the same thing as being out. There are horses with cleaner records, and others with better Beyer speed figures, but the undeniable truth about Animal Kingdom is that he has an electricity that cannot be taught or duplicated. This charm, this magnetism will be on full display Tuesday as the People's Champion rallies to hit the wire first at Ascot.

Tom Chapman: Painting a Brighter Future

        

Fanned Out Nine Wide by Tom Chapman

There was a time, not long ago, when horse racing was considered one of the preeminent sports in American culture. People were drawn to its pageantry and competition, and could relate their own personal triumphs and defeats to those that were unfolding on the track. Horse racing reaches back to a tougher, more rugged era, and perhaps the recent softening of our country is one reason it has fallen somewhat out of favor with today’s public. One man presently helping to re-establish the sport’s prominence is doing so with nothing more than a paintbrush and a lifetime’s worth of memories.

Tom Chapman was not born into a life in racing, or a life in art for that matter. His formative years were spent in the tiny town of Cut Bank, Montana. He was a state wrestling champion in high school, and his love for the outdoors included everything from snowmobiles to animals. Tom flashed an interest in painting during his youth, but also realized early on that school was not his forte. At the suggestion of a family friend, he set off for California with the hopes of making his mark as a jockey. The year was 1973, and Tom’s first work came as a “hot walker” at a ranch in Southern California. After a few months, he was given the opportunity to begin halter breaking some of the babies, followed by the yearlings.

The transition from ranch to race track was inevitable, and before long, he was working as an exercise boy at Santa Anita. There, Tom met trainer, Henry Moreno, a man whom he credits with shaping the course of his future for years to come. “Henry was my mentor. He became like a father figure to me,” Tom recalls. “He worked me hard, but was a fair man.” Tom’s first professional mount came in 1977 at Santa Anita on a Moreno-trained filly named Zulla Road. The rest, so to speak, is history. His racing influences included the likes of Bill Shoemaker and Fernando Toro, and the bulk of his riding career was spent in Northern California. A few of his more notable mounts were on Sea Cadet, Slew of Damascus, and Hoedown’s Day, who he rode in the 1981 Kentucky Derby for Roger Dominguez.

Tom Aboard Ifrad for Charlie Whittingham

After two decades in the saddle, Chapman chose to permanently hang up his tack in 1996 in order to spend more time with his family. As he explains, “I always spoke about how family was more important than the career. I always talked the talk, but working at the race track was so life consuming, it was impossible for me to really walk the walk. There were many signs that things were just not the way they should be in my family, so I decided to give the racing up.”     It was then that Tom reintroduced himself to the form of expression he had so loved as a young man. His rebirth as an artist had begun, and he has never looked back.

Tom Chapman’s visions now grace the walls of racing venues all along the West Coast, and across the country. He has tailored his craft through works of his own choosing, as well as with those that have come by way of commission. His works are honest and heartfelt, offering the lay person a vivid glimpse into the beauty that is horse racing. His passion for life is also clearly evident in the exquisite detail that he applies to both horses and humans alike. 

  
Recently, Tom has taken on a few new ventures that have allowed him to share his talents and experiences with others. He is teaching art classes at a local community college, and has facilitated art and racing lectures in various senior communities. Despite the brilliance in Chapman’s artwork, this willingness to give of his own time may very well say as much about the man as the paintings ever could.

Tom Chapman In His Studio

Tom Chapman’s art can be viewed at www.chapman-arts.com

& he can be found on Facebook at Chapman Fine Arts