Parade of the Tearless Eyes

The world of horse racing is merely a microcosm of life as we know it. It is a world filled with lost souls in search of riches and privileged souls in search of themselves. It is a world dependent upon controversy and debate, yet one that abounds with poignant competition and delightful solidarity. Horse racing drives human emotions to unimaginable extremes. The highs have been likened to being touched by the hand of God, while the lows can incite ideations of leading the loneliest existence on earth.

Mankind’s ability to formulate thoughts and articulate feelings helps to distinguish our species from all others. It is this giftedness which allows those associated with the sport of kings to express themselves in ways that define individuality. Thoughts become emotions, emotions are intensified by feelings, and eventually those feelings evolve into the attitudes and behaviors that are so publicly on display.

Six primary emotions were identified by American-born psychologist Paul Ekman in 1972. The classification model he devised consisted of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. Each of these universally recognized emotions plays a pivotal role in the horse racing community, yet none of them are as misunderstood or complex as sadness.

We pacify ourselves with peaceful solutions when we are angry, we excuse ourselves from situations and environments that precipitate disgust, and we look for shelter or comfort when we are fearful. Surprise is reconciled by the acceptance of matters at hand, while happiness is embraced for as long as lighthearted sentiment will allow.   

Sadness is an emotional pain characterized by loss, despair, or grief. It is the emotion that most frequently goes unresolved, and in the horse racing world, it is as commonplace as the equine athletes themselves. It can be said that a willingness to love requires a willingness to grieve. For the impassioned people aligned with our beloved sport, this willingness often culminates in either triumphant joy or indomitable sadness.

Humanity needs little guidance in the midst of happiness or gaiety. People will naturally gravitate towards winners and place their trust in the hands of those who are most likely to succeed. We have mastered the fine art of celebration, but our capacity for coping with grief and loss leaves much to be desired. In horse racing, the heartaches are real as despondency seemingly lies in wait for one victim after the other. Everyone connected to the sport is susceptible and there is no magic pill that provides even the slightest shred of immunity. 

 Jockey colonies across the land are a proverbial grab bag of ethnicities, ages, and genders. Gains and accomplishments are measured in mounts that have been secured, purse money earned, and extended blessings of good health. Gains and accomplishments are worthy of celebratory moments, yet along with each individual achievement, comes the birth of another’s misfortune. Mounts bestowed upon jockeys might have little or no chance of winning, or worse yet; the offerings may be gifted far too sporadically. There are never-ending battles with weight scales and the potential for serious injury is always present. Much to the disbelief of some, jockeys do not retreat to plush stalls at the conclusion of a card, waiting for the next racing day to begin. These are authentic lives with families to look after, mouths to feed, and bills to pay. Aspirations of fame and fortune are admirable, but loss and despair can sometimes surface as cold reality in the jockey’s life.

Owners flirt with destiny and risk thousands upon thousands of hard-earned dollars on the animals they love and the sport they cherish. Unfortunately, ownership cannot guarantee happiness as salvation can never be found on the back of a talentless horse.

Trainers balance relationships with their equine athletes that are parental in nature and professional in practice. There is time set aside for teaching and for work, time for rest and time for laughter. Trainers and horses bask harmoniously in the glow of victory, while they wallow as one in the grips of defeat. This unity allows for growth, growth which can only be achieved through the emotional wellness and stability of both horse and human.

Workers employed along the backstretch remain the lifeblood of any race track.  They are devoted souls, creating kinships with God’s creatures that are quite unlike those formed by any other group. From sunrise to sunset, their hearts and minds are focused exclusively on the welfare of the animals. An aptitude for their craft is overshadowed solely by the innate ability to comfort and nurture life. Unbreakable bonds such as these are not meant to be broken, yet every so often, the gates of sorrow swing open in the case of an untimely death.  

We are then left with the horse players, the handicappers. This eccentric bunch has been systematically wired with the gamut of human emotions. Discarded tickets tumble along grandstand floors and take to the air like tiny feathers on windy days. These images in no way reflect the horse player’s disdain for Mother Nature, but rather, they illustrate anger or disgust that gnaws from within as perfectly laid plans have gone awry. Pleasant surprises and spells of happiness await the ardent handicapper, but those moments are often fleeting as sadness and fear loom around every bend. The horse player will press on at any cost, in spite of empty pockets or relationships lost. This unwavering perseverance is the result of being equipped with creation’s most selective memory.     

Sadness is derived from loss, and loss is symbolic of the things that we can no longer have. In horse racing, it comes in many forms and signifies different things to different people. Losses can affect confidence and hope; one’s monetary worth, and indeed, their self-worth. Bodies are sometimes battered and minds can be broken, but no loss is as profound as the loss of another life.

Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross is perhaps the most renowned authority to date on death, grief, and loss. Following years of work with terminally ill patients, she published the ground-breaking book entitled, “On Death and Dying” in 1969. Kubler-Ross explored death and loss in a multifaceted way, and from a multicultural point of view. She explained the grieving process as one that is comprised of five acutely unique stages. 

Denial is the stage where disbelief overrides reality, while the anger stage can prompt individuals to lash out behaviorally or place blame for the loss itself. Bargaining occurs as negotiations take place with higher powers, and the depression stage is one that cripples both function and sensibility. Persons may be predisposed to more than one or all of the stages, but peace can ultimately be found when acceptance has overpowered one’s grief. These stages are vital to the struggles in life and quintessential during times of death. 

Dance With Fate Following Victory In The Bluegrass Stakes (Photo Courtesy of Heidi Carpenter)

2014 has been a year marked by record-setting achievements and inconsolable tragedies. Not long after witnessing a valiant chase of the ever-elusive Triple Crown, the horse racing community endured two devastating losses.

Fortune tellers might proclaim that prophecies are simply written in the stars, but in some instances, a name alone can be prophetic. Trainer Peter Eurton’s three-year-old sensation, Dance With Fate, was euthanized after sustaining critical injuries in a training accident at Del Mar Race Track on the twenty-fourth of July. The dark bay beauty had already captured the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland, run a respectable sixth in the Kentucky Derby, and was just days away from a start in the San Diego Handicap. Exercise rider Joe Duran was also seriously injured in the accident that claimed the life of Eurton’s talented colt. Initially, the outpouring of support for their camp was tremendous, but as the ink slowly faded from the pages of outdated newspapers, both the horse and rider had quietly become but a memory.

Less than two months later, Belmont Park was ready to open its doors to the public on the fifth of September for its Fall Meet. Early that morning, Juan Vasquez, an exercise rider and part-time trainer, was fatally injured while working an unraced two-year-old for trainer Bruce Brown. Social media erupted with reports about Vasquez and the racing world was soon abuzz with news of his passing. Friends and colleagues were quick to hold interviews so that the thirty-nine-year-old native of Mexico could be fondly remembered. With the day still in its infancy, track officials decided to go on with the card as originally scheduled.

Early in childhood, we are taught that things get better despite the circumstances and that emotional pains will lessen when given time. These clichéd words offer little reassurance to those stricken with unfathomable amounts of sadness. Regrettably, some people become mired in one stage of grief or another as the opportunity for healing cannot be clearly seen. The mystery then lies in weaving one’s way through these stages so that acceptance and peace can eventually be attained.

It is essential to find support sources beyond ourselves when coping with losses of any magnitude. Chaplains are employed at horse tracks all across the land to assist the racing community through times of hardship, loss, and death. Grief counselors are at work in every major city in America, and hospice providers can bring comfort to persons consumed by sadness. When coping with loss, we must call upon our own sense of spirituality, pay homage to life that has been lost, look after our physical health, and be willing to reveal heartfelt feelings with one another.

Horse racing is not merely a sport, but a fellowship. This is a world filled with courage, companionship, and hope. It is a world revolving around animals, yet one that endures because of the strength that people share with each other. We are creatures of emotion, forever blessed, without a need to follow suit in the parade of tearless eyes. 

PROFILES FROM THE GRANDSTAND

Anthony Gutierrez: The Southern California Kid

No journey in life can begin without a defining moment, a wrinkle in time when everything that was formerly understood becomes forever changed. Horse players often happen upon this moment during their first visit to the track, yet for Anthony Gutierrez, that initial trip to Santa Anita Park in 2006 was far from unforgettable. “All I can remember was a feeling of boredom and wanting to leave,” Tony recalls. Just eight years later, it is essential to now reflect on the evolution of a horse player by taking a closer look at the growth of the man.

Anthony Gutierrez and girlfriend Carla at Santa Anita Park

Tony was born in the Southern California city of Long Beach in 1987. The oldest of four children, he has two brothers and a younger sister. He spent a portion of his childhood in the Central Valley town of Modesto, but has called Long Beach home for the vast majority of his years. Memories from youth often draw out like a highlight reel in the mind, and if this holds truth for Tony, the most treasured images on his reel are those revolving around his mother. He credits her for both his upbringing and for making the sacrifices necessary to raise four children as a single parent. “My mom was the ultimate role model,” Tony stated.

In school, Tony excelled in history, but also admits to having harbored an intense dislike for math. Sports played a pivotal role in his early life as well. “It seemed that I was involved in one sport or another at all times,” he explains. “Baseball was definitely close to my heart, but soccer will always be my first love.” As he matured into adulthood, Tony would soon carry that affection he held for competition into an arena he had yet to explore.  

The young man from Long Beach would first watch the horses run at the insistence of his girlfriend, Carla. Despite the detachment he felt during that first trip to the race track, Tony chose to give horse racing another chance. Eventually, the sport that he had once declared a mystery had attracted him to a new way of life.

A Day at the Races

Tony has attended races at all of the tracks on the Southern California thoroughbred circuit. This includes Santa Anita Park, Del Mar, Fairplex, and the recently closed Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood. Each venue offers something distinct and appealing to its guests, yet none are as special to Tony as Los Alamitos Race Course in the city of Cypress. The track best known for its quarter horse racing is the site that Tony considers his home away from home. It is there he can likely be found on most any weekend of the year.

Horse players develop their craft with a particular style by which they approach the game. For Tony, the pick four is by far and away his favorite of all the possible wagers. His tickets are primarily designed based on the strength of his selections and on the sequence that awaits him. “I enjoy the value that can be found in a succession of races,” Tony remarked.

Incorporating various handicapping angles to finalize his tickets, Tony relies heavily on both class and pace to help determine his action plan. He also employs another tactic that is utilized by many seasoned horse players, and that is to play the entire race out in his head prior to the horses ever stepping onto the track.

Tony feels that his greatest strength lies with the quarter horses, attributing this to the experience he has gained while watching them run on a regular basis. He does concede, however, that he hopes to improve his handicapping through a greater understanding of fractions. “I would like a more in depth grasp of how the fractions in a race will ultimately impact the outcome of a contest,” he says.

Thus far, Tony has used the knowledge he has attained to make several notable scores, the largest coming on a pick four ticket at Los Alamitos that netted him roughly five-thousand dollars. 

Over the years, he has had the opportunity to witness many of the sport’s greatest athletes compete. Garrett Gomez and Rodrigo Aceves are two jockeys he admires greatly. Bodemeister and Curlin are among his most beloved thoroughbreds, and he is quick to note Apolitical Jess, Wave Carver, and Blues Girl Two as three of his all-time favorite quarter horses. The most memorable moment Tony recounts in racing was watching Zenyatta win her nineteenth consecutive start in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Eight years has eternally altered the course of Anthony Gutierrez’s life. In that short period of time, an inquisitive young man became a horse player, but perhaps more importantly, that horse player has begun to realize his dreams not only at the track, but away from it.

Tony does construction work part-time and is currently working towards a college degree in communications. He lists jogging, reading, and spending time at the beach as just a few of his other interests. He is an avid sports fan aside from racing, and he places great emphasis on the relationships that he maintains with others. Family is an integral part of Tony’s life, but food is a main ingredient as well. The Southern California Kid would happily direct anyone interested to the best spot in Long Beach for a torta de asada or a wet burrito.

The goals that Tony has set for himself are admirable. Graduating from college is near the top of this list, but the idea of marriage at some point in the future is also a very motivating objective. “When I have children, I plan on becoming the male role model that was absent in my own youth,” he professes. Stability is now of the utmost importance to Tony, and it takes little more than a brief conversation with him to sense his sincerity.

No journey in life can begin without a defining moment, but then again, no moment in and of itself can define the entire journey, either. Unfinished stories are commonly riddled with uncertainty, yet as Anthony Gutierrez’s story continues to unfold, it is brilliantly clear that his outgoing nature and sharp intellect will allow him to accomplish many great things.  

Follow Tony on Twitter at Anthony Doubles@tony_pk4

Knocking At The Door Of Destiny

Equine athletes are not unlike those found in any other sport. In order to achieve success, they must exhibit a certain degree of speed, strength, and endurance. These are vital to the performances seen on the track, yet the traits alone cannot define greatness. The longest, most grueling of the Triple Crown races is the Belmont Stakes. It is a twelve-furlong battle of attrition, designed to humble the faint-hearted, and referred to as the Test of Champions.   

Ernest Hemingway once wrote that courage is grace under pressure. As tens of thousands prepare to descend upon Belmont Park in New York, it is easy to believe that Hemingway might have coined this phrase with the Belmont Stakes on his mind. There can be but one champion as ten others will fall desperately short. The Belmont is a test of courage, and he who triumphs here will have displayed an unequaled amount of grace under pressure.

The Contenders

Rock Star Royalty: This designation is for the elite in the current three-year-old division.

California Chrome- Art Sherman’s prized colt has been victorious in six consecutive races. He has shown a versatility which allows him to run on the lead or sit comfortably in behind the pace setters. He has also engineered an uncanny knack for steering clear of in-race traffic and trouble. Breaking from gate number two coincides nicely with his running style. California Chrome moves with a seemingly effortless stride, and his blinding turn of hoof is about to earn him a Belmont victory and a place among horse racing’s immortal few.

The Gladiators: These warriors will battle down the stretch and should hit the board.

Commanding Curve- Dallas Stewart’s colt sat out of the Preakness after finishing a hard-charging second in the Kentucky Derby. He should relish the added distance in this one.

Ride On Curlin- The runner-up in the Preakness Stakes ran a troubled seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He has followed Chrome’s every move and is peaking at the right time.

Tonalist- Christophe Clement’s colt scored an impressive win over a sloppy track in the Peter Pan Stakes. Drawing outside in post eleven could potentially prove a daunting task.

The Bandits: This group is sly enough to be within striking distance at the quarter pole.

Commissioner- Commissioner is a fresh face on the Triple Crown circuit and has had the advantage of a race over the Belmont track. Todd Pletcher is sure to have him in high gear.

Samraat- New Yorkers will be cheering on this son of Noble Causeway. He ran fifth in the Derby and will benefit from his use of tactical speed as he breaks from post number seven.

Wicked Strong- The winner of the Wood Memorial ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby and has two wins in six starts. The added distance should help his chances of hitting the board.

The Also-Rans: This motley bunch is fortunate to have insured a spot in the starting gate.

Genral A Rod- Competed in all three Triple Crown races and ran fourth in the Preakness. Maker’s colt is simply not talented enough to have any significant impact in the Belmont.

Matterhorn- Pletcher’s other entry is lightly raced, and he most recently ran an uninspired fourth in the Peter Pan Stakes. The on track performance should justify his very long odds.

Matuszak- This son of Bernardini’s lone win came in a Maiden Special Weight contest held in September of 2013. He will clearly be out of his league as he takes his place in the gate.

Medal Count- Medal Count won the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland before placing eighth in the Derby.  He appears to have a bright future on synthetic surfaces, but drawing the rail post here will certainly not help his chances against this group.  

The atmosphere at Belmont Park on June 7^th is sure to be an electric one. Some will have the good fortune of witnessing history be made first hand, while others will gather around television sets to revel in the magical moment alongside of their family and friends. Eleven equine athletes will pit their courage and skill against one another, but in the end, the horse that has been knocking at the door of destiny will pass through and become a legend.  

Perfectly Polished

California Chrome Poised For Kentucky Derby Run

In a time when the collective cheers of a nation are typically reserved for Super Bowl MVPs and World Series champions, horse racing is about to unleash its own version of unbridled pandemonium. The field for the 140^th running of the Kentucky Derby has now been set. This year’s bunch is perhaps the most meaningful to load into the gates at Churchill Downs in recent memory. Racing has endured its fair share of black eyes in 2014, and the sport presently sits at a crossroads that can only be traversed on the back of a newfound hero.

In 2012, J. Paul Reddam’s colt I’ll Have Another was blazing a triumphant path towards the ever-elusive Triple Crown. This achievement would never be realized, however, as injury forced him into retirement just one day prior to the Belmont Stakes. Not since the likes of the great Zenyatta has an equine athlete captivated audiences outside of racing’s inner circle. The sport has been waiting for its next guiding light, that transcendent figure capable of pumping excitement back through the veins of mainstream America. This wait may soon be coming to an end as a California-bred three-year-old is about to take center stage on racing’s most coveted day.

Perry and Denise Martin, Carolyn and Steve Coburn (Photo Courtesy of Benoit Photo)

The stories behind California Chrome and his connections have been well-chronicled. The horse nicknamed “Junior” is the first foal out of a little known mare named Love The Chase.  The mare was purchased by first-time owners Perry Martin and Steve Coburn for a meager $8,000. Love The Chase earned only one victory during her brief time on the track, yet that did not deter Martin and Coburn from their lifelong dream. A groom standing nearby as they made the purchase remarked that someone would have to be a “dumb ass” to buy the old girl. 

Naturally, the new owners next did what seemed most fitting as they aptly named their operation DAP Racing, short for Dumb Ass Partners. They chose green and purple for their racing silks in honor of their wives’ favorite colors. A bright green jackass was also emblazoned on the silks as their way of poking fun at the high society and riches so often associated with the sport. Yes, it’s safe to say that Martin and Coburn are as blue-collared and well-liked as they come in a world that centers squarely on the almighty dollar.

Love The Chase was bred in California to a sire named Lucky Pulpit. When the time came to name their new foal, Martin and Coburn remained unconventional, asking a waitress at a restaurant to pull a name out from a hat during dinner. The name that waitress pulled was none other than California Chrome.

Art Sherman (Photo Courtesy of Benoit Photo)

Trainer Art Sherman’s career in racing dates back to an era when female carhops were still delivering food on roller skates. As an eighteen-year-old in 1955, Sherman found his way to the Kentucky Derby as an exercise rider and traveling companion for the legendary Swaps. The trip out to Louisville took the pair four days in a dusty rail car. Swaps, also known as the California Comet, went on to win the Derby that year and would eventually go down as one of only three California-bred horses in history to pull off the herculean feat.

Sherman’s first professional mount as a jockey came in 1957 at Hollywood Park, and over the next twenty-one years, he enjoyed moderate acclaim at race tracks all across the land.  For many athletes, life after their career can be deflating, but Art Sherman was determined to make a name for himself as a trainer long after his days in the saddle had come to an end.

Back in March of 2013, Art Sherman received an email from Perry Martin that included a very specific outline for the two-year-old colt heading to his barn. The email was entitled “The Road to the Kentucky Derby.” Martin listed the races that California Chrome would need to successfully compete in so that his spot in the 2014 Kentucky Derby was secured.  Rather than dismiss the outlandish blueprint from this first-time owner, Sherman read it through with great sincerity, and opted instead to set Martin’s detailed plan into motion.

California Chrome (Photo Courtesy of Eric Dives)

California Chrome’s first race came in April of 2013. He was entered in a four and one half furlong maiden special weight affair held at Betfair Hollywood Park. Chrome did not win. He would run a solid second that day, but was entered back just three weeks later at the same level to record his first victory.  The next four races included a fifth in the Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes, a first in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar, and consecutive sixth place finishes in the Del Mar Futurity and the Golden State Juvenile Stakes.

It was then that Art Sherman used his thirty-five years of training experience to make a difficult decision. Alberto Delgado had ridden California Chrome in all but one of his career starts. Delgado had done an admirable job, but Sherman also knew that racing at the elite level would require a more seasoned and savvy rider. Enter Victor Espinoza.

The majestic chestnut and his new jockey were about to reel off the most divine string of victories that California horse racing had seen in quite some time. The final stakes race run on the hallowed ground at Hollywood Park was the King Glorious on December 22, 2013. California Chrome was dominant, pulling away late from his in-state rivals under a hand ride by Espinoza. He would do the same in the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita one month later. These victories were important, but the team knew that their horse would only be taken seriously if he were to face off and win versus non-state-bred competition.

California Chrome delivered again. He obliterated a talented field in the San Felipe Stakes, and it was around this time that stories behind the horse and his connections truly began to surface. Much to the surprise of many, California Chrome was training at Los Alamitos, a venue best known for its weekend quarter horse racing. His presence there brought great credibility to the track destined to fill the void left by Hollywood Park’s closing.

The racing community learned of Junior’s affinity for Mrs. Pasture’s Horse Cookies, and fans were subsequently shocked as they uncovered the lineage behind the sport’s newest icon. Reporters were lining up for interviews with Martin and Coburn, hoping to unearth as much information as they could about the enigmatic pair. Art Sherman referenced the mighty colt as his “Swaps” and stated repeatedly that Chrome was nothing short of a rock star. All that remained in the Golden State was to go out and win the Santa Anita Derby.     

California Chrome Romps in the Santa Anita Derby (Photo Courtesy of Eric Dives)

Bob Baffert, John Sadler, and a host of other trainers saddled their very best in hopes of ending the California-bred Prince’s streak at three. Fortunately for Art Sherman and his team, hope and reality can rarely stand together in the winner’s circle. California Chrome did not break smoothly, yet once Victor Espinoza helped him regain his composure down the backstretch, the outcome was all but sealed. Hoppertunity and Candy Boy turned in commendable performances, but the day would unequivocally belong to the horse from the humble beginnings. California Chrome was victorious, this time by more than five lengths.

Perhaps Denise Martin (Perry’s wife) said it best as she described California Chrome’s meteoric rise to a Sacramento based reporter. “He’s not just our horse anymore; he’s his own horse, the people’s horse.” Martin explained.

As the gates break open for the 140^th running of the Kentucky Derby, there will be factors and uncertainties that simply cannot be accounted for. The horse racing world will still be lying in wait for its next guiding light. Some people will scream for a longshot, while others will root on a jockey, but their voices will quickly be silenced as the cheers rain down for the horse that is perfectly polished.