Barbaro Updates: 421
updates are now here.
Update 2669: Donna W (comments timestamp: 8:07 pm) reports from the Breeders' Cup:
I am so sorry for the loss of George Washington. I attended the Breeder's Cup yesterday at Monmouth Park. We were seated in the Grandstand near the 16th pole. George Washington was pulled up directly in front of us. I am not sure what was shown on TV but I can give you my observations as I recall them.
At first when he was pulled up it appeared that he had injured his right foreleg. It quickly became apparent that it was broken and very severely. His jockey, Kinane was trying to steady him, keep him standing and stop him all at the same time. George was still trying to move towards the finish line. He faltered and nearly went down but did not- he was determined to stay on his feet. I do not recall Kinane dismounting...I admit that for an instant I looked away because I could not bear to see George struggling. I quickly looked back and help was beginning to arrive. It was immediate and appeared to me to be very professional. Everyone ran to George first to help keep him upright. The assistance vehicles began to arrive right away as well. While I was hoping for a miracle it unfortunately was pretty clear that poor George was mortally injured. At this point the screens did go up and the equine ambulance was backed up to him quite rapidly. As I watched I feared the worst and sensed that everyone around did as well.
I want to make it clear that when the thousands in the Grandstand and down in front near the rail realized how badly injured George was all focus was on him and nothing else. The crowd remained standing in what at first seemed a stunned silence then as things unfolded a respectful silence. The winner's circle was down just past the wire and could have been in a different world. No one near me was paying any attention to it. Finally as we slowly began to filter out everyone seemed very subdued and quiet. NO matter what was said on ESPN or any other newscast I assure you that I did not see anyone who thought yesterday was a great day for racing.
For me, I held it together till I was alone in my car then cried my way home wondering if I could continue to watch and support this sport. I have never been an avid horseplayer just a casual fan that watched and sometimes wagered a small amount on the big races...I just love to watch the horses and read their stories. But since I found my way to this webstite shortly after Barbaro's injury I have been paying much more attention to the sport. I will hang in for now as I think in so many ways Alex and the FOB's are doing so much for both the sport and horses in general.....
Finally, I want to end with some of my thoughts about George's Classic run yesterday before his terrible injury. The track at Monmouth is a bit small and the starting gate was set in such a way that the horses had to run by the stands twice....I remember as they went by the first time just a few hundred yards after the start I saw George right with the pack....I marveled at what a game horse he is...first he is going (for him anyway) the wrong way around the track and was running thru slop which he probably has never done before... wow...what a competitor.
Update 2668: Sue McMullen on George Washington, via e-mail:
Emotions are running high among racing fans in the UK and Ireland as we come to terms with the fact that George has gone. Maybe this isn't the time to raise the speculation of so many who questioned why he was there in the first place. He's gone and there's no turning back the clock. A personal story is perhaps the best illustration of what this magnificent horse, described as a flawed genius, a charismatic, brilliant horse who lit up the racing scene wherever he went, meant to racing fans in the UK and Ireland. Unable to be at the Breeders' Cup this year, I attended one of the many parties broadcasting the event live from the US. The talk was all about George. If he could reproduce his brilliant best, he could give them all something to think about. But as we looked at the earlier races, with horses almost paddling through the sloppy dirt track, unlike anything our hero would have seen before in his life, our hearts sank. With his characteristic style of running, that high head carriage and the way he grabbed the track, we knew it was an even bigger task than last year. We knew he had everything to do. So the punters in the gathering followed their heads and backed almost everything but George, but their hearts desperately wanted him to win. I saw nobody who didn't want this horse to do it, despite the fact they would have lost their money. This is one of the amazing aspects of racing that people outside the sport would struggle to understand. Everybody prayed this enigmatic, engaging horse would win and if he had entered the final stretch in contention the screams would have raised the roof.
He was imperious in his bearing, with an aura that was almost palpable. I was fortunate last year to see him win his last race, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. I was close enough to be able to reach out and touch him and I marvelled at his presence, reflecting that the tag of 'gorgeous' was entirely appropriate. There was just something about George that left you in no doubt you were in the company of one special equine.
He had his detractors, those who refused to believe that things just hadn't gone his way since his return to the track this season after a failed attempt at stud. But most looked at the electric turn of foot he still possessed and knew his day would come.
Two magnificent bay horses, continents apart, on the same day last May took the racing world by storm. One was perhaps the best we would have seen for generations and though he never lived to prove it, we knew it nevertheless and he proved in his subsequent fight for life that he was a true champion. He was of course Barbaro and the other was George, highly gifted, with a temperament often questioned, somewhat unfairly, simply because he did things his own way. By a tragic twist of fate they were to share the same end, a catastrophic injury on the track but in George's case there was no possibility of an attempt to save him. But as with Barbaro, George died as he had lived, brave and brilliant to his last breath. Those who had ever questioned his commitment to the job this season were given George's final, unequivocal response. As he sustained his fatal fracture, the genius that was George Washington, our fabulous, gorgeous boy, fought with everything he had to stay up. As Barbaro had undoubtedly saved Edgar Prado from injury so George saved Kinane, using all his courage and strength. Perhaps the final word should be from Mick Kinane himself, as he told the Racing Post: "He did well to stay up. He was brave. He didn't go down. He stayed up on it. He saved me."
We salute you George. There won't be another one quite like you and you will never be forgotten.
Update 2667: The following article references the two races in the previous two updates: IT'S ALL ABOUT GEORGE.
Update 2666: Later in 2006, George Washington returns to his brilliant best: Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1).
Update 2665: George Washington winning the first English Classic and defeating Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy: 2000 Guineas 2006 (Group 1).
Update 2664: Tributes are coming in for a horse who was very much loved: O'SULLEVAN LEADS TRIBUTES, excerpt:
"He was the sort of charismatic character that racing needs and is a seriously sad loss because he was a proper personality and liked things done his own way," O'Sullevan said.
"I think he appealed enormously to individuals because of his individualistic approach, which was very refreshing.
"He was a really exciting character and it was great that he attracted the soubriquet 'Gorgeous George' as it seemed very appropriate. He was a lovely horse and it was a terribly sad end."
Update 2663: UGLY END FOR 'GORGEOUS' GEORGE.
Update 2662: "Its a great day for horseracing" ... one quote from one of the ESPN crew. Sorry, we lost a champion. You guys don't get it. I am sick.
Update 2661: FUCK, George Washington is gone. RIP, you were a great TURF champion.
Update 2660: SHIT, something is up with George Washington!
Update 2659: Curlin dominated in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Hard Spun ran a courageous second. Street Sense looked good coming around the turn but flattened out. Laywer Ron appeared to give up early. Not sure about Any Given Saturday. George Washington showed again he is a turf horse.
Update 2658: Pletcher broke his Breeders' Cup maiden with an emphatic win in the mile and a half Turf with English Channel. Dylan Thomas was under pressure early, Better Talk Now unleashed his patented late run, but could not close nearly enough.
Update 2657: Ginger Punch got back up in a tremendous stretch drive in the Distaff! Hystericalady ran a terrific race to finish second. Pletcher must be getting a little frustrated.
Update 2656: Kip Deville took the mile (turf). He was impressive, I would never have picked him! Excellent Art finished strongly for second. NoBiz looked good coming around the final turn.
Update 2655: Nice last to first race from favorite Midnight Lute in the Sprint. Fair Hill's Talent Search ran a great race to finish third. Kelly's Landing was fifth, he just seemed to flatten out a little down the lane.
Update 2654: The first Turf race of the day produced the best finish of the day so far. A thrilling win by Lahudood. Simply Perfect was clearly in trouble getting out around the second turn and took two others with her.
Update 2653: Nick Zito's War Pass won the Juvenile in another wire to wire performance. Very fast, very easy. Pyro got a little close for second, the third horse was twenty lengths behind.
Update 2652: Indian Blessing, the prohibitive favorite, went wire to wire under Garrett Gomez in the Juvenile Fillies. She tired a little coming down the lane, but was much the best.
Update 2651: A little chillier this morning at Keeneland, but dry. It was Breakfast at Keeneland again this saturday, I assume the last of the year. Plenty of people came out to watch the morning works. I had seven to ride, six to the main track and one to the training track. All seemed to go well. A couple of people wished us good luck ... I guess for Kelly's Landing this afternoon! I ran into Michael Blowen (Old Friends) again, after I had finished galloping. He is pretty excited about a new horse he may be acquiring. Monday will be our last day here, we will then be shipping everything to Churchill Downs.
Now to get ready for the Breeders' Cup telecast.
Update 2650: The Breeders' Cup continues today, culminating in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic. As is the nature of racing these days, many division honors will be settled by today's results and many horses will be retired. Lets hope for safe racing.
The first Breeders' Cup race (Juvenile fillies) is the fourth race on the card, post time is 12:30 pm. Here are my quick picks:
Juvenile Fillies: No pick
Juvenile: Tale of Ekati
Fillies and Mares Turf: Passage of Time
Sprint: Kelly's Landing
Turf Mile: Excellent Art
Distaff: Lady Joanne
Turf: Better Talk Now
Classic: Street Sense
Good morning Alex and everyone
I have just seen a clip of the dirt mile - looks horrible weather. It won't suit Dylan Thomas. I would love to see Passage of Time win for Henry Cecil, who has had such a tough time over the past few years. Excellent Art from stall 13 - hasn't ever been done before has it? I hope he can do it. I won't get an opportunity to see the races till tomorrow, which means if I don't want to know the result I'll have to keep away from the computer. The main thing is that they all come home safely. Have a good weekend.
Posted by: Liz (UK) at October 27, 2007 10:57 AM