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Time to give thanks for the small things

Posted: Saturday, December 01, 2001

In the world of Thoroughbred racing, here are some things to be thankful for

Thanksgiving is the day to eat turkey. The day after Thanksgiving is the day to go to the mall. This year, we have a hunch that a lot more people than usual stopped to think about all the things that really matter in the world and the many reasons they have to give thanks.

In the Thoroughbred world, there is also reason to give thanks. Here are some of the things to reflect on this year:

• Thanks to all the buyers who stepped into the sales arena at Keeneland the day after the terrorist attacks and seemingly kept the entire Thoroughbred industry afloat by bidding on yearlings at a mind-numbing time when everyone was thinking about anything but racing. We do not know what would have happened if no one showed up at Keeneland on September 12.
• Thanks to Tiznow for making the Breeders' Cup on October 27 in New York a very memorable event. The California-bred's tenacity will be an integral part of Breeders' Cup lore.
• Thanks to Nureyev, whose long life after winning his battle with death more than 13 years ago was an inspiration to people who work with horses daily. His courage and temperament, when coupled with the care of his veterinarians, grooms, and stallion managers, show what is possible when man and horse work together.
• Thanks to Unbridled for providing such an inspiring story on the first Saturday in May in 1990. He died young at age 14 in October, but his win in the Kentucky Derby (G1) for owner Frances Genter and trainer Carl Nafzger left us with an unforgettable moment.
• Thanks to the late Tommy Luther for his efforts in helping found the Jockeys' Guild. He died in January, only months before the Guild became a shadow of its former self. Those who value the legacy of someone like Luther will make sure his efforts on behalf of his fellow riders are carried on by a productive Guild in the future.
• Thanks to Point Given for some good racing memories. When you were good, you were very good. We just wish you were around a lot longer.
• Thanks to Laura Hillenbrand for her book Seabiscuit: An American Legend. The book published in March is a great read. Through her story about a horse and his connections long past, Hillenbrand showed that there is a universal appeal in racing. It also shows that the sport needs to find more effective methods of delivering its message to the general public.
• Thanks to Keeneland for reducing the takeout on bets for its fans. In making the move, it took a half-million-dollar loss in an effort to prove a point: Racing must exert pressure on state governments to reduce the burden on the sport's customers.
• Thanks to researchers at the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and all veterinarians who have spent so much time trying to find the cause of mare reproductive loss syndrome.
• Thanks to the Europeans for being so sporting and bringing over a number of their best horses for the Breeders' Cup. It made for a good day of racing at Belmont Park. It also showed the world that there is some unity, at least in this small center of the universe called Thoroughbred racing.
• Thanks to Hialeah Park for the memories. The South Florida track may well have held its last live meeting, but in its glory days it was a great racetrack and one of the most beautiful in America.
• Thanks to Laffit Pincay Jr. for maintaining a remarkable standard of excellence for almost four decades. At age 54, he is still winning riding titles as he pursues the unthinkable milestone of 10,000 wins.
• Thanks to trainer John Ward Jr. for being a breath of fresh air during the Triple Crown campaign. He handled the victory of Monarchos in the Derby with class and the colt's losses in the Preakness (G1) and Belmont (G1) Stakes with dignity.
• Thanks to all the people in racing who gave money selflessly to the relief funds established for the families of victims of the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.