OK, OK, I give in!
I’ve still got some pretty big reservations about this year’s Derby, but thanks to the thoughtful and persuasive comments on Sunday’s post, I agree that maybe I should re-consider my initial visceral reaction. I was impressed by the level of discourse and the thoughtfulness of (most of) the comments, so thanks to everyone for keeping it civil.
I’m never going to love over-the-top celebrating. I hate it when tennis players collapse, spread-eagled, on the court in faux exhaustion after a match; I wrinkle my nose when hockey players ride their sticks after a goal (cf. Theo Fleury); I though Joakim Noah’s primal scream after his basket the other night was distasteful. So while I can appreciate Borel’s genuine emotion, I guess that I just wished it were expressed a little less exuberantly. Personal taste, nothing more, nothing else.
I’m not there with some of you on the trainer—I think a little graciousness was in order, even if he were irritated by the media (and do we know that he was? Or are we speculating?), but by some accounts, he appears to have decided to enjoy this moment while it lasts. Good for him.
I’m hopeful that the idea that this was a victory for the little guy fades away pretty soon. OK, maybe Chip Woolley is a little guy, but Borel’s won multiple Grade I races, and the horse’s owners are millionaires, and possibly corrupt ones at that. So this is not exactly the refreshing change from IEAH that we might have originally thought.
As for the horse—I’ve always said that whoever wins the race deserves to win it, regardless of their prior “qualifications.” I’m not sure that I’m going to get behind a “Mine That Bird for the Triple Crown” campaign…but it’s good for the game that he’s going to Preakness, so on to Charm City.
A number of people at work know that I follow Thoroughbred racing pretty seriously, but we seldom talk about it. Yesterday, I lost count of how many people went out of their way to stop me, to come to my office, to ask me about the race. “How about that Derby?” “You didn’t have that horse, did you?” “That was amazing, the way he came from the back!”
People I would never have suspected of being interested not only watched the race, but wanted to talk about it. And I am happy to have been, if only for today, racing’s ambassador in my little academic world, and to help keep the racing conversation going for just a little longer.
You win!
Brooklyn Backstretch 
Aww that’s great! I loved this Derby! No steroids or anti-inflammitory has made the Derby a race for the best horse on that day.
What if Mine That Bird wins the Preakness? Will you root for a Triple Crown in the Belmont? We’re going to the Preakness, and we always root for the Derby winner when we’re there.
Hi Brooklyn: I'm glad you're softening up a bit re: The Derby. After reading about Trainer Wooley's ankle injury, I daresay he might have an excuse to be a little curt here & there. He has a serious injury there & apparently fell down in the excitement of Derby week & rebroke one of the bones. Having had the same injury some yrs. ago, I can say those plates & nails are not fun. I loved the Derby. What a neat little horse. Wish he was mine!!! Lynne
I’m glad my first-ever post (and everyone else’s) helped you consider a different perspective on things! :)In the end, I can’t say that I was exactly thrilled with the outcome either. But I do think that a result like this (a fluke or something more, only time will tell) is one of the many things that makes horse racing great. Anything can happen. When you add seeing Rachel Alexandra show a sublime performance in the Oaks I think we can agree that racing had a great weekend. I was able to *show* people why it is such an awesome sport, and that’s worth its weight in gold. For example, Entertainment Weekly.com featured the Oaks, Derby, and highlights from races past on it’s pop culture blog. A pop culture blog! Horses, in a pop culture blog, and Madonna wasn’t falling off of one. I think, as you touched upon, if Mine That Bird helped to keep the racing conversation going (and in a positive light), then what more can we ask for? Of course, the masochistic race fan in me knows that it will all end shortly and everyone will go back to largely ignoring racing in general, but I’ll ride the optimistic wave for a little bit longer.
your expereince of talking about about the feel good side of ‘Bird’s win on Sat. reminds me of what Larry Jones said after the race this year. “Beating one horse was better than running second and what happened last year,” Jones said. And to that I would agree and I’m enjoying talking about ‘Bird’s win more than I enjoyed discussing Eight Bells and Rick Dutrow, et al this same time last year.
I;m not sure we will ever witness this horse win another race. I think 2 things were very important the wet mess of a track . (which I was surprised they couldn;t have made it a harder ) and the Hall of fame ride by Calvin ….. This race may just put him into the HOF ….. What a weekend he had ……
I think that I must have the nicest commenters on the Internet. Thanks, folks!Rich: Will I wrote for him in the Preakness? Excellent question. I probably won’t root against him…how’s that? BrooklynSaint: you’re right: having people ask me about Mine That Bird is FAR better than being asked, “So what do you think of this Dutrow guy?”
Derby makes the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first in …. who knows!!!!