Responding to the Thoroughbred

Posted by BarbaraAnne Helberg Sep 1, 2009

"Mountain High, River Deep" is how race horse owner Nick Ben-Meir described the emotional experiences inherent with the Thoroughbred racing game in The Blood-Horse magazine column "Final Turn" (July 4, 2009/No.27 issue). The first rule of owning race horses -- don't fall for them! -- is often broken, it seems. In a time when the health, safety, and welfare of the performing race track Thoroughbred remains under scrutiny, such testimonials as Ben-Meir's keep cropping up voluntarily.

The anguish of top winning owners and trainers -- The Jacksons (Barbaro); The Joneses (Eight Belles); Frank Whiteley Jr. (Ruffian) -- received mixed reviews in their time, but one needs only to apply thoughts of flesh and blood to surmise the roller coaster rise and fall of emotions that follow gain and loss, life and death. Ben-Meir spoke of the high of winning with Sailor's Cap and the low of losing him to an inexplicable collapse just months later. Like reaching the mountain peak, then tumbling off and helplessly plunging down head first. Like shouting out the birth of and crying out the death of one's child. Like racing through extreme gain and loss in the mere heartbeat of life's time.

Ben-Meir began his high-low saga of Sailor's Cap with a humorous description of his seven-year-old golden retriever's attempt to hide himself between the couch and the ottoman to escape the screaming taking place between Ben-Meir and his wife. The couple were in front of the television, yelling and cheering on Sailor's Cap as he was about to win the 2009 Poker Handicap (G3 T).

It's likely the beloved dog sought the same refuge June 17, when the phone rang and the room was silenced by grief. As animals respond to us, we grow in response to them.