In today’s world, why some love failure
by John Berry
We are in a different world these days.
Yes, we are in the midst of global warming.
But the world, itself, is much colder, in terms of feelings, patience with many now in wait to pounce in a moment of failure to revel in another’s tragedy.
It’s not just in human terms these days, it engulfs our great standardbreds, as well.
Contrary to the belief of some, horses are not machines.
When the greats, somehow, meet defeat it doesn’t take the time of their fastest performance to be toppled off the mountain top by rumor or by, in this case, polling.
Since my first writing 64 years ago, witnessing the defeats of, to name a handful, Bret Hanover, Albatross, Niatross, Nihilator, Somebeachsomewhere, even Nevele Pride, on rare occasion, didn’t, in these eyes, diminish the greatness of all of these grand individuals — all voted Horse of the Year.
Horses aren’t machines and have little to say about where their next step will be, whether it be in their stall, in a fenced field, or on the racetrack.
One never knows whether that next step of stride will take them tackling a fence or a soft cup on the track, disrupting or destroying a career.
How quickly, then, the greatest of the great can be toppled from the mountain top these days, faster than a :25.4 quarter.
Have we lost our compassion, our forgiving nature, our sanity? Or is it just normality these days?
Yes, this Mane Attraction is about Louprint. The great Louprint. One of the greatest in history — Louprint.
This semester, he was 10-for-12 in the win column with $1,025,971 in bounty, with a mark of 1:46.3.
He enjoyed just about unanimous opinion as the top horse in our sport this year, week after week after week after week.
Yes, he did taste defeat in our Breeders Crown elimination this year at Woodbine Mohawk Park — his whiskers weren’t quite long enough — but the telling tale was one week later in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final.
Yes, he paced in 1:48.4 that night but was never in the hunt after sprinting into second around the final bend.
Was something amiss here? There were reports of fractured ribs in a stall mishap, but AI sources do not confirm that.
But to this HRU writer, the harshness and swiftness of his “fall from grace” was not deserved.
After a couple of qualifiers in April, Louprint began his sophomore career at The Meadows in early May with a 1:49.3 win in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action.
He then moved around Pennsylvania to Pocono and Philly and won two more.
Up north of the border at Mohawk in the North American Cup, he won the elimination in 1:49.1 — :26.1 and, the next week, stretched his winning streak to five in winning the $740,000 Pepsi North America Cup final in 1:47.1, surviving one of the most heart-throbbing journeys ever in our sport, including a :26 third quarter, reaching that station in 1:19.1.
Madden Oaks found room to sneak through and stick his head in front in deep stretch but Louprint fought back with his gifted courage and hit the wire in front.
Driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. said, “I really didn’t want to go a third quarter like that [:26] but that was the hand I was dealt — that’s how great this horse is…”
After that June 14th historical event, Louprint took a month off — then another month off — then got back to business with a “workout” mile in 1:49.3 before stretching his victory skein to six and, then, seven with a win in the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final in 1:48.4.
From there, the grand colt traveled three hours and a few minutes to Delaware, OH to prove his worth on a half mile track, the famed Little Brown Jug oval with its 280-foot stretch.
He won his elim in 1:50.3 and then more-than-proved this definition of stamina by winning the $500,000 final in 1:50.1, capped off with a :26.2 final quarter — last half :53.4.
Two weeks later, over Lexington’s Red Mile, Louprint paced one of the greatest miles in our history by making a quarter move to the top and posting a first half of :53.3 and then sprinting home in :53 flat to hit the wire in 1:46.3.
I have remembrances going back to the days when horses needed a :29 breather somewhere in a mile, and here sprints a horse home in :53, after an opening half in :53.3.
It was back up north of the border when, from off the pace, his :25.4 final quarter was a whisker short followed by the Breeders Crown final, where it took all of 1:48.3 to fall from grace by the voting journalists that cover our sport.
Fractured ribs or not, this was an incredible season by one of the greatest horses ever to look through a bridle.
Come on folks, have a forgiving heart once in a while.
Horses aren’t machines, they are flesh, blood, bones, and muscle.
Everyone has an opinion, and that is the North American way, thank goodness.
Beau Jangles had a phenomenal as a 2-year-old — unblemished.
Filly Loua Dipa had a great year at 2, too.
From the 2:10 2-year-old list to these youngsters as fast as 1:48 and a piece; it’s amazing that 15 2-year-old pacers were at or faster than 1:50.
Miki And Minnie had a great year in the sophomore filly division.
The colt Super Chapter had a fantastic year — not perfect, nine-for-14, and Yo Tillie even was handed defeat only on a single occasion.
Lexus Kody proved his worth in the division for older trotters.
And what does one do in the 2-year-old trotting divisions?
Apex and Spencer Hanover and Endurance all deserve a well thought out look through the binoculars.
In the filly division, Setyoursightshigh and Nezuko Kamado S should get a good glance, as well.
Remember, these votes will have a deep impact on the future economics of our sport and prayers are deep that voters will take the time and effort to not just look at the stats and put an “X” mark without due diligence.
May The Horse Be With You!
