Last week, Toby’s Corner won the Wood Memorial and stamped his ticket to the Kentucky Derby.
Beyond the surprise of many fans that Uncle Mo had been defeated for the first time in his career, a few other folks were shocked when Toby’s Corner won the race. Namely, the connections surrounding the winning colt.
After the Wood, Trainer Graham Motion commented that he hadn’t expected Toby’s Corner to beat Uncle Mo in the race. In fact, Motion stated that he had never even discussed the idea of Toby’s Corner starting in the Kentucky Derby with Dianne Cotter, Owner and Breeder of the colt.
The trainer was unsure if the Cotters even knew that he had nominated Toby’s Corner to the Triple Crown.
Yet, in a few golden seconds, Toby’s Corner delivered a victory that would provide him with the necessary graded earnings to start in the upcoming Kentucky Derby. And, in the same moment, the home-bred colt also gave Cotter and Motion the opportunity to point toward a highly-elusive prize, namely, a win in the Kentucky Derby.
Many onlookers completely missed the beauty of the victory for Toby’s Corner and his connections.
Instead, as Toby’s Corner made his way to the winner’s circle after the Wood Memorial, many fans fixed their eyes on Uncle Mo as he passed the stands in a third-place finish. The colt garnered more attention through his lone defeat than the actual winner of the race received in his spirited victory.
And, since the Wood, Uncle Mo has been subject to scrutiny that falls nothing short of brutal. The bulk of the news stories from the Wood Memorial don’t focus on the victory of Toby’s Corner, but rather, the fact that Uncle Mo finished third in the race.
Further, many racing fans are relishing in the loss of Uncle Mo in comment threads from related articles and blog posts. A lot of the opinions focus on highlighting any flaw they can find on the colt. In some cases, the comments are downright mean-spirited and hateful, not only to Uncle Mo, but to the spirit of racing itself.
There is no value in tearing down Uncle Mo, or any other horse, for competing in a race and losing it.
And conversely, there is no respect for the achievement of Toby’s Corner, or any other winning horse, if we fail to celebrate the victory.
I am fan of horse racing. As a fan of horse racing, I am a fan of horses. Being a fan of horses, I respect the achievements of Uncle Mo and Toby’s Corner in their own right, without comparison or criticism to the other athlete.
Whether a horse wins or loses a race, the equine athletes in our sport deserve respect during and after every outing.
This isn’t just racing. It’s horse racing. And, respect for the horses should remain the first priority above the outcome in a race.
In agreement 100%. Toby’s Corner was the best horse on Wood Memorial Day. Sad the fans didn’t give him the respect he deserved. The wood was a very exciting race to watch and photogrph.
Could Graham Motion have been trying to be modest? I doubt that. I thought Toby’s Corner looked like a champion in the Wood Memorial. Personally, even though Uncle Mo won the BC Juvenile, I didn’t consider the Timely Stakes (I think that was the name of the race I’ve never heard of until now) that impressive of a win for Uncle Mo. Therefore, I thought he was over-rated,which is why everyone was surprised he lost; I didn’t think the loss was that impossible. I was shocked he lost only because everybody else said he was so great. The Wood Memorial, in my mind, proved that he was not invincible and brought another potential KD winner into the spotlight. Let us enjoy him, and his name! :>)
No race horse is invincible: not even Secretariat or Man o’ War, not even Zenyatta. To truly love horse racing (as someone other than just a gambler who enjoys blaming someone else for the loss of a bet), you are also someone who loves the equine athlete. The beauty and majesty of these magnificent creatures running with all their hearts on spindly legs is something that inspires awe and respect. After today’s Arkansas Derby, we will hear more grumbling over The Factor’s loss to Archarcharch. I suppose it should be expected. Still, I try to close my ears to all the naysayers. I prefer to focus on the next race where once again I can see beauty in motion, root for my particular favorite, and be at peace if he or she isn’t in top form that day. How much fun my husband and I have had over the years rooting for different horses in the same race: Sunday Silence and Easy Goer, Personal Ensign and Winning Colors, etc., etc. Then, no matter the outcome, rejoicing in the victory of the other beautiful horse. That’s true love.
Bud ~ Thanks for the nice comment. I bet it was exciting to photograph the race.
Hi Sue ~ I think Graham Motion was being a gentleman. It’s nice to see him go to the Kentucky Derby with that attitude.
Hi Robin ~ I wish you wrote for this blog. I agree completely with everything you said, and, you said it much more eloquently than me.
Thank you, Jennifer. Your articles are quite wonderful, too. My job is writing, so I guess I get lots of practice. LOL! As I said on your FB page, I will try to do something for the blog when my crazy schedule slows down a little.
What a wonderful post. You are absolutely correct. If you visit Uncle Mo’s facebook page, you will find many fans that wish him well, as a horse, not as a Kentucky Derby contender. They sympathize with the fact that he got sick, and hopes that he gets well. I’m glad these people realize the value of these horses. There is more to horse racing than racing. These are horses-all animals are our companions in this world, and the sooner we realize it, the more civilized the human race will become.
Jennifer, as usual, you hit the proverbial nail on the head. Thanks for being a strong voice and an advocate for our equine athletes. Many fail to remember that this gambling venue like no other has living, breathing, beautiful creatures who thrill us when they fly around an oval track at breakneck speed. There is also the potential at any given moment to break our hearts when there is an injury, in some cases career- or life-ending. We pray first and foremost that they come home safely, in victory or defeat! I do think there is a whif of some good changes in the air! The RCI’s recommendation to phase out race-day drugs, and the Jockey Club’s endorsement is a start. In the UK (which I’ve touched on before), the Racing for Change and the Love the Races web sites are promoting bringing and keeping new fans to the sport in that counntry, not just gamblers. I note that Race Day 360 has launched a sub site for “Hello Race Fans”, helping new fans learn the ropes. These may be “baby” steps, but it is a step in the right direction, nevertheless!
NOE MOE A GO GO???…ty…
Yes, you are welcome to report the articles from my blog with a linkback.
Thanks for reading,
Jennifer