Ode to the Horse: More Than Just a Race at the Kentucky Derby
The roar of the crowd, a sea of over 150,000 faces, the largest attendance for a live sporting event in America. It’s Race 12 at Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 3rd, the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. But beyond the spectacle, the mint juleps, and the elaborate hats, lies something deeper. The Kentucky Derby, and indeed, all horse racing, is a moment to acknowledge the profound and enduring bond between humans and horses, an indispensable partnership that has shaped civilization itself.
For millennia, the horse has been more than just an animal; it has been a partner, a tool, a symbol of power and grace. It all began some 4,200 years ago, during the Bronze Age, when the Shintashta culture, in what is now Russia and Kazakhstan, first domesticated the horse. This wasn’t just about riding; it was about harnessing the horse’s strength for agriculture, transportation, and warfare. The impact was immediate and transformative.
The Smithsonian tells us that under human care, horses bred more successfully. This meant that as they travelled with us, their numbers and strength increased. With the horse at our side, humanity expanded its reach, pushing the boundaries of exploration and settlement. We planted crops with their help, conquered new territories on their backs, and wove them into the very fabric of our cultural narratives.
Think of the pivotal moments in history where the horse played a crucial role. One particular horse, a brown mare, carried Paul Revere on his desperate ride to Lexington on April 18, 1775, warning the colonists of the impending British advance. Without that warning, the course of the American Revolution, and the birth of the United States, might have been drastically different. No horse, arguably, no USA.
The Kentucky Derby, in many ways, is a celebration of this legacy. These are not just any horses lining up at the starting gate; these are Thoroughbreds, bred for speed, stamina, and an innate desire to run. Each colt boasts a lineage meticulously traced back to the year 1700, a testament to centuries of selective breeding and dedication.
However, behind the glamour and pedigree, there’s a less-publicized truth: these equine athletes are, at heart, still young and spirited creatures. They are, to put it simply, naughty boys. The horses are young, generally three year olds, and they can be rambunctious and difficult to handle.
Observing the daily interactions between these horses and their handlers reveals the extraordinary give-and-take that characterizes this ancient partnership. It is an unlikely alliance built on respect, understanding, and a touch of humor.
Take Burnham Square, for example. This colt has a peculiar habit of exercising with his neck bowed low, requiring a considerable distance to fully relax and settle into his stride. And, as his exercise rider Mark Cutler revealed to FanDuel TV, Burnham Square has a penchant for mischief, attempting to bite the pony rider and even the pony itself. Yet, Cutler tempers this with affection: "He’s just a little strong. But he’s not bad at all, he’s really grown up in the last few months." These high spirits, which might cause consternation in the more refined world of show horses, are met with understanding and even amusement in a racing barn.
Then there’s Sandman, a grey colt whose owner, Griffin Johnson, describes as possessing "the personality and the goofiness" of his sire, Tapit. Tapit, now 24, is renowned as a quirky and intelligent horse whose offspring have earned over $216 million at the track. Sandman, bearing a striking resemblance to his father, has already amassed over a million dollars in earnings. Such success tends to excuse a multitude of quirks. "Sandman is always having a good time and he makes it easy to love the sport," Johnson said in an interview with Andie Biancone, highlighting the joy and camaraderie that these horses bring to the racing community.
But not all Derby contenders are high-strung or mischievous. Coal Battle, hailing from Louisiana, exemplifies a more laid-back approach. "If he’s not lying down, he’s usually at the back of his stall just relaxing," his trainer Lonnie Briley told the Louisville Courier-Journal. However, Briley emphasizes that Coal Battle possesses a keen sense of when it’s time to perform. "He knows when it’s game time."
Personality, it turns out, is a crucial factor in racing. On race day, anything can happen, and a horse’s temperament can make all the difference. Fortune, of course, favors the swift and powerful, but the horse must also possess an intrinsic desire to win.
Consider Journalism, a son of Curlin, whose speed figures in his recent victories have been nothing short of astonishing. In a race at Santa Anita on April 5, Journalism initially trailed the pack, stalking the rail under jockey Umberto Rispoli. But disaster nearly struck when Journalism was shuffled back, bumped by other horses. However, with remarkable agility, he "tipped out into the clear and spun three wide into the stretch," as described in the official Equibase chart. Rispoli then unleashed Journalism’s full power, and the colt surged ahead to defeat his rival, Baeza, by almost two lengths. They are set to meet again in the Kentucky Derby.
The Kentucky Derby, as they say, is a race where anything can happen. The sheer size and intensity of the crowd can exert immense pressure on the horses. To mitigate this, the Derby runners arrive days in advance to acclimate to the environment, practicing loading into the starting gate, working out on the track, and becoming accustomed to the ritual of being tacked up for the walkover to the paddock.
Michael McCarthy, the trainer of Journalism, notes the evolving nature of this tradition. "The walkover used to be trainers, grooms, and hotwalkers, but now it’s turned into this whole event in its own right," he told the Paulick Report. With each horse now accompanied by 30 to 50 people, McCarthy wryly admits, "so you’re just hoping they get to the paddock without hurting anyone."
Despite their individual quirks and challenges, these young Thoroughbreds, gathered in Kentucky, serve as a potent reminder of the transformative power of the human-horse connection. They demand empathy and bravery, qualities that are often overlooked in our modern world. The exhilarating experience of galloping on horseback transcends the ordinary, lifting us "mere bipeds" into a realm of shared energy and freedom. It’s the same thrill that fuels children’s requests for pony rides at the county fair and inspires them to cultivate the courage and understanding required for riding, jumping, and racing. It’s this profound connection that has proven so valuable in therapeutic settings, particularly for veterans, and as a means of fostering patience and emotional growth.
The fancy hats and bowties donned at the Derby are, in essence, a tribute to the elevated status of the horse in human society. They are a visual acknowledgement of the debt we owe to these magnificent creatures.
Ultimately, when the trumpet sounds and the gates burst open, the connection between horse and jockey is paramount. It is a partnership built on trust and communication. As Rispoli explains, he won’t force Journalism. "I’m pretty sure that once he’s ready to run, he will make me understand it’s time to go." The Kentucky Derby is a celebration of that understanding, a testament to the enduring bond between humans and horses, a bond that continues to shape our world. It is a celebration of the horse.
