I have read quite a bit about your performance on Saturday and I wanted to say how proud I am of you. The odds-on favourite to win the Belmont Stakes and, in the process, the Triple Crown, you chose instead to take it easy and cruised home comfortably in last place.
As a horse who has been known to take a relaxed approach to his work from time to time, I fully support your decision. In your place, I would have done exactly the same thing.
Let’s look at the facts: you’d already won two gruelling contests, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. The heat was in the 90s. People had been messing around with your cracked hoof for weeks.
Your trainer, who’d been injecting you with steroids once a month suddenly quit doing so to prove a point. And your owner couldn’t stop fibbing about his bonafides.
More importantly, at your last race you saw what happened to that all-heart filly, Eight Belles, who broke both her ankles after crossing the finishing line at the Derby.
A smart horse, much like myself, you said, “You know, I’m not going to overdo it today. I don’t want to take any chances with my ankles. I’ll just be cantering along back here if anyone needs me.”
Good move, my man. If you’re ever interested in taking up lower level dressage, I’m happy to offer advice on ways to slack off while doing it. In the meantime, run, or even trot, as slowly as you can for the next few races and you’ll be at that breeding farm before you know it. I hear they have good grass in Kentucky. You deserve it my friend.
Run slow: live free.
Best regards,
Tango
An exhausting trot circle…
Followed by the all-important walk-on-a-loose-rein to recover.