Even-tempered, with a soft eye, and sociable (watch him with his pony on the way to work), he is so obviously a gelding (castrated–can’t have kids) and geldings don’t have all of those hormones surging through their bloodstream this time of year.

With a smooth and efficient stride, (giving the appearance that his hooves were just barely contacting the ground at Pimlico) he looked like a horse who knows and enjoys his job. Forget about pedigrees, prep races, company lines and all the rest. . . because all of those angles and numbers and track stats can’t predict when a horse will burst from the shadows and become part of a drama that will be remembered for decades to come.

And, it seems that the industry is finally realizing that the real growth in the industry will come from the fans of horses and races— not the pari-mutuel windows. 

The fact that he was beat by a “freak” filly in Rachel Alexandra might be good news as well, as there will be no outside pressure to make sure he runs in the Belmont. The trainers and owners will be more likely to let the horse tell them if he’s ready for a mile and a half after two scintillating runs in two weeks.