BOOM! Dear Mother, I apologize for doubting your wisdom and understanding of horseflesh (or at least horse colors). Tapwrit, the gorgeous gray horse pictured below just won the Belmont Stakes!. He ran slightly back for most of the race, but when Irish War Cry started to pull away, Tapwrit caught him and pulled ahead to win the race by more than a length. I am once again a true believer in the superiority of gray horses. (Even if I still won't risk real money.) But let's also give credit to plucky little Patch, who came in third. A great showing for both of them!  This afternoon the Belmont Stakes will give my mother one more chance to prove that she gave me some good advice. She always advised me to bet on any gray horse in a race. She's been wrong twice this year, but there's one more lap in the Triple Crown to go, and there's only one gray horse in the field. Tapwrit was 6th in the Kentucky Derby and overshadowed by his stablemate, Always Dreaming. But his chances look better here-- and, hey, he's gray! I'll be rooting for him,. My second choice will be Patch, the plucky little guy with only one eye. I'll root for him, too, in honor of my favorite charitable organization, The Mid-South Lions Sight and Hearing Service. The golf-ball sized scar on the left side marks the spot where a tumor had to be removed. Does it bother him? Well, try looking at the world with one eye closed for a while. You'll discover that there are some things you miss, such as an object coming toward you from that side. But does it bother this horse? Not that you'll notice. Maybe the ability to focus on what lies straight ahead gives him an advantage. We'll see, later this afternoon. Stay tuned for updates. |
