SHE IS THE ONE

CONGRATULATIONS TO RACHEL ALEXANDRA AND HER CONNECTIONS ON WINNING 2009 HORSE OF THE YEAR!!!

A Woman's (and a Mare's) Prerogative

It's common knowledge that it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind, and to do so early and often. Apparently the adage applies to equine women (read as mares) as well, since all the news online is that "the big mare" will race again 2010. Zenyatta to race in 2010 --Throughbred Times piece.

This could be wonderful news to all of us who have wished for a race featuring undefeated Zenyatta and her gutsy "little sister" Rachel Alexandra. I say could because I'm part Irish and I'm pretty superstitious, so I don't want to make any pronouncements or express any sentiments that could jinx the possibility of the two horses being in a race together. Whether it's a match race or a larger field, the announcement that Zenyatta plans to continue her racing career for another season means a world of fun (and wild) speculation for horse aficionados.

Oh the wonderful possibilities!

On a similar note, with the Eclipse Awards being announced on Monday, I'm going to take a moment to make a final comment about the Horse of the Year voting. And as you all know, I'm a rider, not a seasoned horse player or trainer or anything, so my impressions and feelings are merely those of someone who just loves spending time riding and in the presence of horses.

It's hard to compare apples and oranges, isn't it? It's not any easier with horses, so many race conditions, so many variables...it's fascinating and frustrating. I don't know how conflicted most of the Eclipse voters were about who was HotY, but I can say it would have been an easy choice for me. And yes, it's always easier to make these kind of decisions from your davenport where there's nothing at stake, I get that, but here's why Rachel would've had my vote...

Her campaign. A well-managed and properly strategized campaign can make or break any season--ask Martha Coakley. I have to give Rachel's connections credit for what to my mind is a really well planned campaign. She was presented with a number of challenges following her most impressive victory in the Kentucky Oaks. From defeating the broad Preakness field to her prominence in the slop of the Haskell, and ending with her gutsy victory in The Woodward, she continually rose to the challenges placed before her, and she improved with each win.

Her travels. It's easy to win at home...and let's face it, really talented athletes are also usually lucky. My beloved Minnesota Twins always had "Dome Field Advantage" when they played in the Metrodome. In their two World Series wins in 1987 and 1991 I don't think they lost a single game at the Dome. I digress, but you know where I am headed with this. Zenyatta has done all of her running in California and on synthetics. Rachel has excelled (even dominated, if I may say so) at different tracks and on different surfaces. I don't know enough about the full impact of dirt vs polytrack for this comment to be a judgment about that issue, but I do really appreciate the many ways Rachel has found to win on various surfaces, at different tracks.

Her competition. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I don't know who was really left for Rachel to defeat as a means to prove her greatness. She destroyed the 3 yr old fillies and most of the best of the 3 yr old colts, too. She beat older horses, among them males, on more than one occasion and did so showing great spirit. Zenyatta didn't race against the boys until the Breeders Cup Classic, which she also won stylishly...but it's one race.

The intangibles. In the interest of full disclosure, I've seen Rachel run twice--once in the Mother Goose at Belmont and then her incredible victory in the Woodward at Saratoga. So yes, I'm biased. I'd perhaps feel differently if I'd seen the "Big Z" in person, as I've no doubt she's a wonder to see up close with her pawing and dancing. And should Rachel have been at the Breeders Cup? The Jacksons didn't think so and they know her pretty well, so I'll defer to them. These two horses are both fire-in-the-blood exciting to watch, certainly, but Rachel gets my vote.

I've read various pieces handicapping Rachel vs Zenyatta in the HotY race on blogs and in the horse papers like Thoroughbred Times and Bloodhorse, and it's a toss up, it seems. My guess is that Zenyatta will be rewarded with the title as she's undefeated, an impressive feat in any year. And who knows, maybe it's like the Oscars--you know, how you don't win for the performance that you really should and so they award you an Oscar for a lesser, though still high quality performance, to right the earlier wrong? Perhaps Curlin's back-to-back HotY titles will negatively impact Rachel's stellar campaign. Maybe not...but I'd guess it will for a few voters at least.

Racing needs stars, as both the Mosses and Jacksons have said on various occasions, and I'm pleased that we have two such fine ladies in the constellation.

I'm hopeful that whether it's Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta in that Winner's Circle on Monday night that 2010 will be a great year for horse racing fans. And the winner is...

Late Night Schadenfreude

With all of the gut-wrenching, emotionally draining photographs and stories that continue to emerge from Haiti, the late night TV nonsense has provided a welcome (and funnier than usual!) diversion.

I'll say up front that I'm on Team Conan, mostly because of how well he's handled the really uncomfortable situation in which he's found himself. I'm not really a fan of either Conan O'Brien or Jay Leno, to be perfectly honest. Jay's kind of humor has never really resonated with me and while I've watched Conan now and then, I would never consider myself a real fan.

I have, however, been a loyal David Letterman viewer for, well, practically forever. I watched him as a teenager, mostly because he was in NYC, I suppose...but he's always been my go-to late night host. My most favorite, though sometimes I am no longer awake when he's on, is Craig Ferguson. He's extremely silly and his obsession with puppets and his snakey cup make me laugh, often until my sides ache.

All this to say that I've been greatly amused by the back-and-forthing between all of the late night hosts. I feel for Jimmy Fallon, whom I do enjoy--his Real Housewives of Late Night is hysterical and utterly over the top. And Conan's open letter to the "people of earth" was very well written--a totally classy move on his part. I can fully understand that he feels protective of the Tonight Show legacy and all that entails...it's the fulfillment of a long-held ambition for him as well. It also seems pretty clear that Jay Leno wasn't ready to cede his Tonight Show mantle to Conan O'Brien and therein lies the recipe for unrest and hard feelings.

For my money, the winner in ALL of this is David Letterman. He has the catbird seat and can watch the mud-slinging between the other two while taking his own jabs at his former employers at NBC. I think anyone who has been fired, downsized, unceremoniously dismissed, or ***insert your favorite shit-canning euphemism here*** keeps a fantasy in the back of their mind that someday they will be avenged, or at least, that their boss or employer will "rue the day," so to speak. David Letterman is living that dream for the rest of us. He is having, and I'd say enjoying, his moment of schadenfreude--that lovely word we've borrowed from the Germans that expresses the joy one can feel at the misfortune of another. 

I understand that this may come off a little mean-spirited and even, dare I say, bitter, but it's really not meant to be. I'd bet that anyone who has worked for a difficult boss or been put in untenable situations by their employer has a little revenge fantasy playing out in their head from time to time. Unlike the movies, most of us will never get the opportunity to storm dramatically out of the room, slamming the door after having uttered a perfectly phrased bon mot. (I cite as a further example the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Randy Quaid kidnaps Chevy Chase's boss in the middle of the night and brings him--still clad in his pyjamas--to the Griswold house to face the music over the lack of holiday bonuses.)

Letterman, though, he's basically won the schadenfreude lotto. After being treated rather badly by NBC in 1993 when they chose Jay Leno over Letterman for the Tonight Show, Letterman moved to CBS and I'd say has done just fine. He's rarely beat Leno in the ratings, but he had--and still has, I think--a loyal fan base. I can only imagine the grin that must have crept across Letterman's face when he heard about all the drama unfolding at his former TV home.

Granted, it took 17 years, but David Letterman may well have the last and best laugh over the slug-fest between O'Brien and Leno. (And I'm sure most mental-health professionals would suggest that it is unhealthy to hold on to that revenge fantasy for 17 years, but still...) Enjoy your schadenfreude, Dave, the rest of us will fantasize vicariously via your snarkily-worded witticisms.

OH...and if you need a smile today (and who doesn't??) here's the link to Craig Ferguson and the puppets...The Lonely Goatherd.

Don't forget the people of Haiti in your prayers and thoughts today.

35 Seconds

35 seconds is both forever and a mere instant. It's an instant if you're taking a timed test or trying to scribble down the right answer to a Final Jeopardy Question. It's seemingly forever (in our world of instantaneous responses) when waiting for voicemail to click in. It's a little longer than many of the annoying and inane advertisements that pepper our daily television watching. It's also how long it took for the earthquake in Haiti to devastate and destroy Port-au-Prince and beyond. (USGS estimates that the earthquake lasted for somewhere between 35 seconds and one minute.)

I've never experienced an earthquake and (*touch wood*) I don't ever care to. I have sincere admiration for people who live in California and other earthquake-prone places, you're all collectively braver than I could be. Some days the only things I take for granted as real certainties are that the sun will rise and set and that the earth won't quake and crumble beneath my feet. While there are tornadoes and hurricanes, blizzards and floods here in the Northeast, we're usually warned and have time to reach a place of safety. I've been through a devastating flood as a child in Minnesota and lived in NYC pre and post 9/11. I sweated with all my fellow New Yorkers through the big East Coast blackout of August 2003. Difficult, frustrating, and frightening in various degrees, to be sure, but my inconveniences and fears are insignificant in comparison to the human suffering and tragedy befalling the people of Haiti today. And I apologize in advance if this sounds too much like a sermon.

What of course makes the disaster in Haiti so much more devastating is the pre-existing abject poverty. It's one of the poorest countries on the planet and the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, there is no real building code nor any significant organization of first responders. And that alone, the absence of large scale teams of firefighters and other EMTs, is absolutely unthinkable to most of us. We assume and expect that when tragedy strikes, the local firehouse or ambulance team will arrive in timely fashion to assist or transport us to a medical facility. Not so in Port-au-Prince today. Further, it seems like most of the heavy machinery (and gasoline/fuel) needed to dig through rubble and move obstacles will have to be brought into the country. And fresh, potable drinking water is not a given in this country--that issue alone compounds the difficulties and dangers exponentially. What infrastructure there was in Haiti has barely recovered or rebuilt from the hurricanes and mudslides of 2008, so this is, in the worst of all possible scenarios, most cruel insult added to injury.

Haiti is also heavily Catholic--something like 80% Catholic--and it was truly heartbreaking to see their lovely cathedral turned into a sad shell...with further word that the Archbishop and scores of seminarians lost their lives in the quake. I know that all the Catholic churches in my area are mobilizing to take donations of clothing and blankets, etc. (And I'm sure other congregations are as well, I'm just connected to the Catholic community so I'm commenting specifically on their work.) I've read the Vatican's statement on the tragedy and hope they will be contributing substantial amounts of money, materials, and aid to the people of Haiti. There's a huge network of Catholic charities and groups like Caritas, but in my opinion, the Vatican itself has to take the lead. It goes without saying that most Catholic parishes have sister parishes in the Caribbean or South America that they do mission work with and send aid to, but I'd really like to see the Vatican throw a little of their considerable coin toward Haiti. I know everyone individually will do what they can--and we can all make a contribution in some small way, whether it's of a financial, spiritual or clothing/household goods. That said, I want there to be more than prayers emanating from the frescoed, gilt covered walls of the Vatican.

Twitter and Facebook have once again been at the forefront of getting out useful information and details. From texting donations to networking people to find out the status of family members and loved ones, it's quite hopeful to see the positive effects these technologies can have.

Here's a link to the White House list of ways to help

And this website, http://www1.networkforgood.org/help-haiti-quake-relief is a great clearinghouse for donations. You can choose to donate to everything from AmeriCares to American Jewish World Service and Doctors Without Borders. Of course, prayers cost nothing and silly as it may sound, I've always felt my prayers worked a little better when said in Latin or when I've been somewhere to light a candle.

Seriously, though, do think about it. How much can change in 35 seconds. For those like me who have never had the earthquake experience, look at the second hand on your watch ticking off 35 seconds and imagine the earth beneath you shaking violently for that length of time. And then say a prayer, send a donation or help mobilize donations in your area. Each of us can do something, the recently deceased Miep Gies is proof of the difference one person can make.

Things to Look Forward To in 2010: Hockey Edition

(The amazing Gordie Howe at Centre Bell celebrating the Montreal Canadiens 100th Anniversary)

So here we are, give or take a few hours, four days into the new year. I'm happy to report that 2010 is already far superior to the first days of last year, which leads me to believe that more positive improvements and upswings are possible if not, dare I say, likely.

In the spirit of positivity--and as a person of Scandinavian, Irish and German background, that's not my natural fall-back position--here are a few things I'm looking forward to in the coming months--Hockey Edition.

Where to begin, where to begin...

Since 2010 is a Winter Olympic year, there will be hockey galore. I haven't even looked at the various pools to see who is playing whom, but I know there will be great some great matches. The Russian team always come to play, as do the Finns, Norwegians and Swedes. And there's always some upstart country who pulls a few upsets and becomes the underdog everyone cheers for. While it's not the same now (with teams being made up of professional players as opposed to amateurs) as it was back in, say, 1980, it's still great to watch. Plus it's fun to see your favorite NHL players skating for their respective countries.

And while we're feeling that Olympic spirit...I'm one of those people who gets a total kick out of watching the obscure sports in both the Winter and Summer games. This is probably because the equestrian events that I love are considered obscure by most of the public. That said, I'll be looking forward to curling with a kind of geeky glee. It goes without saying that I love the luge and bobsled (all that speed and careening!!) and the alpine skiing contests and ski-jumping. All great fun. So I guess we know what I'll be watching in February.

[And by the way...it's just as well that the Olympics are on practically 24/7 in February since it is--with all due respect to T.S. Eliot who named April as the cruelest--by far the most brutal of months. There are no great holidays, there are usually giant snow storms and you're completely over any New Year's resolutions by that point. No, I didn't forget about St. Valentine's Day...I just think it's a big holiday and there's never a long weekend attached to it, so it doesn't count. *don't judge me*]

Right, back to hockey. From the pros to the pros-to-be, my next hockey event is this Friday--the outdoor game between BU and BC at Fenway Park. I can't wait to see hockey outside, though I am preparing how to layer my clothes so as not to freeze and/or lose any of my digits. College hockey is always a blast and these two teams have a fantastic rivalry so I know I won't be disappointed. It's also a nice warm-up for the rivalries that comprise the Bean Pot tournament games.

Speaking of the Bean Pot tournament, the first round games are on February 1 and the championship and consolation games are the next week on the 8th. We'll be there cheering on someone and listening to the chants of "safety school" and "sucks to BU" as the games unfold. It's GREAT fun and if I may make a plug for this tourney, if you consider yourself a real hockey aficionado, these games should be on your bucket list. It's like no other sporting atmosphere--a cross between a Red Sox-Yankees game (the rivalry); a college football bowl game (amateur athletes); and the Stanley Cup playoffs (quality hockey.)

I know, you're saying that there are a bunch of NHL games yet to be contested and there's the NCAA Frozen Four tourney. And you're right. But those are a ways off in the future and I'm not looking quite that far ahead yet...at least not hockey-wise.

However, as a little tease for things to come...I am already looking at possible horses for the Kentucky Derby on May 1. It is, in my opinion, not too early to start looking at Derby prospects, especially since all 2 year-old Thoroughbreds magically turned into 3 year-olds (and some of them are already tantalizing Derby possibilities...) on January 1. With that, I give you 10 to watch for the 2010 Kentucky Derby by John Asher.

So obviously, up next in the TTLFT 2010: The Horses Edition. Stay tuned...

Nuit du Les Habitants or How I Became a Canadiens Fan One Night in December

I love hockey. And I'll grant you that I've spent more time writing about horses, and perhaps even hounds, than hockey this past year, but that shouldn't be read as a measure of my love of the sport.

See, I'm a winter girl. I love snow, skiing, skating, hockey, ice in my drinks (not martinis, but most other libations) --I really like winter. Maybe this is because I come from a state, Minnesota if you didn't know, where they build palaces of ice blocks for the Winter Carnival in St. Paul. This is also a place that has dubbed itself The State of Hockey. (Don't let Massachusetts folks rope you into arguing about this...it could develop into a kerfuffle of epic proportion.)

So this hockey-loving Minnesota girl moved east and fell in love with the Bean Pot tournament games in Boston, Bruins games and the like. I've been in attendance at Bean Pot finals and games for the last 6 or so years, one year we were in great seats right by former Olympian Dave Silk. Actually, our seats were better than Dave's, but I digress.

What was great about being a fan out here was that I didn't have to choose a team. I cheered for the Bruins at their games, Northeastern at their games, BU and BC even, just enjoying the competition and fervor of their entrenched fans. Whenever I had the chance to catch the Minnesota Wild on TV, it was great and I rooted heartily for them. But for the most part I was nothing more than a casual fan who watched and attended games whenever and wherever I could.

That all changed one evening in December.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the big celebrations for the Montreal Canadiens 100th Anniversary in early December and I'm not afraid to say it, I was immediately smitten. I'm a sucker for tradition and history. Needless to say, I've since immersed myself in The Habs. I follow several great Habs fans on Twitter and still find myself reading the great pieces that were written for the beautiful centennial program that we all got at the game that night. I listen to all the games on CJAD internet radio and I find myself scouring the Montreal Gazette and the hockey blogs for tidbits to share with my Hab-loving friends. I've jumped into Habs fandom with both feet--and with my eyes open. I've been warned of the number of heartbreaks that the team has suffered (and caused) over the past century, but as a Red Sox fan and loyal Chelsea FC football fan, I'm NO stranger to heartbreak.

So what was catalyst? I can't say for sure, but part of it was watching all the ex-Canadiens on the ice skating during the pre-game ceremonies, they really looked like generations of a family. And then to see how the team honored Elmer Lach and Butch Bouchard among all the other great players was so touching. The team really showed how much they appreciated their history and that really struck a chord with me. The chants of 'Ole Ole Ole' reminded me of an EPL football match and I think by the end of the thrashing the Habs gave the Bruins, I was on my way to being hooked. Add to it that I loved the city of Montreal from the moment I arrived. It's another city that likes ice--neighborhood rinks dot the city--and when you combine that with a European flair...well, I'm in.

I had a ball in Montreal...and fell for a hockey team while I was there. I can't wait to go back--for the hockey, the food, the wonderful people, all of it. Consider this Catholic girl converted to life as a Montreal Canadiens fan. 'Ole Ole Ole!!'

Six Words: Write More, Fear Less, Love Deeper

As the year winds down and I am confronted by the reality of just how severely I've neglected my blog (no doubt leaving countless reader(s) bereft) I offer my hopes, thoughts, resolutions, and wishes for 2010. Everyone else is doing "Best of" lists and the like, but I've decided I'm very ready to be done with 2009 and look ahead to the as yet untarnished promise of 2010.

The six words in the header came from a twitter hashtag...#6wordresolution. I thought it was a fun idea and as the words gradually came to me, I realized that most of what I really wanted to envision and/or achieve for the New Year was encompassed in those few words. So here goes...

1.  Write More. That should probably be in BOLD and all caps...WRITE MORE. Whether it's here or in a journal or a favorite old Moleskine is immaterial. I want to write more and I need to write more. 'Nuff said. (And if you catch me slacking, don't hesitate to send on any sort of virtual nudge. I'll more than likely be grateful!)

2. Fear Less. Again, FEAR LESS. As someone who had a nice editorial job in publishing, preceded by fulfilling museum curatorial work, this "freelance" status is difficult. Constantly putting oneself out there, as a possible writer or editor, is difficult and can be rather daunting. It's not the putting oneself out there that's tough, it's risking the rejection of your peers or possible clients. I want to work and "participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world," but the whole "courting process" of finding work can definitely be humbling. But rejection is as much part of all our lives as is breathing or laughing, so there we are. As the quote goes..."Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." So this coming year is about being more fearless or less fearful--either way, it's about reaching and stretching and leaving my comfort zone in the dust. And come on, there are SO many things out there that are more important than silly little insecurities and fears. So like my predecessor, Roald Amundsen, I'm heading for the Poles, gang...

3. Love Deeper. It's easy to make both love and life difficult. And the good lord above (or wherever he or she abides) surely knows that this reigning queen, this empress, this high monarch of the over-thinkers can make anything difficult. (Me and Bette Davis, apparently. And if you've read any earlier posts, you'll know of my undying admiration for Ms. Davis and her many cinematic personas.) At any rate...this is about forgiving and letting go so as to love the good people and good things more. For me it's about not sweating the small stuff and moving beyond the trivialities and detritus of daily crappiness. I think this goes hand-in-hand with No. 2 above. When you're less fearful, you're more open to deep love and the vulnerability needed for it.

This is just my take for the coming year, and I can tell you, it won't be easy. But the great thing? It's going to be worth it. As I explore new horizons in the kitchen and at the paddock; as I fall harder for my now beloved Montreal Canadiens (Go Habs Go!!!);  as I cut The Snow Monkey some slack; as I spend more time writing....it's going to be more than worth the mostly small adjustments I need to make.

So here's to the next 100 years of "Les Habitants" and the success and failure that will no doubt exist therein. And to my expanding my cooking horizons...Julia Child you are definitely one of my heroines, right up there with Scarlett O'Hara, Dorothy Parker, Gertrude Bell, Coco Chanel and of course, Velvet Brown. No horsey girl is without a whisper of Velvet Brown about her, trust me.

So let's consider this my ramping up post to the end of the year...I will do a little retrospective because hey, I'm a nostalgia fanatic, what I do best is look back. But that's TK in the next day or so. And there will be horses (why Rachel Alexandra is the ONLY choice for HoY); hounds (hmmm...); and definitely hockey (stay tuned for my photos from the big centennial celebrations for the Canadiens held in early December in Montreal.


Stay warm out there...

My Literary Widows and Orphans

I'm finally feeling a little bit closer to conscious. This ridiculous cough has really laid me low for the past few days and it's good to feel a little more like a human being again--as opposed to the mass of quivering, sneezing, phlegmy germs I've been since Friday last.

Since I've spent a good deal of the last few days in my childhood bedroom (in an attempt to quarantine myself from happy, healthy sorts) I've had a lot of time to stare at the bookshelf that faces my bed. In fact, while not sleeping last night I turned on the light for a while and just looked over all the titles to see what I remembered of them, which I'd read, loved, etc.

I seem to have books in many places. A few hundred favorites at my flat in Connecticut, and heaven only knows how many are in boxes, on shelves, and stored in the spare bedroom here in Minnesota. (That sound you hear is my mother commenting that I'm welcome to take ALL of them back to Connecticut any time I'd like.) My mother is right of course, but there's never been an optimal time to schlep them all back East, nor is there likely to be one in the immediate future. (NB, Mom!) Nevertheless, I imagine that there are many treasures among those in unlabeled boxes.

Surely my old set of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books are all there, as are my beloved old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries and all my well-loved and well-worn Judy Blume favorites. I always loved Starring Sally J. Freedman, As Herself. I don't know if it was the post-war time period, the funny stories that Sally made up in her head or the old movie stars she fantasized about, but the book really struck a chord with me. I'm so glad I grew up with Judy Blume books to read and ponder over. I am admittedly a little envious of all the YA horse-related literature and series that little girls have today...but I think I'd still love all my Black Stallion and other Walter Farley books just the same, as well as the many wonderful adaptations of Black Beauty that I've collected over the years.

So all those boxes are yet to be pored over (yes, Mother, I will get to them...) but that brings me to the widows and orphans that populate the shelves at the end of my bed. I say widows and orphans because they are not, for the most part, books of my youth. (Save one beloved Rupert the Bear volume that I love dearly.) Rather, these are volumes that were left behind on moves or when I'd over-packed my suitcase and that meant the books ended up as casualties of cruel airline luggage regulations. The breadth of topic and genre also attests to to how scattered, complicated, and fickle my interest can be.

A quick scan of the topmost shelf yields, among others, copies of John Irving's Cider House Rules, Mann's Budden Brooks, mysteries by Martha Grimes, Anne Perry, and Agatha Christie, Anne Rice's Taltos, Alan Lightman's Einstein's Dreams and three coffee-table pictorials of Ireland. And the other three shelves? A veritable pick-a-mix of reading: The Deep End of The Ocean, Biography of a Cathedral, Vol. 1 of Graham Greene's life, a bio of Dashiell Hammett, galleys of The Highest Tide and William Boyd's Restless. Inserted at odd angles are paperbacks detailing the great rise (and eventual fall) of my favorite EPL team, Chelsea.  Scattered as well are classics like Spenser's The Fairie Queene and D.H. Lawrence's Women In Love. The lowest of the layers contain the oddest mix...many old texts and college books on the middle ages, various French phrase and translation books, a plethora of Iris Murdoch titles, design books of William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, a few Paulo Coelho novels, a near library of Granta magazines, and second copies of my favorite Milan Kundera titles.

Among the orphaned old-favorites, a few real treasures that will be heading back to Connecticut with me. First, an antique volume on Paris, called Paris of To-day from 1891, complete with engravings and fantastically over-written prose about one of my "hometowns." I also found a library discard copy of Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge which is a book I've read so many times, but probably not for 5 years or more...it's getting the "call-up," so to speak. In addition to Rupert the Bear, a volume of the brilliantly silly Calvin and Hobbes is also making the trip with me.

There are two stand-outs within this little literary gold-mine, though. One is A Sense of Life by the sometimes overlooked Antoine de Saint-Exupery. (He's high up on my list of people I'd love to sit next to and converse with at a dinner party.) I'm not implying he's not well-known and beloved for The Little Prince, but his other work, is, I think, sadly underrated. I read his Wind, Sand and Stars with Flight to Arras and Wisdom of the Stars and I was utterly taken aback by his skilled prose. It might read a little flowery by modern standards, but his descriptions of the sky, stars and desert are achingly beautiful and they make you want to sit out and star-gaze. Coupled with his keen insight into humanity, these books are absolute classics that I can't recommend more highly. Dip into his Wisdom of the Sands or The Tale of the Rose by his widow, Consuelo, and you will not be disappointed. These are literary treasures to be savored again and again.

The other is the movie edition of Gone With the Wind. If you've read some of my previous posts, you'll see Scarlett O'Hara and GWTW references now and then. It's been my favorite movie since I was 6--and hey, no judgment of my parents for letting a child watch a film of that nature. I've got my grandmother's old hardcover--sans dust jacket--and a few other editions of the book and movie (Beta, VHS, DVD...) so it's safe to say I'm a fan. This particular movie tie-in edition was published in 1940 and has glorious full color pictures of the cast and scenes throughout. Fiddle-dee-dee, indeed! (I love the scene below, at the Wilkes' barbecue, when Scarlett is "complimenting" India Wilkes on her "beautiful" dress. You can practically see the sneer on Scarlett's face.

When I do start back East tomorrow morning, I'll be carrying a few of these little gems with me. There will be fewer literary widows and orphans on my shelf...but still more than enough to enjoy on my next visit, and plenty to pluck off the shelf with new interest and curiosity.

The Horseman's Dilemma

I've been following all the post-Breeders Cup Horse of The Year discussions with keen interest. Obviously, I don't really have a horse in the race, so to speak, but I'm very curious to see how and or if the racing industry will resolve the HoTY dilemma.

I've seen strong arguments made for two of the options. (1) Choose either Rachel or Zenyatta and (2) Having these two fillies share HoTY honors. Let me say that I think that there's even a discussion is great, but I think it needs to resonate more strongly out into the larger racing community to really have an impact.

If one horse is chosen over the other--and with no races of the match or any other variety imminent--then there will always be question marks...and maybe that's good for the sport in the same way baseball aficionados debate past and present favorites. These sorts of discussions bring out the most arcane bits of knowledge and allow for much fun speculation, but I don't think it serves the greater good of racing.

I'd imagine that most everyone in the industry would agree that having a few stars that really captivate the public is important to all of horse racing. Whether it's Secretariat or Seabiscuit, Rachel or Zenyatta, Mine that Bird or Smarty Jones...some horses just really make an impression on people. The pull of these special animals reaches beyond the few weeks in May and June that encompass the Triple Crown races and keeps us all involved in the entire race season. But these horses are the exceptions, not the rule. The fact that Rachel and Zenyatta were both trending topics on Twitter (when the BC 09 was not) is somewhat of a testimony to the fact that regardless of what these two fillies are running in, people will pay attention.

Look, I get that there are not two Heisman trophies or two World Series champions. But this is different. Best actress Oscars have been shared (Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand) with no "watering down" of the award and I think a shared HoTY award, for two fillies who are likely to go down in history as among the best Thoroughbreds ever--of either sex--is a win-win for the industry as a whole. How can you possibly lose with two such outstanding equine athletes? And this still allows for debate and talk of match races or other meetings between Zenyatta and Rachel...but it also recognizes that in 2009 there were two exceptional horses who were (sometimes literally) head and shoulders above the crowd.

Someone wrote on a blog or column that naming the worthy Zenyatta over the equally worthy Rachel would be a sort of just dessert for the Jacksons--their Curlin beat Zenyatta for HoTY in 2008. I guess, but why would you want to punish owners like the Jacksons and Moss'? I mean what's worse than receiving the "make up award?" You know what I mean...like giving Dame Judi Dench the Oscar for Shakespeare in Love as a "make up award" for her being robbed of a well-deserved Oscar for Mrs. Brown. Now I think Judi Dench is pretty much always damned brilliant, and probably deserved and Oscar for both performances, but we all know the SiL Oscar was a sort of backhanded apology for the earlier injustice.

My point? I'd have to believe that the connections of both horses would be just fine sharing HoTY honors for their lovely charges. I think horse racing shoots itself in the foot--especially in the eyes of the more casual fan--if it chooses one or the other rather than both. And let's face it, gaining more fans of any ilk, casual or not, has to be among the top concerns for the horse racing industry. Any sport's leadership would be considered fortunate to have two such popular stars in it's stable...let's give both Rachel and Zenyatta their due and be thankful we've all had so many opportunities to see their magnificent races.

WOW

(From the NY Times / Harry How, Getty Images)

I've said many times this week whilst draping, lighting, and decorating that less is more. And while I generally think that is the case...sometimes a little hyperbole and hoopla is well earned and much deserved. Zenyatta is one of those cases.

While I'm mostly in the Rachel Alexandra camp for HoTY (to be fair, she's the one I've seen in person, so I think that's part of why I'm so taken with her) I have to say I was thrilled when the big lady Z worked her magic in today's Breeders Cup Classic. She was a Woman among boys and showed us all what great heart and will to win she has.

After Quality Road's pre-gate drama, it was hard to say who would prevail in the Classic. I always think it's like a false start in an Olympic sprint or swimming race...super hard to recover after you've used up that adrenaline rush. But recover they did and a splendid race was afoot. Kudos to Mike Smith for showing yeomanlike patience during the opening furlongs. I've sometimes been critical of Mike for not being as patient as I thought he should have been (and let's face it, my criticizing him is utterly laughable, but yet I persist) but this time he really made good on all Zenyatta's great promise. And I have to add at this point how impressed I was with Gio Ponti's performance. For such a fantastic turf horse, he sure seemed happy on the Pro-Ride today. Well done to Gio Ponti and his connections as well.

Oddly, I wasn't skittish before this race as I always seem to be when Rachel runs. Part of it could be the NyQuil and cold meds that are dulling all my senses (and I'm thankful for that, really) but as much as I love Zenyatta, she simply inspires me a little less than Rachel does. And that's okay...I love them both, just Rachel a little more. What a quandry to find oneself in, right? Choosing a favorite between two of the best fillies/mares in the world is a pretty nice dilemma to have and one I'll happily mull over my "vote" for HoTY.

And here's my one small moment of schadenfreude...Mine That Bird bringing up the rear. Now I know that since he  won the Derby he should be the horse to cheer on. I'm sorry, but he just never captured my imagination. Sure, I was probably just unhappy about I Want Revenge's situation and overwhelmed by Rachel's Oaks win...but the little bay gelding never got to me. Nothing against him, but I never thought he was all that and a bag of chips, so I'm not surprised at his poor finish here.

A wonderful weekend of racing and I'm just glad I got to see so many wonderful performances. Huzzah to one and all who competed and made the 2009 Breeders Cup races such fun for the fans. All hail Zenyatta, for she truly won the day.