I’m not talking about Shires or Percherons, Belgians or  Clydesdales, the Suffolk Punch or American Cream.

I’m talking about a different kind of draft.  The aerodynamic kind.  That’s the kind that wins horse races.

Did you know that when a horse is running approximately one horse length (2.5 meters) behind and 10 degrees to either side of another horse that it reduces aerodynamic drag to a significant degree?  Reduce that drag by 13 percent and a horse can increase its average speed by 2 percent.

It might not sound like a lot, but that 2 percent can mean the difference between fifth place and first place, according to a study conducted by Dr. Andrew Spence at The Royal Veterinary College at The University of London and published in the journal Biology Letters.

Jockeys and trainers have known about drafting for some time, but now it’s less savvy and more science.  Dr. Spence worked with colleagues at the Structure and Motion Laboratory and had access to a considerable body of data gathered by TurfTrax Racing.

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Here we go again.  It’s an infectious disease — vulgarity, that is — and it’s spreading.  All the way to Aqueduct.

Thank heavens it just got stopped in its tracks.  Jockey caps off to the racing stewards, who rejected the request of Kendall Hansen to dye his horse to match his silks.

Hansen owns a Derby hopeful named after himself (which in a world of bizarre names, isn’t bizarre at all, and certainly less bizarre than his current idea).  The horse named Hansen is the one who unseated Union Rags in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  Hansen (the horse) is gray, and Hansen (the owner) wanted to dye his horse’s mane and tail blue with a touch of yellow so he could be color-coordinated with the jockey on his back.  Bring me my smelling salts!  

Can it be long before fake tails and glitter nail — oh I mean, hoof — polish invade the backstretch?

Ready for the races -- best friends today, competitors tomorrow!

Hansen says, “…we want to get kids involved…”  Oh, now that’s a good idea. Let’s teach the little tykes all about off-track betting while they’re young and impressionable.  Maybe set up seminars in playgrounds and offer to serve yellow cupcakes with blue icing (to match the horse!) and teach children and their parents how to read the racing form!

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And when she listened, she won.  Click this link to hear her talking about it to Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.

I loved Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton.   Seeing the horses at the end of the movie surprised me, and I’ve debated with others about their significance.  I even borrowed the screenplay from a friend in the film business, hoping that it might enlighten me (it didn’t).  If you’ve seen the movie, what do you think?

There’s a place in my heart reserved for thoroughbreds.  And a little piece of my heart breaks every time I think of the thoroughbreds that won’t have a life after the track.  I wish I had a home for them all.

On Sunday, October 23rd, from 9am till noon, the Sixth Annual Suffolk Showcase is taking place at Boston’s Suffolk Downs, which is closing for the season on November 5th.  The good people from CANTER (The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses) will be there to introduce you to the current crop of beauties on the backstretch.

To my way of thinking, there’s nothing as beautiful as a grey thoroughbred, and Chief Picolo is a perfect example of why.  Seven years old, 17 hands, sound and gorgeous (if you’ve ever wondered what they’re talking about when they compliment a horse’s “dry hocks,” take a look at Chief’s):

Chief Picolo, $3000.

And if you’re looking for a now-and-forever husband horse, how about “Little Blow Heart?”  He’s laid back, 16.3h, 3 years old and a real “package” (how can you not love a horse that’s put together like this?): Continue reading →