Washed Away

1st Strike: Thrills

I looked over the race form I held, trying to spot any surprises before they cost Live A Little a win in the Breeders' Cup Classic tomorrow. Bill's colt, Cometogetya, had finished third in the Juvenile today, I great effort by a horse who hadn't even broken his maiden three months ago.

Breeders' Cup Classic 2030 field:
Post-Horse (sire) {odds}

1-Into the Sunset (Ride On Curlin) {12-1}
2-More Than Spitz (Medal Count) {2-1}
3-Justin Time (Justin Phillip) {5-1}
4-Live A Little (Texas Red) {2-1}
5-Sunday Funday (Any Given Saturday) {7-1}
6-Donnie Gill (Dominus) {50-1}
7-How You Ask (Overanalyze) {25-1}
8-Torched (Violence) {40-1}
9-Eat Cake (Bayern) {30-1}
10-Stay Frosty (Stay Thirsty) {10-1}
11-Remember This Day (V.E. Day) {15-1}
12-Take the Prize (Will Take Charge) {6-1}
13-Giveitalltome (I Want Revenge) {20-1}
14-Tony the Tiger (Danza) {15-1}

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Post time for the Classic

Every owner, every trainer, every breeder, and pretty much every other person at Keeneland was poised on the edge of their seat, waiting for America's richest race to start. When the gates clanged open and the field dashed off, the crowd erupted into yells and laughs. The number nine horse, a son of BC Classic winner Bayern, was standing placidly in the gate, not bothering to start running until his jockey whipped him. He was trailing the field by some 20 lengths already, and it stayed that way through the the race for him. Live A Little was in ninth, but as the race progressed, he moved up little by little. As they hit the far turn, the other co-favorite, More Than Spitz, was battling it out with the speedy Justin Time. Live A Little was trying to gain ground, but was hemmed in on all sides. Remember This Day moved over a bit, and Live A Little was able to squeeze through. They entered the stretch, and Live A Little went wide. More Than Spitz and Justin Time we're still battling, but on the far outside, a small chestnut gelding by the name of Torched was finding his stride. He was a longshot, and when you saw his size compared to all the others, you saw why.

They had 100 yards leg to run and the crowd was roaring. I shoved someone out of the way so I could see Live A Little, and I pulled Live A Little's owner, a 95-year-old cranky woman by the name of Phyllis Wakerphin, with me to the rail. Larry Collmus' voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

"They're at the head of the stretch and More Than Spitz has a head over Justin Time! Remember This Day and Live A Little are moving up to challenge in tandem. On the far outside Torched is bearing down on the leaders! With 100 yards left to run, Torched has a three length lead, but Live A Little is determined to take him down! Torched is digging in, but Live A Little is not so little anymore, he is the big horse now! Torched is not giving in, but John Velazquez puts away his whip and is hand-riding Live A Little as they come to the wire noses apart and your Classic winner is LIVE A LITTLE! He wins it by a nose or less over the longshot Torched!"

That wasn't the surprise of the day, though. No, I knew Live A Little would give his all, whatever that was, and I knew that Shug McGaughey would not have entered Torched unless he thought the gelding might win.

The trophy was presented by the now-retired jockey Gary Stevens, who had won the 2013 Classic with Mucho Macho Man. As it was handed to me, I realize du had to speak.

"Ummm...Well, everyone here knows that I don't talk about something unless it's worth the words. And a few people here know that pretty much all I talk about these days are Live A Little. There's a reason for that. This colt has turned my life upside-down, and I'm sure the rest of his connections can say the same. The first time Live A Little entered the gate for a race as a two-year-old, I knew he was down hung special. And while he lost that race and the one after that, he decided he wanted to win after that. At the end of a race, when it's coming to the wire and you're not sure he's going to get there first, you can rest assured I'm not sure either. Everything this horse pulls out to win at the end of race, I don't know he has until the race is over."

At that point, I cut my speech short and handed the mic over to Phyllis Wakerphin. "This horse is amazing," she said succinctly, "and the man who trains him is just as amazing." Then, she dramatically collapsed.