DYNAFORMER And Gratitude

Dynaformer in his Paddock - enjoying the spring sunshine (Photo courtesy of Three Chimneys Farm)

I make no bones about the fact that I am a huge fan of horse racing.  From an early age, I have adored racing in all it's incarnations.   But the flat -- now that was the end all for me. EXTERMINATOR, BULL LEA, MAN O WAR, NATIVE DANCER, SWAPS, FOREGO, KELSO, DR FAGER, REGRET -- these were the names I remember hearing and reading about voraciously -- from very early on.

I remember, vividly, the 1973 Belmont stakes, my jaw dropped in disbelief, as SECRETARIAT quickly overwhelmed and then blew away the field.  It was, in fact, the most memorable race of my recollection.  I also watched in shock and sadness as the legendary BARBARO, a horse I had on the radar at the top of my list throughout the entire 2005-2006 racing season, was clipped in the Preakness. With outstanding love and care, he survived for a time --  on sheer strength and the will to win --- to attain different kind of equine greatness.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the great thoroughbred stallions.  From, SECRETARIAT, to SMARTY JONES, SILVER CHARM & CHARISMATIC, BIG BROWN to AP INDY, etc.  I have been lucky to have the access and for that I am grateful.

One hot, humid, downright sticky mid-seventies Sunday morning in June, more years ago than I care think about, I showed up unannounced at the farm gate and talked myself onto Claiborne.  Although it was Sunday,  it's a breeding farm, so it was business as usual.  SECRETARIAT had been to the breeding shed earlier in the morning but the stallion manager brought him out of his stall.

What a thrill.  Red looked bored with the entire affaire, but I was over the moon. Here he was, right in front of me, as large as life!  To stroke the neck that had helped propel that perfectly proportioned frame through such an amazing racing career was an almost swoon-able experience for me.  Heady to say the least.  Although I doubt my attention gave the object of my adoration much of a charge.  He'd had a hard morning at the office and just wanted to go lay down for awhile. I was grateful for his tolerance of this minor being's attentions.

Years later, I would go to Claiborne again to visit Red's grave, remembering that sticky summer morning when I'd been lucky enough to touch true equine greatness. I was thankful.

Last week, on a beautiful spring morning, I saw equine greatness again. I was invited by Jen Roytz to visit Three Chimneys Farm for a private tour.  I had visited the farm before, as part of a tour group. But this was different.  It was quieter, more intimate.

It was during this visit that I had an opportunity to see DYNAFORMER for the last time.  He had recently suffered a cardiac episode so his visitors were severely curtailed.  I felt honored and concerned as I stood in the doorway of his barn, quietly watching him from a distance as he stood in his stall, enjoying the dappled spring sunshine.  I didn't take a photo.  I didn't maneuver for a better look. I just watched him as he enjoyed a beautiful morning in what was to be an all too brief retirement.  Now that he is gone and I realize just how lucky I was to be able to quietly say goodbye to greatness.

You see, DYNAFORMER was Thoroughbred greatness of another kind.  While not considered to be a classically beautiful horse, he had a great racing record.  And, he did have beautiful offspring, like the legendary BARBARO. But, more than a classic beauty, he offered and gave the Thoroughbred another kind of beauty -- that of incredible strength, stamina, longevity, and an intense will to win.  The greatest, perhaps leser known characteristic he passed along to his progeny- in my opinion -- was the tendency not to bleed (EIPH).  While that may not seem like such a big deal,  if you're at all attuned to what is currently going on in the Thoroughbred industry , you know that the tendency NOT not to bleed is a very big deal.

To those who loved him, like everyone at Three Chimneys, the loss of this stallion is the loss of a member of the family.  To the Thoroughbred breed itself, the greatest loss is that he is no longer here to pass along his exceptional physical attributes first hand to another generation of offspring.  To me, it is the loss of a horse for whom I recently acquired even more admiration --  for yet another reason.  Because, after suffering a major cardiac event that would have brought every other horse to it's knees and kept them there, DYNAFORMER,  with his incredible strength and will to win, was able get up and survive to enjoy the dappled spring sunshine a few days longer.

Like many other of his outstanding offspring, DYNAFORMER'S sons NICANOR and LENTENOR (BARBARO's full little brothers), are or will be racing soon. And so, DYNAFORMER lives on in his strong, exceptional offspring. His wonderful characteristics will continue to enrich the breed.

Hopefully, I will visit DYNAFORMER again, as he lies in the dappled spring sunshine.  I will thank him again for giving so much of himself to a wonderful breed.  And, as a lover of the breed and the sport, for this and much, much more, I am very grateful.

DYNAFORMER - Photo courtesy of Three Chimneys Farm

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William Has A New Watch...

Sheer talent -- William Fox-Pitt and PARKLANE HAWK -- what else is there to say but WOW! A second Rolex Kentucky win in three years for William! $80K and new Rolex Watch to serve as twin to the one he took home two years ago! A second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam!  And, another very good week for British Eventing -- currently the true force in the sport. 

William now has two legs of the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam -- the first since Pippa Funnell in 2003.  "This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to winning the Rolex Grand Slam. I’ve never managed to win two four-stars in a row, and this is wonderful, but to win three in a row is fairly unlikely,” said Fox-Pitt of his achievement.  "It was a serious show jumping track, and I’m just very lucky that Allison took that long route at the third to last fence yesterday.” 

There was definitely drama --  and a few close calls  -- during XC.  Derek DiGrazia's course proved challenging for most --  with  quite a few slow walks back to the vet box from out on the course --  especially before the break.  19 out of 54 horses retired on course or were eliminated, three others were withdrawn.  When the likes of New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson, Karen O'Connor, Becky Holder, Laine Ashker, and Jolie Wentworth are eliminated it's a tough course. Said Jock Padget (NZL) of his fellow teammate and the course, " You know you're in for a bad day when Andrew walks home."

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/04/28/2168248/fox-pitt-leads-after-tricky-cross.html#storylink=cpy

There appear to have been no serious injuries, although there was a fairly long hold on course after James Alliston's PARKER fell.  (PARKER was reported to be resting comfortably, after being checked by vets but I have no other information about his condition at this time.) 

Clark Montgomery and LOUGHAN GLEN, were eliminated by a mistake at the third-to-last jump that left Clark's horse hung up in the jump. The horse could not extract himself from the brush arch.  It took Clark literally diving under the jump and working at it to finally free LOUGHAN GLEN, who appeared to be unhurt.

Of the 32 horses that finished XC, 22 horses had clear rounds but only seven were within the time allowed.

Of his stadium round, William said, "I thought that the fence I had down (in show jumping) was going to be a tricky fence for Parklane Hawk. He was just arguing with the bit today, and I was thinking, ‘You need to look at the jump, mate.’ When you have a fence down it makes a huge difference, and when the cushion is gone, panic can set in.”

Allison Springer and ARTHUR (owned by Allison and her delightful her parents William & Caroline Springer)  took the slow option on fence 27, putting her 8 seconds over the optimum -- adding 3.2 time faults to her first-placed Dressage score, moving her into second place. 

Of the competition, Allison said "... I was very, very pleased with Arthur. Four years ago, I went into show jumping in fifth place, and I stopped counting after five rails. But this time I was excited to come in the show jumping ring because I knew what I had to do, and I did it. It’s great to feel that way after all three days.”

Besides the runner up's share of the purse ($37K), as the highest placed American, Allison goes home with a 15 month lease on a new Range Rover.  "It’s a good thing they kept someone in the car with me, or I’d have been out there doing donuts!”, said Allison of her first experience in her new ride.

Boyd Martin took third with OTIS BARBOTIERE -- a syndicate-owned import from France --  moving up to third place on 51.0 to earn $30,000. Of his relatively new ride, Boyd said, "It was a huge gamble, and I’m happy this horse has confirmed what I thought of him. It’s a fantastic result for his first four-star."   He also finished 8th on REMINGTON XXV.  With such strong performances by two more horses, Boyd has a quiver full of four potential London Olympic talent just waiting to be drawn. 

Speaking of horse owners, on Friday, I had the opportunity to meet and spend a bit of time with Parklane Hawk's British owner, Catherine Witt, in the Sponsor's tent.  What an extremely nice -- and fun --  gal!  I'm so happy for her. At that point, she was very excited and a bit nervous.  Looks like keeping all her fingers crossed paid off!

Rolex was busy, cold, hot, wet, dry -- you name it. Plenty of shopping with many new vendors in the trade fair. Lots of course walks, two of which were sponsored by our (and Rolex Kentucky's) sponsor, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips. 

Phillip Dutton led 50 lucky folks on a somewhat intimate, four-element walk, on Thursday afternoon.  At the conclusion of his walk, Phillip handed out swag -- a autographed photograph and a FLAIR Nasal Strip -- to each walker. Phillip Dutton enjoys stepping out of the limelight to spend time with his fans, and you could really see that on this course walk.  

And, I have to say the dynamic duo of Eric Dierks and Ralph Hill leading a course walk on Friday morning was a sheer gold delight!  Those two buddies really play off each other -- delivering to the rather large group of walkers the perfect balance of knowledge and anecdote.  They could do their own radio show! The Eric and Ralph in the Morning Eventing Show... Now there's a thought.

Another Rolex has come and gone -- my 21st consecutive to be exact!  Every spring I wait for it and, when it's over, I'm sooooo glad to go home. Rolex is always so exciting, so filled with delight and drama, personalities and pitfalls -- and sometimes pain --  that I always wonder if I'll ever go again. But then, the spring rolls back around, and I'm ready to go back to Central Kentucky for one more Rolex Kentucky...

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