Doom

Barbaro in the kentucky Derby 2006

All in good fun.

That’s my view of horse racing. Yesterday, fun was met by Doom in The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Leading up to the much anticipated race, I was excited by the prospect of watching this year’s star horse, Barbaro, run with the wind. Ever since family friend, J.O., alerted everyone within e-shot that there was this horse, Barbaro...not Barbican, my emotional investment began to grow.

Watching Barbaro blow out the Kentucky Derby field was one of those special thoroughbred racing moments that so rarely come together. His beauty as he blew down the stretch was spellbinding. While the experts talked about the 6.5 length victory being almost unheard of in the Derby, I was more struck by the air of champion with which he presented himself to the world. I can’t imagine a horse ever winning a Derby with such a stamp of authority.

Yesterday, I made my picks for The Preakness by pretending to be The See-erator. I stated that I had seen all possible realities and eventualities, and I suppose that was almost true. What I didn’t see was what had been shielded from me for 26 years. It was in July of 1975 that I watched Doom grab super filly, Ruffian, and break her as she attempted to lead her pack of two in a made for TV “Battle of the Sexes.” Doom snapped Ruffian’s leg and that proud horse was relieved of pain. Seeing that ambulance cart, that curtain, that flailing horse on that lonely track touched me deeply then, and my mind has kept those thoughts from me all these years.

In my picks yesterday, inexplicably, I placed a tenth horse in the field, Doom. While I suppose I was just joking around, I have to wonder if by placing Doom in the race I tempted the darkness. Perhaps, Doom was tipping the brim of his shadowed hat to me, alerting me of the attack to come. Doom lurks behind joy and anticipation.

Like Barbican earlier this year, Barbaro now faces a struggle for life after what he loved was taken from him by the dark curtain. As of this moment it remains unknown if he will avoid Ruffian’s ultimate fate.

Jack Whitaker, the famous sports commentator and philosopher when describing the horrible meeting between Ruffian and Doom, summed up my feelings today.

"Nothing can take away the horror of seeing a horse break down. It's
like seeing a masterpiece destroyed."