An ode to Presious Passion

Most racehorses only shine for a short period of time.  That's just the way it is in racing.  Better enjoy it while it lasts.

Presious Passion is one of those horses that sparkled brilliantly, and now, may only leave memories in his wake.

Less than a year ago, Presious Passion nearly beat one of the best turf horses in the world in one of the biggest turf races in the world.  The Breeders' Cup Turf is a $3 million, Grade 1 race of the highest order.  At long odds, Presious Passion lost by half a length.  He ran his guts out, as he always does.

But today, 10 months later, he ran in a $65,000 N2Y optional claiming race on a Wednesday afternoon at Delaware Park.  He finished a well-beaten fourth.

At first, I was simply sad.  Sad that this once bright star was clearly fading.  But that is hardly the way to remember Presious Passion.

Those who follow racing closely know Passion well.  He is the Steve Prefontaine of the thoroughbred world.  Prefontaine was a brilliant long-distance runner whose own star faded way too soon (he was killed in a car crash).  Prefontaine was renowned for his theory that running a race was a work of art.  He believed the only way to run long distances was to go flat out as fast as you can until you have nothing left.  To him, winning any other way -- like drafting on his opponents -- was chickenshit.

Pre would've loved Presious Passion.  Look at him in the Grade 1 United Nations, opening up 20 lengths in the first half of the race.  That's him waaaaay out in front.  You see that time, 45.1, in the upper corner?  That would be a scorching time in a race threefold shorter than this!  99% of racehorses could never survive that pace.

Presious Passion won.  He won quite often this way, screaming to the lead in a fashion that would be a suicide mission for most horses.

Like Pre, Presious Passion only knew one way to go -- flat out, in front, until he had nothing left.

In another race, Presious Passion opened up a huge lead and then was passed in the stretch, seemingly done.  But he fought back, and just feet from the wire, he rallied past what looked to be the winner.  That rarely happens in racing.  Once a horse is passed in the stretch, he's usually finished.  Presious Passion simply would not quit.  It was an amazing moment.

Today, in a much lesser race, I saw a spark of the old Presious Passion.  He was passed in the stretch, and once again, he tried to re-rally .  If you paid attention, you could see his will to win.  He was clearly saying, I am still all heart.  His body just wouldn't cooperate.

All of this sounds like an obituary for Presious Passion's career.  Perhaps the race he ran today was too short.  He seems to excel at distances beyond today's 1 1/16 miles.  Maybe he'll re-rally again.  But more likely, at age 7, Passion's extraordinary days are behind him. 

I, for one, am glad to have witnessed his greatness.  Here's a toast to Pre-sious Passion: