Some thoughts in support of Grade One Handicap Races (1170 Views)
Posted by:
Thehoarsehorseplayer (IP Logged)
Date: February 09, 2004 01:56PM
Every few years the argument that Grade One Handicaps should be eliminated from the Racing Menu raises its tired head and then a series of races comes along that puts that puppy (which seems to me born and bred of dog track sensibilities) back to sleep.
The last time I remember the anti-Grade One arguments gaining traction was in 2001. And then Point Given's Haskell/Travers races came along to pretty much silence that argument for a while. If you remember the races, the Haskell was a classic, the Travers a yawner.
In the Haskell, Point Given carrying 124 had to dig deep inside himself to run down the lightweighted longshot Touch Tone (115) in the stretch. The long shot players were yelling hopes and Point Given's backers were yelling prayers and everybody who was present at Monmouth on that glorious and pandemonious day knew they had seen something special. Two weeks later Point Given walked over his peers at equal weight in the Travers. And the hushed crowd began walking to Siro's.
But I guess where one comes down on this argument depends upon what one wants from Racing. If you want to see horses prove their courage, and test themselves against the great horses of the past by conceding weight to their contemporaries, you want to see Grade One Handicaps remain on the Racing Menu. If you're looking for something to single in a pick three with All-All (ah,what sportsmen these trawlers be) I guess even weights in all Grade Ones makes sense.
But remember this: If the Prince had not offered to have his charge carry a few extra stone in order to persuade the reluctant Earl to bet upon his once defeated steed again, there would not have been a rematch. There would not have been a Sport of Kings.
Racing has always been about conceding weight. And, it seems to me, if one doesn't understand this, one doesn't really understand the nature of Racing. One really doesn't understand the history, the traditions, the challenges, the greatness, the raison d'être of Racing. One doesn't really understand the Sport.
Indeed, Racing without Grade One Handicaps seems to me kind of like a Heavy Weight Championship Bout where punches to the head were not allowed. I'm not saying it wouldn't be enjoyable, but it certainly wouldn't be the same thing.
Post Edited (02-09-04 17:05)