And to pick up from where Zenyatta is leaving off...

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Respectfully, some PHP and recovering PHP do become playahs to some extent.

There's room for both (isn't there?) and the newer people bring much-needed enthusiasm to the game.

Get 'em hooked and the money will follow.

The only thing I dread about it is that if a horse breaks down in one of the races, they might go 'egads! The horror! I'm ne'er watching this cruel cruel sport again! My heart can't take it. I've got the vapors!' I think it's important to feed tiny doses off reality when possible. Talk about how horses like Real Quiet can be in a pasture and just fall down and hurt themselves really badly so it's not that racing is terrible and a sport that killed their pretty horsie. Then maybe explain that the whip the jockeys use is fine when used properly. Gotta nurse the PHP enthusiasm along. I'm sure there's many people who haven't watched since Ruffian broke down. I get that it was traumatic, but there are truly some special moments and horses they've missed. Think about it, those folks wouldn't have seen Seattle Slew, Affirmed/Alydar, or The Bid.