How do you... (part deux)

[my miss storm cat]

... define heart?

[miraja2]

A four-chambered pumplike organ of blood circulation.

[declansharbor]

Spooky Mulder
11/19/06

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

... define heart?

For a speed or up close type horse....

* Holding a stretch lead after being in a desperate situation at earlier point in the stretch. Basically out gaming a rival of quality who appears to have said horse reeled in. For an example, look at Tiznow's two BC Classic wins.

* Surviving an extreme speed duel or pace battle through very fast fractions - and staying on gamely through the stretch, while the others involved in the battle throw in the towell. In this instance, the horse doesn't have to win, but it's more impressive when they do.

As for a recent obvious example, Xtra Heat in her defeat in the Test Stakes. She was invovled in a three way duel with Harmony Lodge (who equaled a track record going 5.5 at Saratoga as a 2yo - and later won a Gr 1 stake sprinting at Saratoga) as well as the sensationally fast and in-form Secret Liason. Xtra Heat was caught in deep stretch by Victory Ride, when she had every right to stop...like her quality pace rivals Harmony Lodge and Secret Liason did (both were eased)

Seattle Slew's defeat against Exceller is an older example, but the most famous one I'm sure.

For an off-the-pace type horse or closer....

* Catching a leader in the last few jumps after appearing to look beaten through most of the stretch.

* Simply put, running down horses to score a victory against legit tough circumstances.

Stuff such as having to close into a slow pace to beat an opponet who doesn't have a history of giving races away late. It can also be beating a bad trip or beating a bias instead of beating an unfavorable pace.

That's pretty much it in my book.

A closer can be just as disadvantaged by an extreme slow pace - as a speed horse can by battling on a fast pace - however, I don't think the closer should be praised for a great showing of heart in defeat like the speed horse can be.

I say that because the speed horse has a right to quit sharply. The Closer is just at a tactical disadvantage when the pace is against him in an extreme way. In other words, both are at extreme disadvantages in defeat - and both suffered through equally bad trips - but the speed horse displayed courage to not stop when he had the right to.


Basically, for both styles of horse, the top definition is much more common with animals who are consistantly praised for their heart. The John Henry's.

The bottom definition is much more consistant with a dramatic showing of heart brought on by rare bad racing circumstances. Some tactically gifted horses go entire careers without ever finding themselves in the position to having to overcome bad circumstances to win.

By tactically gifted, normally it's horses who have early speed when asked, but also have the ability to rate kindly behind speed when the pace is too fast...and finish like they normally do.

The tactically gifted closer is a bit like the Loch-Ness monster or Bigfoot. Street Sense would be the closest thing I've ever seen flirt to it. Though, he wasn't a natural closer...and you can be getting a little fuzzy calling a horse tactically gifted when he clearly wasn't as effective moving outside of horses. His ability to adjust to all extremes of pace was his great tactical asset. Still, he got three of the greatest rides I've ever seen in the tens and tens of thousands of races I've watched.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Johnny ****ing Eves

haha