The other winning streak

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

When exactly is the start of the "modern era" in horse racing?

I keep hearing the phrase modern era ... but no one seems to define it.

My best guess would be the start of the modern era in horse racing would be either April 1st 1896 or Jan 1st 1919.

Anyone else with an idea?

As far as the people using "modern era" in conjunction with Rapid Redux's streak, clearly, the modern era started after 1913.

The "modern era" is an idea that remains in flux, usually changing in order to serve the needs of whatever BS the press and the powers that be want to feed us. No one wants to hear about the "second to do this or that". They want to read about the "first". And yet, history always repeats itself. Thus, the modern era always begins just after the point where the subject being discussed was last manifest.

Turf writers want to compare these state-breds and nickel claimers to the great Citation, not some turn-of-the-century plough horse who ran every 3 days until he was a 12 year old. Citation is the go-to stock horse for all their record-chasing needs.

Ironically, I'm not so sure anyone not a die-hard fan (or an octogenarian) would even know who Citation was in this day and age. Recently, I referred to Alysheba and Ferdinand to someone and I got the response, "Before my time". Based on that, the modern era may have rebooted once again, this time with Smarty Jones being the first all-timer. Zenyatta, obviously, the second.