Emma Jane RULES!!!

[DerbyCat]

Obviously, I loved this story - Good for Emma Jane and YEA! for Gus

I wish horse racing could be more like NASCAR, and by that I mean I wish that the average fan had more access to all the people and horses involved in this sport - I know it can't be, but how great would it it be if the average fan in the stands could be brought back to the barns after the races to feed carrots to the horses, pet them, and get to see their personalities? What if owners and trainers took the time to explain the sport to the fans and introduce them to the horses that people have seen run? I know I was beyond thrilled when I met Zenyatta this summer and watched her get her morning bath, but what average fan would ever have the chance to get that close to our stars? This connection to the "behind the scenes" is what drew me so deeply into this sport and helped give me reason to save Nopie (who, by the way, is doing fabulous! It's been seven months and he has healed amazingly well... I'll do an update soon). If I hadn't met the girlfriend of a trainer who took me to the backside to see the barn and horses, I'm not sure I would have even become an owner and I certainly wouldn't have spent thousands of dollars to save a low level claimer.

I love this sport but its marketing sucks. More stories like this need to get out and people need to realize that horse racing is about more than the image of the degenerate gambler and rich horse owners... it is so much more than that.