Old Friends, Courageous Fortitude, and New Beginnings

-With everything going wrong with racing, this past weekend gave us a little bit of what's right.

Saturday afternoon, September 11th, a day where most of us give at least a cursory glance to the calendar, a different type of drama was playing out in the heartland of American racing. That's the day Kentucky Downs was set to run the Kentucky Cup Turf.

You had the usual nondescript grade 3 performers lined up for the twelve furlong marathon. There were a few horses coming out of Optional Claimers, while others were also rans at the minor stake level.

Except for one.

Looking to become the first ten year old graded stakes winner, Cloudy's Knight came into the Kentucky Cup Turf off a grade 2 win.......eight and a half months ago. Before the layoff, he was an unlucky nose loser to Man Of Iron in the Breeders' Cup Marathon. Layoffs are not uncommon for the veteran warhorse. A winner of over two and a half million dollars, he won last year's renewal coming off a twelve month layoff as a spry nine year old. The runner up from last year, Rezif, was back to try and reverse the tables on his elder.

Reverse the tables indeed! This time, youth was served as Rezif was able to defeat the now ten year old in emphatic fashion. Rallying from far back, the five year old gelding made a furious four wide rally past Cloudy's Knight in the late stages to draw clear late.

Rezif's story is about as improbable as Cloudy's Knight's. He is now a winner of five of sixteen, with earnings close to one hundred eighty thousand. Not too bad considering his very humble beginnings.

After two atrocious defeats at two and three, his previous owner decided enough is enough, and unceremoniously gave Owner Trainer Matthew Jacobson the horse of his lifetime. Rezif's win was the first stakes win for Jacobson. Giving new meaning to "being in the right place at the right time."

It's also nice to see Cloudy's Knight continue to run up to his abilities without losing much due to age. Rider Rosemary Homeister had this to say following their second place finish. “When I asked him to run at the quarter pole, he gave me what he had. The winner was just much the best today, but Cloudy's Knight just loves it. He's very professional, loves his job. … Jonathan (Trainer Sheppard)did a great job with him.”

fittingly, Rezif was piloted by Greta Kuntzweiler. Herself trying to resuscitate her career after being suspended nearly five years for drug abuse, and associated legal issues. Kuntzweiler knows all too well what it means to have people believe in you, and being given a new lease on life. She became quite emotional after the win. Quite understandably considering where she's been, and where she's trying to get back to in the ever competitive life of a jockey.

Let's hope her, Rezif, and Cloudy's Knight can all continue to inspire us to succeed in spite of the obstacles in our way.

September 11th turned out to be an inspirational day of racing. We saw old friends, courageous fortitude, and new beginnings. Some of the best racing has to offer. Let us be our best on this day too, and never forget!