Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Patties Critters — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:59:04 GMT

Thank you for the story on Canonero II. I was 13 years old in 1971 & that was the year I began watching Horse Racing. Your story brought back so many memories. I never knew the reason behind Canonero II not winning the Belmont. Thank you for showing us that Canonero II had great determination even though he was ill that day. God Bless the Horses!

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Jim Melia — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:33:22 GMT

Lamoreaux III wrote that "Canonero II was unique in that he had done all of his racing in Venezuela".

Canonero II had raced at Del Mar long before he ever ran in the Kentucky Derby.

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Rob Whiteley — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:50:04 GMT

What a treat to have you feature Bud Lamoreaux and Woodie Broun who brought unmatched elegance, class, and beautifully crafted simple truth to our sport and to its fans, not one time but every time. What treasures they are. Men with rare gifts who cared about us and our horses, and about capturing the essence and the ether, and about getting it right ... pursuing excellence, cloaking reality in the kind of beauty that could touch our hearts and cause us to thank God we were alive that day to be a part of that which they described with such poetic detail. When the Racing Hall of Fame eventually drops its incapacious ways, and opens its hallowed halls to individuals other than jockeys and trainers, these two men will be among the first inductees. Thank you, Bud, for all you've done and how you did it. And thank you, Heywood Hale Broun ... gone, but not forgotten.

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Dena Lentz — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:31:53 GMT

Wonderful article. Thank you for reminding us about Canonero II and Majestic Prince.

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

PointGiven — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:07:43 GMT

Horses do not have to be going for the Crown to get people hooked! Once I saw that huge chestnut win the Preakness and the Belmont in 2001, I knew I was - - and still am - - taken with the sport. Let's hope Big Brown catches a few more people!

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Cgriff — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:33:15 GMT

What a rare treat to have Bud Lamoreaux as guest writer on the Final Turn!

His pieces on CBS Sunday Morning were poetry by TV news standards. I still refer to his obituary tribute to Secretariat via the visit with Arthur Handcock and Risen Starlet - the last foal born from Big Red's last crop. And I'll admit to stealing that wonderful, wonderful line Bud scripted about Forego "freight train with matchsticks for legs" in conversation more than once.

This man should be the poet laureate chronicler of the sport. Other than Bill Nack and Steve Haskin - there's no one out there who can capture in words the "it" about this sport and these athletes that feed our collective soul.

I wish CBS would shake those out of the vault and re-air every one of them!

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Norma Jean — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:13:07 GMT

Thank you for this.... I haven't researched Canonero II, and now I think I need to know the whole story.

And Emily, you made me smile!

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Emily W =] — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:34:53 GMT

I agree with you Gladys Rouge. I am a 14 year old girl and Smarty Jones was the horse that got me hooked on horse racing. Im really hoping Big Brown will get more young fans like me and i think he will! Go Big Brown!!!!!! =]

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

OldGrayMare — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:46:23 GMT

Ah Canonero II !! Somehow my Father-in-Law got clubhouse seats, how I wanted to see the Triple Crown won. Not to be but the memories of the magic and the music linger. Maybe this year....

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Gladys Rouge — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:19:29 GMT

Thanks for bringing up Canonero II. It was his try for the Triple Crown that got a very young 13 yr.old girl hooked on horseracing. He came from humble beginnings but raced with courage and determination. He was a hero to many especially a 13 yr.old girl in California. I hope Big Brown can have the same impact on our young horseracing fans and give them the thrill of watching history in the making.

re: Great Pretenders - by E.S. Lamoreaux III

Chris Scherf — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:12:24 GMT

Bud Lamoreaux produced racing features that were second to none. And, unfortunately, we don't see anything like them anymore. They were beautiful essays about the true beauty and enchantment of thoroughbred racing.