What Makes Us Thankful

What are you thankful for in horse racing this season? A particular runner, race, person? Respond w/ #thanksracing hashtag

— Claire Novak (@BH_CNovak) November 27, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 27, 2013) -- It's hard to believe the year is winding to an end; feels like just yesterday we were gearing up for Triple Crown prep season and now it's almost time to do it all over again. Over at Churchill Downs, John Asher reminded us this morning -- only 157 days 'till Derby!

Before the curtain falls, those of us in Kentucky will make the annual Churchill trip for the Clark Handicap (gr. I), a late autumn tradition. I'm so happy we get to see Game On Dude and Will Take Charge in final performances of the year; they've been two excellent contenders to follow -- especially Will Take Charge in the second half of the season.

Looking through coverage from 2013 (with an added push from the little holiday that happens to be coming up tomorrow) I've been thinking about my horse racing Thanksgiving list. It's easier to think of things I wish I could fix, or situations I don't approve of, or people I don't particularly enjoy dealing with. But yes, I'm from one of those families where we have to go around the table and say at least one thing we're thankful for before we're allowed to eat, and I buy in to the premise of a day where you stop to reflect, to say thanks (shout-out to Mom Novak for that one).

I wanted to see what some of you had to say. Here are the results of my shoutout this afternoon on Twitter, #thanksracing. If you didn't get a chance to comment, please do so below. It's been an interesting year, and we have so many reasons to be thankful! 

Thankful for the Cigar Mile this weekend having two Breeders' Cup winners face off against each other. #thanksracing

— Anthony Echevers (@AnthonyEchevers) November 27, 2013

@WCRacingInc @BH_CNovak @equisponse I am thankful that I get to run and do what I love to do. And that I have owners & a team that loves me

— TheGoldencents (@TheGoldencents) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak Gary Stevens and Wayne Lukas resurrection. #thanksracing

— Mark Brooks (@MarkBrooks52) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @ABRLive I am thankful for the 3 years that racing was graced with the beautiful creature that is Royal Delta. #thanksracing

— Diane Lebowitz (@DGLebowitz) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak Animal Kingdom coming back for runs at the DWC & Royal Ascot. And the competitive divisions we had this year. #thanksracing

— Melissa Bauer-Herzog (@mbauerherzog) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak #thanksracing 4 putting my childhood hero back in the spotlight cool & charming as ever #DWayneLukas @Oxbowcolt @Willtakecharge

— danielle gershberg (@writerchickla) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak My job in the industry. #Thanksracing

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) November 27, 2013

#thanksracing All the people that make racing the greatest sport in the world and all the horses that have become or will become our heroes.

— Patrycja Szpyra (@QueenOfSuites) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak I'm thankful for the Magician/The Fugue exacta in the BC Turf. Got back much $ lost. #thanksracing

— Phil Higdon (@plhky3465) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak my #thanksracing is to the behind the scene & farm folks who rise at 4:30 when it’s 20 degrees to keep horses fed, fit, & happy

— Melissa Nolan (@KeeneGal) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak For the people who care about their horses & give them a new life after racing. I love to see them happy & healthy! #thanksracing

— Thackery (@Calico_Thack) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak The jockeys who risk their lives & my friends who make every trip to the track an event and an adventure. #thanksracing

— slgersztoff (@slgersztoff) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak I'm thankful for all of us, who show everyday how social media can improve our sport. #thanksracing

— Julialou (@julialou1008) November 27, 2013

All the great races of the Breeders Cups this year, #ThanksRacing

— 5y. (@Paula_Malik1D) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak For all the wonderful TBs I've loved from afar (& 1 special OTT I shared my life w/). #ThanksRacing

— DragnBNotSilent! (@DragnBNotSilent) November 27, 2013

@HorseRacingKK @ClaireNovak I'm thankful for all the great lifelong friends I've made working in our great sport #thanksracing

— Dave Zenner (@dave_zenner) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak thankful for racewriters who bring us the sport in a terrific manner! #thanksracing I know. Suckup!

— Keith Stafford (@Doogievet) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak For the athletes and their fans, the responsible horsemen, and my friends that share their passion for the sport TY #thanksracing

— Bailey Gallison (@starting_gate) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak For Industry Leaders that have shown support 4 #ThoroughbredAftercare: @GEFJMachine @carlocallaghan1 @TBaftercare #Thanksracing

— CANTER California (@Canterca) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @TakeChargeIndy's successful recovery! #thanksracing

— Lady And The Track (@LadyAndTheTrack) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak I'm thankful for the 1000s of Thoroughbreds and countless jockeys who put their lives on the line for our enjoyment #thanksracing

— JoshD3173 (@JoshD3173) November 27, 2013

Geldings #thanksracing @WiseDan_

— ThreeWayShake (@ThreeWayShake) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @ABRLive I'm thankful that most horses aren't automatically thrown into retirement as soon as they win a big race. #thanksracing

— Rick Marciniak (@PennNatRick) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak #thanksracing my father, trainer Caesar F Dominguez and my uncle, Henry Dominguez #family

— Mandy Dominguez (@mandylion4) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @ABRLive I'm thankful for the return of Gary Stevens! I'm still in happy disbelief seeing him in silks, & WINNING! #thanksracing

— Jessie Holmes (@Jessie_Kad) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak Palace Malice, he runs hard every time and I love to root for him and Cot Campbell #thanksracing

— Hillary (@H__ROB) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @ABRLive Emotional Kitten, Effie Trinket & Dance Again in that order & s/o to all horse racing tweeters #thanksracing

— Forego (@TheMightyForego) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak Being able to follow my dream and work at Santa Anita every day. #thanksracing

— Andrew Champagne (@AndrewChampagne) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak Thankful that I was able to get to Gulfstream and the Spa this year. #thanksracing

— John Schweighardt (@john_schweigh) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak Wise Dan safe after the hair raising Firecracker Hcp. Calidoscopio & Aaron Gryder in the amazing Brooklyn HCP. #thanksracing

— George O'Brien (@geoman52) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak @TheGoldencents @equisponse Goldencents, Doug O'Neill, Dennis O'Neill, Jack, Raphael, Jonny, Dago, Sharla, Kelli, Josh#thanksracing

— WC Racing (@WCRacingInc) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak I'm thankful for sponsoring OTTB My Field of Dreams in the care of @neighsavers. He is a delight & so are they! #thanksracing

— Jane Castruccio (@JaCastruccio) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak Return of Team Lukas to the big stage. #thanksracing

— Pike Athletics (@PikeAthletics) November 27, 2013

@ClaireNovak For Matt, Jada, Damien and all the rest of the unsung heroes who help make covering the sport so much fun. #thanksracing

— Nicole Russo (@nrusso) November 27, 2013

@BH_CNovak For a sport that, when it puts its best face forward, is unmatched as the best game there is with the best stories #Thanksracing

— horseracinghl (@horseracinghl) November 27, 2013

With so many interesting storylines and developments (in no particular order), here are a few of my favorites from the season:

• Orb winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) -- because his connections were due, and because going into the race he just looked like he couldn't lose, and because it was fun to write this article.
  
  
• Wise Dan. Wise Dan. Wise Dan. Especially writing about his 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) for our 30 Years in 30 Days feature, then watching him win the race again. There's nothing better than screaming "Come on, Dan!" at the top of your lungs.
  
  
• Wayne, being Wayne, telling reporters to meet him at 4:00 a.m. the morning after winning the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) if we wanted to do "morning after" follow-up before he shipped out. The satisfaction of being able to tell the tale of beating The Coach to the barn by at least 15 minutes, and the amusement with which, late the same afternoon, I noticed his horse vans driving homeward toward Churchill Downs as I left Louisville airport on my way home to Lexington.
  
  
• CALIDOSCOPIO in the Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) on June 7, Belmont Stakes (gr. I) eve. I loved -- LOVED -- covering this race.
  
  
• Will Take Charge, sweet, gentle, gorgeous, maturing into one heck of a runner.
  
  
• Purely Hot and Nick Caruso, the underdog story of the year.
  
  
• Not losing any fingers to Mizdirection, always classy with a hint of bitch.
  
  
• The entertainment value of Eric Guillot. And Ken Ramsey.
  
  
• John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney's kind donation to the NTWAB, their recognition of the vital need to support "the valuable work of the turf writers who record horse racing's history," and their continued efforts along with the Racetrack Chaplaincy to improve life for workers on the backstretch (in that vein, also thankful for the work of Michael Dubb, especially on housing at Saratoga)
  
  
• Game On Dude and his friend Zoe Metz (and this awesome video from Breeders' Cup week)
  
  
• Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) winner Joshua Tree. Just because.
  
  
• Joel Rosario and agent Ron Anderson, class acts. Gary Stevens with a remarkable resurgence. Ramon Dominguez, one of the best this sport is honored to call one of its own.
  
  
• Gary Contessa eating breakfast in the Keeneland track kitchen, talking about Rydilluc: "He's one bad hombre."
  
  
• Hymn Book. Ron The Greek. My Conquestadory. Emollient. Beholder. Royal Delta. Cluster of Stars. Departing. Dance to Bristol. The Apache. Flat Out. Ben's Cat. Fiftyshadesofhay. Indy Point. On Fire Baby. Daisy Devine. Princess of Sylmar. Animal Kingdom. Point of Entry. Last Gunfighter. Black Onyx (he pretty). Fort Larned. Mucho Macho Man. Itsmyluckyday. Giant Finish (hey, I just like him, okay?!) Close Hatches. Amberjack. Honor Code. Moose (Successful Dan). This list is not conclusive. We would be here all day.
  
  
• Getting the chance to interview some awesome people like Jen Patterson and Jake Nelson for this piece on exercise riders leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
  

But mostly, I'm thankful for the horses, who give us their all and make it all worthwhile. And I'm thankful for those who work to protect them, and for responsible owners and trainers who practice good horsemanship, and for the behind-the-scenes people who put in the day-to-day effort that makes this sport run. I think I'm safe to say that goes for all of us here at The Blood-Horse. So from our hearts to yours, a very Happy Thanksgiving!