Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Catbird — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:12:55 GMT

Fabulous rivalry -- let's have more of it. But let's leave the rancor of the Zen/Rachel rivalry at the door. That was of benefit to no one. Blind Luck -- Havre de Grace, you can't lose.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

AfleetAlexForever — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:04:05 GMT

JJW - im not sure how 3 wins compared to 2 wins is convincing.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

bellesforever — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:43:43 GMT

Wonderful article...as a long time FHF fan I can say that they do care about their fans.It brought me some help when the gallant Eight Belles died.There is very little separating B.L. and Grace..a nose a neck and it is a true honest to goodness rivalry.I love both horses..how can you not?I hope that Bl's crew can get her stuff up and going..I already have my Grace shirt !

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

LauraJ — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:48:00 GMT

My problem is that I can't choose! I love them both. Oh well, that's what exacta boxes are for. Too bad Awesome Maria is out for the rest of the year; she was interesting too. It would be very cool if they both run in the Classic. Either one would have a legitimate chance to win.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

TerriV — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:45:05 GMT

They are breathtaking to watch and racing needs to get behind them and let outsiders know how exciting this rivalry is. God bless these fillies and their connections for letting them run. Zenyatta is a hard act to follow but follow her someone must... we have to keep the interest growing. Goldikova is another racing treasure and I hope when she shows up at Louisville she gets all the attention she deserves. So sorry about First Dude - I remember seeing him up close for the first time in last years Haskell. He is magnificent - I was really hoping to see him do well.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Giddyup — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:29:59 GMT

I am a huge Blind Luck fan but I disagree with JJW that anything has been proven except both of these fillies are terrific. The finishes have been very close and on any given day either one might prevail. It has been a long time since we have been treated to a rivalry this entertaining and when you have great talent like this competing with everything they got there are no losers.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

JJW — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 05:53:21 GMT

Blind Luck's beaten Havre de Grace enough times to prove she's the better of the two.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Brenda from Texas — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:14:47 GMT

I agree whole heartedly with Deltalady - BL is a throw back to the greats of the past. We almost saw a duel between Rachel & Z, but it just wasn't destined to happen. I will definitely vote for Z to be in the 2012 BC calendar. I hope that the Queen is able to promote racing charities for the rest of her life. I'm a fan that can't wait to read her new facebook post everyday.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

MsEllie — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:02:04 GMT

Hello Eric...thanks for your terrific piece on Havre de Grace and Blind Luck...you are so correct when you say that these incredible rivalries occur so rarely...As a Fox Hill Farm fan for many years, I would like to invite racing fans to check out Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm website...created in 2004, Mr. Porter was one of the very first owners to create a horse racing site specifically for racing fans, of FHF horses and others...he has created a model for other owners that should be emulated...Winstar and Bradlet Racing are notable others that also engage fans...Through the website...Rick and Victoria Keith keep all of us in the FHF community up to date on their horses, the training, the sales..all of it...whenever I hear that racing doesn't reach out to the average fan, I have to disagree and point out FHF...I invite all HdG fans and others to join our on-line community and follow Grace's career, while enhancing their racing experiences...please check out rockportharbor.com...Eight Belles would want it this way...

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

skyfire — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:14:57 GMT

Jerry H.'s willingness to ship his filly to race around the country is so awesome -- I wish I could be at Saratoga to cheer him when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Kudos also to Goldikova's connections -- their sporting spirit is what racing needs, and what marketing depts. must use to engage public interest! Seeing these horses on the track is what is beautiful about racing.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

MRO — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:59:03 GMT

I'm a Blind Luck fan & would be happy to purchase merchandise showing my support....especially if the proceeds went to t-bred rescue. This is a REAL rivalry!

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Kathmanblu — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:26:08 GMT

Where can I buy my Blind Luck shirt? :)

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Brenda from Texas — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:18:55 GMT

It's ridiculous that nobody is picking up on this rivalry - what other horse (that is currently racing) has racked up as many frequent flyer miles as Blind Luck - they're not scared to race her on both coasts & on different surfaces - the "duelling divas" need the same kind of publicity that Zenyatta had. Grace is a fantastic filly & I'm always rooting for her when she's NOT racing BL ...

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

slee — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:53:48 GMT

tford097 is right - Fox Hill Farms is selling "Grace" shirts, at their web site as well as at the track.

And if you go to Blind Luck's Facebook page, this article is linked and the response is "Questions here about T-shirts/hats/etc. have not fallen on deaf ears...", so they're in the works. Apparently her hot pink silks are something of a challenge for shirt makers. I haven't seen the silks in person, but given the neon colored shirts I see around my college campus all the time, I think this can work!

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Deltalady — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:01:02 GMT

Could not agree more, Eric. What a great rivalry between two really classy fillies, and Blind Luck is almost not to be believed with her strong resume! Steve Haskin says he's not seen anything like her, that she is a throwback to horses of the past with her durability and record. I'm hoping BL and Havre de Grace get it on in the Personal Ensign as well as the Breeders Cup Ladies. That would be the perfect place for them to settle the score and give the fans another "race for the ages" type event. And, speaking of Zenyatta (lol), the Breeders Cup marketing boys are still using all that she's done for the sport to promote this year's BC events. I know that Zenyatta and her connections are glad that their mare can still give to the sport. And being the only "Classic Queen", she will likely reign for a long time. Be sure to check the number of votes for nominations for the Breeders Cup 2012 Calendar! The lady who has basically been relegated to broodmare obscurity still commands almost 90,000 facebook fans (growing at the rate of about 1,000 per week!), and in just 1 day has garnered nearly 500 votes for the calendar! I think in 2012 we are still likely to be talking about Zenyatta. She is the "gift that keeps on giving"!

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Fox_Hill_Farm — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:42:29 GMT

Thank you for that article, Eric.

Regarding buttons, we have them, and have been giving them out at Grace's last three races. We'll be happy to send any fans of Grace a free button. We consider it an honor to be so fortunate to own her and we're delighted to be able to share her with her fans.

To get a free button, please visit our website at rockportharbor.com. We have information on the front page about how to get a free button.

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Patti D. — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:38:51 GMT

This is a tremendous rivalry and I hope the word gets out there so more fans will follow these 2 amazing fillies. I'm hoping Saratoga will run the Personal Ensign on Travers day for the chance to showcase them to a national audience (and so I can see them run in person, since I have my Travers day tickets already). But you can be sure I will stay for the Sunday races just to see them duel in the stretch again!!

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

tford097 — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:42:12 GMT

Picked up a "Grace" T shirt at Delaware Park on 7/16 sponsored by Fox Hill Farms - was

fundraiser for horse rescue. So they are out there - didn't see any for Blind Luck. Had hats and buttons too!

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Ida Lee — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:40:12 GMT

Havre and Blind Luck are true treasures for the sport. Indeed, take advantage...especially now when we keep losing so many of our superstars to injuries (the talented Awesome Maria, my beloved Paddy O'Prado and the beautiful and talented First Dude, to name a few).

re: Grab the Rivalry and Run With It - By Eric Mitchell

Giddyup — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:10:24 GMT

Excellent blog Eric. The industry got a real boost from Zenyatta last year but as you stated, to keep that momentum going they need to make the most of opportunities that come along. You have to wonder why this great rivalry was kept under the radar for so long.