On Saturday October 2nd, 2010 there were many racetracks hosting their versions of Breeders’ Cup Preview day. Belmont who started this trend some years back had five Grade I races on their program highlighted by the Grade I, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup. This was a race that was rich in tradition. Kelso won this race five times in a row from 1960-1964, when racing was racing. Horse racing was one of the most popular sports and treated as such by the media, these stars made the game. Forego, Affirmed and John Henry all won this race before the advent of the Breeders’ Cup as part of Belmont’s Fall Championship Series.

Although that feeling of going to the track and getting excited about that days races from a “star” standpoint have all but gone away, Saturday sort of had that feel. The Jockey Club Gold Cup was an interesting race in that the leading older horse in the country BLAME would be racing against one of the top three year olds, FLY DOWN and RAIL TRIP, a synthetic specialist who has a ton of ability and would be trying the conventional dirt for the first time. Saturday was also the day that ZENYATTA would go for her 19th striaght victory and try to keep her record undefeated.

I went out to the track at Belmont on Saturday, nothing I wouldn’t have normally done on any other Saturday because I am still one of those diehards that loves to go to the track instead of betting from your living room. The listed attendance was 9,671 but those numbers might have been helped by the free baseball hat giveaway. However, seeing that many fans at Belmont save for Belmont Stakes Day was a bit refreshing and brought back some of the old days in the early 1980′s when the crowds were large and not affected as much by OTB or in home betting because it didn’t exist.

I watched HAYNESFIELD take the early initiative and score in wire to wire fashion, never looking back easily defeating BLAME as FLY DOWN finished a clear third. RAIL TRIP was a major disappointment showing no run whatsoever and tiring to finish fifth. But I didnt get that feel like I was watching a race back in the old days, remember the old days for me were the early 1980′s. Back then horses would win and they were cheered and people would try to get to the rail to see them come back, it was like watching Mickey Mantle or Joe Namath walk out of the tunnel before a game. We don’t have stars like we used too especially here on the east coast.

However, on the west coast, they do have a star and her name is ZENYATTA, undefeated in 19 starts after a thrilling finish to get up at the wire in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday October 2nd. She looked beaten again late in the race but her huge stride got her home as she got up to beat SWITCH by a half length as the crowd cheered. The listed attendance was 25,837 which goes to show you what star power can do. They were there to cheer on their superstar and when she won all was right with the world, even if for just a little bit. Kind of how I felt when I was younger and was introduced to this game. What could be wrong if so and so won that weekend? I would get to see so and so run the next weekend and I couldn’t wait because of the beauty of this game. The superstars attracted me to the Sport of Kings and nowadays they still do, even for just one or two days a year.

I can’t wait for the Breeders’ Cup in about a month when all the stars converge and for those two days remembering how it was in the “old days” when this game was the greatest. Maybe one day even if it takes a very long time we can get back to those days, even for just a brief moment.