Why does Chrome inspire such fanaticism?

[skydy]

[QUOTE=Shammy Davis;8139814]
Even with its tragic ending, the BARBARO story is an inspiring look at the bond between man and horse. You are so lucky to be a part of that. We are a much better world because there are thousands and thousands of horses who struggle through great physical adversity to survive and to our credit, for the most part, man does his best to help them.

You may recall the story of KELSO’s sire YOUR HOST.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Host

Allaire DuPont saw something in this broken horse to breed her mare, Maid of Flight, to and low and behold came an unattractive gelding that caught the imagination of horseracing and HOY for seven straight years.

There is a great story that James Rowe the trainer for J R Keene and many great racehorses including Sysonby and Colin wanted, upon his death, only to have “He trained Colin” under his name on his tombstone.

We horsemen and women are so blessed to be able to have this connection.

Most recently DOD and the VA have begun to support legislation to fund the use of horses to aid in the treatment of active duty and veterans suffering from pyschological and physical challenges. I don’t think we’ll ever see the end of horse usefulness. I certainly hope not.[/QUOTE]

Nice post Shammy. Thanks :yes:

[2tempe]

I was smitten and relatively fanatic about Kelso back in his day, when I was an early teen. It was harder then, as there was not internet to keep informed. The lack of internet also meant I was smitten and fanatic in private - no horsey friends, no anonymous postings.
Since then, I thought Cigar was pretty awesome and was sorry he was “shooting blanks”, and loved Zenyatta because of the presence and power she had.

But really, something about the internet makes people a little scary and nuts. It allows people to feed off each others’ wacky thoughts and bond over the smallest common thread. :eek:

[caffeinated]

I think occasionally all the stars align to create a mess like this.

Star 1: beautiful horse
Star 2: Interesting people attached to horse
Star 3: Underdog status
Star 4: Social Media
Star 5: Disagreement, dissention in the ranks, or drama.

I think if I owned a high profile horse, there is no way I’d be as open and sharing as the connections of Barbaro, Zenyatta, and California Chrome have been. I am grateful that they HAVE been so open because I enjoy following racehorses and getting news about them besides what’s in bloodhorse. I think it’s fun to be connected.

But getting SO tired of people who KNOW nothing, who have NO say, who don’t know what they’re looking at going on and frothing at the mouth and screaming about abuse, they’re starving the horse, I heard he was sore so he should come home, etc.

The internet has allowed people to fly their freak flags in a way that wasn’t really possible in days gone by. I love that people can be so inspired by a horse, that they can get so into a story (I can too!), but people just be crazy.

[rascalpony]

The first horse I really ‘fangirled’ for was Funny Cide. I still love him, darnit! His owners rode a school bus, to me that is awesome. I don’t even care that he probably wasn’t the best racehorse of that year. His story, and what he did in his career, made me really happy, and it was nice to see him win the Derby and the Preakness. I really wish he had won the Belmont, even though I would acknowledge that maybe it was beyond his abilities. He was just such a neat horse.

But getting SO tired of people who KNOW nothing, who have NO say, who don’t know what they’re looking at going on and frothing at the mouth and screaming about abuse, they’re starving the horse, I heard he was sore so he should come home, etc.

This is happening on a more general basis, really. People who have never been near a horse in their life scream bloody murder about carriage horses, about racehorses and competition horses, and they ‘know’ that the horses are unhappy, in pain, blah blah blah. Sometimes you just want to scream, “If you care about them so much why are you not at the stable with them? You’ve never been near a horse, now shut up.” I think it happens to such an extent with particular racehorses because they are so visible and their stories so publicized. People feel a sense of connection with the animal and want what they think is best for him - without really knowing him or understanding what is best for him either as a horse in general or individually.

[caffeinated]

[QUOTE=rascalpony;8140774]
People feel a sense of connection with the animal and want what they think is best for him - without really knowing him or understanding what is best for him either as a horse in general or individually.[/QUOTE]

So… basically it’s a kind of Black Stallion Syndrome. LOL

There was one comment on Chrome’s page recently that just had me laughing it was so insane. On the face of it, it wasn’t the worst one (by a long shot), but it was just so out there.

Photo: Chrome in England, standing with ears pricked, looking with a nice, attentive expression at the camera

Comment: This has me in tears! You can see in his eyes how sad and confused he is, bring him home! (paraphrased).

[dreamswept]

The Bring Chrome Home FB page is populated by psychotic idiots, 99.9% of whom don’t know a fetlock from a forelock. I was bored one day and thought I’d take a look over there to see what people are writing, and talk about rabid. I thought I’d seen it all when Paul Reddam sold I’ll Have Another to Japan, and all the vile things that were said about him (that he was “totally greedy” to sell for $10 million but Ahmed Zayat is doing “the best thing” for Bodemeister – talk about double standards) but the thing said about Perry Martin are awful. Whether the rabid fans like it or not, he pays the bills, he makes the choices, and if the whining and pouting and insulting name calling goes on, pretty soon there won’t be any updates because someone is going to say enough is enough.

It’s sort of happened with Team Zenyatta. I remember when Coz was born, and even before that, when Dottie was doing the blog, there was lots of content. And then Dottie stopped doing it, since she has other things to do for her job, and the updates started getting fewer and fewer particularly after Ziconic was born and everyone started throwing around “greedy owners/breeding her into the ground/baby making machine/yadda yadda” insults. That’s not to say we don’t get updates, but they’re nowhere near the amount that we did before.

Apparently, you just can’t please everyone.

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=caffeinated;8140941]
So… basically it’s a kind of Black Stallion Syndrome. LOL

There was one comment on Chrome’s page recently that just had me laughing it was so insane. On the face of it, it wasn’t the worst one (by a long shot), but it was just so out there.

Photo: Chrome in England, standing with ears pricked, looking with a nice, attentive expression at the camera

Comment: This has me in tears! You can see in his eyes how sad and confused he is, bring him home! (paraphrased).[/QUOTE]

Seriously. With Chrome in particular I have friends who are JC members (gets them into some UK tracks free, they own/used to own a piece of filly who raced over fences, seriously follows racing) and asked about the yard Chrome’s at and it’s horsie heaven. The trainer’s well-known and quite well-respected and the horse is probably happier than being stuck in a stall in SoCal where there’s no long gallops and green fields. He looks insanely fit and is in excellent hands even if they’re not Sherman’s. But try pointing that out. “NO HE’S TOTALLY SAD.” These are the same morons who see a picture of a carriage horse standing with a hind food cocked and scream “HE HAS TO WORK ON A BROKEN ANKLE!”

ETA: Oh, and the friend I talked to, despite not being a huge follower of US racing, was thrilled that a Kentucky Derby winner was training in England for English races. She wishes more of our horses would try it.

[caffeinated]

[QUOTE=danceronice;8141058]
ETA: Oh, and the friend I talked to, despite not being a huge follower of US racing, was thrilled that a Kentucky Derby winner was training in England for English races. She wishes more of our horses would try it.[/QUOTE]

I honestly think it’s wonderful. I don’t have super high expectations, but I think it’s really interesting and such a great way to prove the horse is more than a flash in the pan.

Funny enough I’ve seen some commentary from people more into racing, going on about how they should retire him because he’s not a good racehorse or isn’t doing well (this is aside from the folks who think he’s sad), and that I just don’t get. It’s not like he’s finishing last trailing the field. Finishing in the money may not be dominating but he’s no slouch either.

I think it’s showing that he’s a really good, quality horse. And I’m very curious how a horse originally trained for US racing (especially from CA) takes to things in England. I agree with your friend that more US horses should try it (and more top horses should race into their fourth year, too, at least).

[Hermein]

Well–since I didn’t take the Barbaro bumper sticker off my car until 2012, I probably qualify as an FOB. :winkgrin: And I was absolutely bummed when Zenyatta lost, although I’d love to see her in person someday.

I think that fanaticism over famous horses requires that first of all, the fanatic must love horses–whether they know anything at all about them or not.

In Chrome’s case*: His sire is a charmer, and I understand that CC is, too. His story is really a rags to riches classic; his owners are colorful; he’s very handsome; his trainer has never been suspended (as far as I know) and he’s very fast.

Contrast CC with a horse like Big Brown, who also won the the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. It’s rare to hear of someone who was really excited about him.

*He was bred and born about 40 miles from where I live, so is quite the local celebrity.

[Laurierace]

I made the trek to the BC to see Zenyatta lose her only race. I take full responsibility aka the “Blame”

[Beaver_Breeze]

[QUOTE=LaurieB;8139771]
The fanatics are just plain scary to me–especially since it seems to be a very short trip from “they’re not treating my horse the way i think they should” to “horse racing sucks and all racehorse owners are cruel.”

I used to share a lot more information about our horses than I do now. In fact, I’ve pretty much stopped saying anything about them on online forums. Because even if you just put a few cute foal pictures out there, some people start to get attached. Then they feel that they are due updates–and that if they don’t get updates, you are hiding something from them. They also begin to believe that their opinions matter–like, for example, that it would be the “right thing to do” for you to let them name your horse.

A few years ago–back when I used to share general info like where my horses were and what they were doing–I arrived at the training center in SC where we had our 2 year olds in training and the trainer said to me, “I worked your fillies for those friends of yours last week like you wanted.” That came as a huge surprise to me. I hadn’t sent any friends. I hadn’t asked for any works. I had no idea who those people were who had shown up at the training center and pretended that I’d sent them to see my horses. :eek:

A year later, someone pm’d me online and asked what trainer I used. I said I no longer gave out that info and related the above story about people using my name to gain access to my horses. The person replied, “So what’s wrong with that?” :no:

So now I just keep my mouth shut. There’s a whole lot of crazy out there.[/QUOTE]

I am mortified to hear those stories.

[Brooklyncowgirl]

I’m a sucker for “rags to riches” stories, owners who are “ordinary Americans” (as Hillary Clinton would put it), respected old school trainers who finally get a great colt in their barn and horses bred in states that are not Kentucky.

California Chrome touches all those bases. I also think that people on the west coast feel a certain extra pride–he’s California born and bred and even named. Can’t blame them for going nuts. Pennsylvanians loved Smarty Jones and some disappointed New York fan threw a beer bottle at the winning trainer when Funny Cide lost the Belmont.

Unfortunately there are a lot of nutcases out there. The story that someone actually was stalking Perry Martin because of his decision to send Chrome to that hell that is England in the springtime is downright scary. Social media can be a great thing but it does allow the loonies among us their public say.

From the recent pictures of him at Newmarket, the horse seems to be thriving. I don’t know if he’s going to beat the Euro horses at their own game but it looks like he won’t be totally disgraced–he may not always win but he’s a horse who almost never runs a clunker. He could surprise and I’ll be there cheering for him. America’s horse beats the best of Europe? Now that will raise heads!

[Gestalt]

The story behind the horse, it’s name, it’s connections, and it’s appearance. Who can resist a beautiful horse with a cool name that runs well?

Perfect example is Zenyatta, she really wasn’t that good. When compared to Rachel Alexandra and her accomplishments. I mean really, the Preakness, the Oaks, etc. She beat some very fast boys. Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, and a whole host of others. But when Zenyatta walked her fancy walk the fans went wild. And then she met a big racehorse named Blame, he was all that and more.

I like CC, I think he is gorgeous and he runs well. And I really like that his owner is putting the horse “out there”. Trying new things, running a new race. Not keeping him within the state of california racing against the same horses over and over. Go Chrome or go home! Ha

[danceronice]

Just saw a picture of Chrome working on the uphill gallops at Newmarket. Holy cow, he looks ripped like a body builder. Clearly, he seems to like what they’re doing wtih him.

And Gestalt, really. I’d hardly call beating a late closer on a front-speed-favoring surface by half a nose putting anyone to shame (especially since the year before Z won the Classic and beat some of the best males, including ones RA had run against.) People liked Z because she won and kept winning except once by a fraction. RA had a good three-year-old season and then fizzled the next year, plus ducked the Classic, so she just wasn’t going to have quite the same hold over time. She still has a chance to be the superior broodmare, given Coz’s unimpressive debut, but one of her two will have to make it to a start first.

[Brooklyncowgirl]

Whenever a really good horse comes along with connections that are not exactly, well, appealing (think American Pharoah), I have to keep reminding myself that a horse doesn’t get to choose his owners.

The Martin & Coburn team give a lot of people that “this could be me” feeling. We Americans love, practically worship our rich, John Steinbeck once said we are a nation of temporarily embarrassed millionaires, but it is in our DNA to believe (perhaps erroneously) that there is a level playing field and we love stories of the little guy who beats the rich and powerful with a little pluck and luck and ingenuity–or in this case a fast homebred horse from modestly successful parents.

No one roots for Goliath to make mincemeat out of David.

[caffeinated]

[QUOTE=danceronice;8148215]
People liked Z because she won and kept winning except once by a fraction.[/QUOTE]

I think also her tendency to run rather dramatic races with big stretch runs helped make fans, too. I know a couple times I watched her and felt all kinds of nervous tension - she’s too far back! She can’t make it! and then she did. The emotional rush of that kind of thing is pretty addictive, LOL

[ravenclaw]

@Brooklyncowgirl;8148419

Whenever a really good horse comes along with connections that are not exactly, well, appealing (think American Pharoah), I have to keep reminding myself that a horse doesn’t get to choose his owners.

I like Mr. Zayat. He can be a little obnoxious at times and I don’t have any insider information about him, but my impression is that he really loves the sport and his horses.

[frehley]

[QUOTE=ravenclaw;8148915]
I like Mr. Zayat. He can be a little obnoxious at times and I don’t have any insider information about him, but my impression is that he really loves the sport and his horses.[/QUOTE]

I like him too. I have never met him, but have friends who know him well. They all speak very highly of him and his son. I actually much prefer him over Coburn.

[betonbill]

I’m impressed by how good he looks from the recent photos. Am I the only one who wishes that they would let him stay a bit longer and see what develops? It looks like racehorse paradise over there to me.

[harvestmoon]

[QUOTE=Gestalt;8148040]
The story behind the horse, it’s name, it’s connections, and it’s appearance. Who can resist a beautiful horse with a cool name that runs well?

Perfect example is Zenyatta, she really wasn’t that good. When compared to Rachel Alexandra and her accomplishments. I mean really, the Preakness, the Oaks, etc. She beat some very fast boys. Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, and a whole host of others. But when Zenyatta walked her fancy walk the fans went wild. And then she met a big racehorse named Blame, he was all that and more.

I like CC, I think he is gorgeous and he runs well. And I really like that his owner is putting the horse “out there”. Trying new things, running a new race. Not keeping him within the state of california racing against the same horses over and over. Go Chrome or go home! Ha ;)[/QUOTE]

Say what? Actually Zenyatta was pretty good. Some fans may go overboard, but she definitely was an incredibly talented mare. So she lost to Blame in a very close race? So? You know Rachel Alexandra lost some races, too. Rachel lost to Zardana, who sure as heck ain’t no Blame. Those horses you listed that Rachel beat? Zenyatta beat them, too, along with some RA never faced (like Gio Ponti and Quality Road). And RA never even raced against Blame.

Sorry, but “wasn’t that good” seems pretty silly. And I’m not saying RA was a slug; those two were both top flight racehorses.