More than once this week, someone mentioned that this Breeders' Cup World Championships is not the best or strongest edition of the two-day event. On paper, it is a fair statement. There are plenty of nice horses participating, but a lot of the headliners have dropped out for various reasons in the weeks and days leading up to the races.
However, history shows that it is unfair to judge a sporting event on its lasting impact before it has actually taken place.
Some years are periods, some years are commas. This is a comma year. Let me explain.
In 2010, it was a period year. Zenyatta was making her final career start in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and no matter what happened in the race, there was interest because it was the end of one of racing's greatest chapters.
In 2008, Zenyatta wasn't a period yet. She was full of potential and intrigue but she was far from the singular headline maker when she lined up for the Distaff. She was a comma. Her victory in that race and in the Classic in 2009 are what made the 2010 edition of the Classic, which she lost in a heartbreaker, a guaranteed success.
At the same time Zenyatta was leaving her mark, so was Goldikova. In 2008, she was an interesting European horse coming over for the race. There are several of those every year, so it was unremarkable leading up to the Mile. Then she won it. Three times in a row. Her victory in 2010 was history-making.
The point is, sometimes you need the commas to get to the periods.
In the course of the next two days, some amazing horses are going to do their best to put on a good show for us. And maybe, just maybe, there is another star in the mix waiting to take the limelight in 2015 based on their success this weekend.
I am not saying there is going to be another Zenyatta or Goldikova, just that it is a bit hasty to dismiss the event because some tried and true favorites like Wise Dan and Beholder are sitting out this year.
One of the most exciting prospects for racing's next big star has to be the undefeated Shared Belief, who will be running in Saturday's Classic. His talent is undeniable, and from a fan standpoint, the fact that he is a gelding makes him even more enjoyable to watch.
Top colts are often whisked off to the breeding shed once they dominate on the racetrack. It is lucrative and understandable, and it is also regrettable that Shared Belief will not be able to pass on his genes to the next generation. However, it does mean that should he stay happy and healthy, he should be back as a 4-year-old.
The juvenile races are also a fun peek into the future, and not just because of the winners. In 2008, Mine That Bird ran in the Juvenile but finished last. The next spring, he made headlines around the world for winning the Kentucky Derby at odds of 50-1.
He is far from the only horse who failed to shine on Breeders' Cup day as a 2-year-old but managed to put it all together later.
Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti happened to run the worst race of his career in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, which was held in less-than-ideal conditions. He came back to run second behind Zenyatta in the Classic in 2009 and Goldikova in the Mile in 2010.
So here's to the commas, to the years when we don't know what the main storyline will be, and to the horses who will ultimately claim the headlines for their own.