Allen Paulson, one of the most prominent owners and breeders in Thoroughbred racing history before his death on July 19, 2000, at age 78, embodied the American dream.
There are racehorses, and then there are racehorses, the ones who seem born with an innate desire to excel in competition and outrun opponents no matter the distance, conditions, or level of competition.
There can no doubting that the great Miesque was a racehorse in the truest sense.
Fifteen years ago this summer, horse racing was at one of its periodic upticks in national exposure as fans were drawn to the exploits of an unbeaten star racemare based in Southern California, and by the time the 27th Breeders’ Cup World Championships arrived at Churchill Downs, excitement was at a fever pitch.
When a jockey wins two races in a single afternoon, he’s enjoyed a successful day. Three wins signifies a banner afternoon and four is bound to generate buzz among racing fans and horseplayers.
But how about seven wins in a single day? Only on the rarest of occasions will a jockey embark on such a memorable win streak. During the first 69 years of racing at Del Mar in California, no jockey managed to win more than six races on a single card.
