When jockey Jose Ortiz purchased land in Ocala, Fla., in 2018, it was partly done with an eye toward the distant future. Those 20 acres in the heart of Florida horse country would someday be the young rider's landing place in retirement.
I’d wager every racing fan I know has four or five races that helped spark and/or cement their passion for the sport.
For some, these races might be memorable Triple Crown or Breeders’ Cup races or maybe an international event that opened your eyes to the remarkable athletes outside the U.S. In other cases, these races might be the ones that resulted in huge scores at the betting window.
If you’re a fan of horse racing, you have at least one favorite horse that affected you in a personal way but may not be that widely known. Sure, everyone has their favorite champions, Kentucky Derby winners, and Breeders’ Cup winners, but devoted fans of the sport know that a lot of the joy in following racing comes from the less-heralded horses that one encounters while following their favorite racing circuit, through an early connection with an owner and/or breeder, or just through chance.
There’s obviously many more important matters to be concerned with right now as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect all aspects of daily life and we search for ways to help our loved ones, our neighbors, and those in need within the horse industry and everywhere else get through this public health crisis.
