Last month, I touched on the long days of the growing season ahead, but I failed to mention another important “long” that kicks off the start of the summer. Specifically, the first Saturday in May at a certain famous venue in the heart of Kentucky. That’s when the longshots come out.
2024 marks the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, and even for those who aren’t typically fans of horse racing, the event tends to draw a crowd and an eye from viewers around the country.
The exhilaration and anticipation felt inside Churchill Downs as the horses are loaded into the gate seems to be the longest few seconds in all of sports. The dead silence before the starting bell and the clash of the gates opening is the moment where every emotion in the world can be felt. Fear, excitement, pride, sadness, joy and a nauseating worry flood every spectator, trainer, owner and jockey in the sport in those moments.
That moment is the last moment before those involved in the race get the answer they have been working for a few years. Just a few short minutes later, they will either be heading to the winner circle to collect their blanket of roses and celebrate years of hard work and investment, or headed back to the stable to start brainstorming their next goal, but one way or another – the race will start and finish and they will be left to decide if the journey was worth it.
May is like the silent moment before the race to those waiting to start their next hay crop. At this point, the decisions are made and the bell to start working furiously will go off at any moment, but you are left to wait and wonder if you’ve done everything you can to prepare yourself for a successful season.
The long days of training are behind you, and it's showtime, so take in the moment. Savor the anticipation before the world is rushing around you and you are atop a horse running at blazing speeds. It’s a long race, but your journey here didn’t start yesterday.
Like horse racing, the growing game requires a certain amount of luck to succeed. You may be lengths ahead, but an ill-timed storm can set you back. It’s your choice to think fast and evaluate the situation around you to decide what to do, but it’s a long race and setbacks don’t determine how strong you run across the finish line.
So whether you are the favorite or the longshot, know that the goal is to run your best race and do what you can to make it worth it at the end. While there may not be anyone there waiting with a blanket of roses, know it was an honor just to run. Besides, the longshots are always more fun to watch win.
