John Banrock - Race 4 (The Breakdown)

Race 4: The Breakdown

I think we both believed our time had come but I was on the 3 and Drew was on the 1. He said was inspired by the horse’s name. A reminder to me that he was still a rookie in the game. His horse should have been 3 to 1 but the tote said 8 to 5. I explained to him that overlays were the only way to survive. Betsy was his ex-gal and the filly shared her name. I told him that girl is trouble and that horse is just the same.

When they broke from the gate his horse was 1 to 2. He said “don’t worry dad, that just means she cannot lose”. He was right. His filly won but that was only half the tale. She broke down past the wire, dumped her jockey on the rail. As the van whipped by I could saw a teardrop from Drew’s eye. And when they put the curtain up we all knew she was gonna die. He looked at me with disgust as if I should take the blame, so I offered with remorse “son, this ain’t a perfect game”. I told him “sometimes in the races you win but you really lose. The same can be said for life so careful what you choose. I know we don’t get along but we can change that today.” But something in the air told me things weren’t gonna go that way.

Drew was cold as ice and couldn’t be consoled so I said “son I know you’re angry but here’s what I’ve been told. The trainers & the owners and the jockeys & the grooms love these horses just as much as your mother loves you." I could see I made him think so I tried to carry on. I said “don’t you think that they cry when things like this go wrong? Trainers dedicate their lives to the horses and don’t do it for the pay. They’re up before the dawn even when they’re not making any hay.” I saw a change in his eyes as he began to understand. The loss was real and tragic but sometimes even Satan wins a hand. I said “we should grab a drink and forget about getting rich. And by the way that horse was probably cursed by your evil witch. That girl is nasty!"

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