As the 4^th of July approaches our minds switch focus to barbeques, parades, and other celebrations commemorating the birth of our nation. However I as well as many other racing fans will save some room to ponder all of the great racing that comes with the weekend. Being a Monmouth Park boy the 4^th of July always goes hand in hand with the United Nations Stakes. Summer after summer I anxiously await the opportunity to see some of the best older horses go 11 furlongs on the turf (my favorite surface to watch races run on). Last summer Monmouth and the United Nations served as a catalyst to an incredible run of Grade I victories for a very special turf runner named Main Sequence trained by Graham Motion. The United Nations was his first race in the U.S. and going off at odds of 8/1 only a few could probably say they expected him to run to the level he did. As magnificent as it was to see Main Sequence and the other talented horses win in recent years, there has been one horse close to my heart that has bypassed the United Nations for other riches. Year after year this elusiveness has been crushing.

This past weekend at Churchill Downs the Grade 2 Firecracker Stakes was won by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s homebred Departing with a gutsy hedge-trimming run up the rail. It is only in recent years that the reputable turf race has been run prior to July 4^th. In fact four years ago in 2011 the race was run on July 4^th, happened to be an important race in a particularly special thoroughbred’s career, and I was lucky enough to witness it.

This story like many for me takes place in the Meadowlands simulcast area. Same characters, same seats, same father next to me constantly sharing his wealth of knowledge that I sometimes was smart enough to pay attention to. Well on July 4^th 2011 during the post parade for the 10^th race at Churchill Downs I was wise enough to listen to my father and I am forever thankful. I barely got to look at the form before the preaching of wisdom was upon me. “I’ve seen him run before on the dirt, first time on the turf, and he has got the turf pedigree to move up on it” he whispered to me making sure no one else around got the tip. It was two bucks on a long shot and I love long shots. Who doesn’t? Well as Jon Court opened up the chestnut Morton Fink homebred on the turn going four wide and struck to the lead in his typical gritty fashion to win by over two lengths, I think everyone watching knew he was something special. The winner of the race was of course none other than Wise Dan. I will never forget the array of colors that caught my eye as he came flashing down the lane. It was a very sunny and bright day at Churchill so between the bright yellow silks of Morton Fink, the purple cloth of the number 10 horse, his Wise Dan’s fierce white blaze, and his shiny chestnut coat it was a sight to remember. He was a generous 14/1 long shot that day. An incredible price then for a horse I now would pay money to get 2/1 on. We took our earnings from that race and probably lost them but it didn’t matter because I had found my new favorite horse.

The United Nations last summer was to Main Sequence what the Firecracker in 2011 was to Wise Dan, a spark that lit the fire.  We all know the fire following Wise Dan couldn’t be put out and has scorched most of the tracks across the country, except for Monmouth Park. Year after year the same cycle between Churchill, Keeneland, Woodbine, Saratoga, and on to Santa Anita for the biggest riches, but no Monmouth Park! I have followed his movements so closely the past couple years praying that the United Nations would serve as a stepping-stone on the road to the Breeders Cup. You could imagine what a Wise Dan presence for a weekend at Monmouth could do for the racing fans. He is the horse that creates an electric buzz around the track similar to what AP has done for the Haskell. But unfortunately Dan’s trip to the shore has never come. I can’t blame Mr. LoPresti for his strict travel itinerary; he runs his horse where he knows he can win. It is as simple as that. I can’t argue with him why he hasn’t brought Dan to the shore when his strategic planning has helped him win two Breeders Cup Miles in a row and earn over $7.5 million. However this year has been quite different. Last October a non-displaced fracture of his fetlock at the bottom right front cannon bone was found and the recovery process that came along with it has been a long one. I can say this summer I don’t care about where Wise Dan is headed but that he is healthy and making a return to the track safely. And as I sit this weekend to watch the United Nations I won’t be sad I didn’t get to see Wise Dan in the flesh at Monmouth but I will celebrate the opportunity to see him at some point run again. In addition the United Nations looks primed to be a top race and possibly a Main Sequence repeat?! Should be wonderful to watch like always.

Happy 4^th of July!