You Can’t Rush A Dream
January 21st, 2006by Mike Penna
Mike and Michelle Penna
It was the last race on a typical Wednesday afternoon card at Santa Anita – the track that has become known as “The Great Race Place.” The six and one-half furlong event, on the downhill turf course seemed to be an ordinary maiden race, but for this fan, it was a dream come true.
Fifteen months ago, my wife Michelle and I had visited Chestnut Farm, in Versailles, Kentucky and saw a two-year-old colt named Rush Rush in one of the paddocks. He was an impressive looking individual and within 48 hours, we had purchased a share in our first racehorse with Bongo Racing Stable.
Like most owners, we anxiously awaited every update and workout notice on the horse that had become like our child. With every update the expectations began to grow. He had class, and was beginning to display the kind of talent in the mornings we always hoped he would have.
As new owners, we learned quickly that high expectations are just that – expectations – and patience is truly a virtue when you own a racehorse. “Our son” would experience setbacks common with young horses and we would have to wait a while longer for his racing debut.
On Wednesday, October 18th, that day finally arrived. The anticipation that had been building for more than a year would finally become reality.
Entries were taken 72 hours in advance. For three days we held our breath, cautiously optimistic that Rush Rush would make it to the starting gate. Race day came and Michelle and I both found it nearly impossible to focus on anything except for the race, our thoughts solely with a three-year-old racehorse more than two thousand miles away.
Rush Rush poses at the April Keeneland Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2005
Joe DiOrio Photo
Since he was to run in the last race on the card, post time wouldn’t arrive until 7:38 PM (ET), which only added to our anxiety and made our excitement reach the boiling point, despite the fact we had already learned that you can’t rush a dream.
Many of our closest friends had also followed Rush Rush’s long road to the starting gate, so we decided to host a party in his honor. We watched as the post parade was shown on TVG and when the camera focused on the dark bay gelding in the Bongo red, yellow and black silks, everyone cheered.
Eleven horses loaded into the starting gate and our dream was a mere moments away. The butterflies in our stomachs were at full strength as the gates finally sprung open.
Rush Rush broke a step slow and found himself trailing the field, but in a strange way, that only the sport of Thoroughbred racing can provide, we actually felt a sense of victory just to see him in the race. Our dream had indeed come true.
Nobody in the room could have anticipated what would happen in the next minute and 12 seconds. Rush Rush was 10 lengths behind when the field arrived at the quarter pole and forced to race nearly 10 wide into the stretch when he suddenly seemed to find another gear.
Our house erupted with cheers as he continued to gobble up ground through the stretch.
At the wire, he was three-quarters of a length in front, and the first horse we ever owned had won the first race he ever started. A fairytale ending to a dream come true.
Mike Penna is a Thoroughbred racing radio broadcaster under his Horse Racing Radio Network banner. His wife, Michelle, is part of the InCompass team, a Jockey Club company that provides racing information and technology to racetracks across the globe. They live in Lexington, Kentucky.
