What's Going On Here: Inner Strength

Four days before this year's history-making Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, Race Track Chaplaincy of America president Elliott Walden found himself on a stage leading a prayer during the Golden Anniversary celebration of a Chaplaincy that has positively impacted countless lives.

At the dinner in a large tent added to the Keeneland grounds ahead of this year's World Championships, Walden thanked God for helping the RTCA flourish, the many chaplains involved, and prayed for more years of assisting the spiritual and physical needs of the racing community. As he was reaching the end of that prayer, Walden, who of course also leads WinStar Farm, found his thoughts turning to the upcoming 1 1/4-mile race where WinStar and CHC would send out multiple grade 1 winner Life Is Good  .

As he wrapped up the prayer, Walden couldn't resist asking for one final favor, one throw-in of a request: "We want to beat Flightline  ," Walden said as he smiled at the crowd.

That final request drew some laughter and then Terry Finley, whose West Point Thoroughbreds is a part-owner of Flightline, good-naturedly chimed in from one of the tables, "You better keep praying, Elliott."

Off his dominating victories in some of the nation's great races for handicap horses this season, from the one-turn mile of the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park to the classic distance of the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar—where his 19 1/4-length victory is the most decisive in any grade 1 race at 1 1/4 miles since 1991—undefeated Flightline had been the talk of the many events leading up to the Breeders' Cup.

After he delivered a record-breaking margin of victory for the Breeders' Cup Classic at 8 1/4 lengths, he would continue to be top-of-mind coming out of the World Championships. A day after the race he would officially be retired to stud at Lane's End. A day after that, a 2.5% ownership share in the new stallion sold for $4.6 million at Keeneland, and on Nov. 9, Lane's End announced an initial stud fee of $200,000.

That was quite a few days for the undefeated, unchallenged Flightline who retires with all the buzz one could want for a new stallion.

While some Breeders' Cups have been about bringing racing to a new audience, this year's event felt more like building strength from a Central Kentucky region where the horse already is deeply ingrained. It made the many fun and interesting events surrounding the races especially enjoyable while providing plenty of opportunities to discuss Flightline and other equine stars ahead of this year's races.

We were able to make a few of these many events.

On Sunday, Oct. 30, we joined a well-supported gathering—especially considering the off-and-on drizzling rain—for the Isaac Murphy Art Garden Party and Family Stroll. The event, centered at the Town Branch Commons area of Lexington, celebrated legendary African-American jockeys Murphy and Oliver Lewis. 

The RTCA certainly provided a worthy celebration of the organization that has been so crucial to the track community. It was great to witness track staff, members of gate crews, backstretch workers, farm managers, farm workers, and some of the leading owners in the sport all come together to celebrate.

The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters dinner added the words "sold out" to its ticket platform as the night honored the achievements and careers of broadcaster Chris Lincoln, photographer Barbara Livingston, owner Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale, writers Tom Pedulla and Mike Welsch, and retired trainer and current jockey agent Kiaran McLaughlin. The fact that Lincoln continues to be as funny—and as politically incorrect—as ever had us laughing one instant and then groaning the next. The fact that a canceled flight in New York prevented Lexington native McLaughlin from making it home for the event gave us one more reason to loathe the airlines these days.

These were just some of the events leading up to this year's Breeders' Cup, and while some of these take place each year, they are especially embraced in Lexington. A feeling of connection occurred at each: a connection to the sport and the community. 

Those events would reach a climax when Flightline delivered a Breeders' Cup that figures in the years ahead to see the actual attendance of 45,973 balloon to six- or seven-figures—if based on all the people who will claim to have been there.

Flightline delivered as did the many Breeders' Cup-related events. It made for a great week. Perhaps the one challenge we'll issue is for racing to find ways to create similar feelings of community connection at future Breeders' Cup sites.