Sometimes there's just too much going on. Like this week, for instance:
A mule named Black Ruby died on Sept. 27 in Healdsburg, Calif., at the age of 30. This is significant, because Black Ruby is to the history of racing mules as Picasso is to painters or George Washington is to generals.
Mule racing was around before Black Ruby, but not so's anyone would have noticed. More often, the breed was associated with hauling barges along the banks of the Erie Canal or packing prospectors deep into rugged terrain. Then, in an effervescent burst of sudden fame, the rabbit-eared critter ran up a daunting string of pari-mutuel victories at Western fairs that brought her to the attention of Larry Stumes of the San Francisco Chronicle in 2000, and then writers like Bill Finley in the New York Times and Pete McEntegart in Sports Illustrated, during the summer of 2002.
By then Black Ruby was 10 and already had won 57 of 72, while on a roll of winning 22 of her last 23 starts. She was a crowd-pleaser who inspired a golden age of mule racing, sparking enough pari-mutuel handle to justify purses of as much at $10,000, unheard of in the mule sport. Many of those races came down to Black Ruby and her rival, Taz, but it was more Globetrotters vs. Generals than Affirmed-Alydar.
"I own the Phil Mickelson of mules," Taz's owner, Don Jacklin, told Finley. "Unfortunately, someone else owns the Tiger Woods."
Still, their confrontations were interesting, and the marketing departments of Southern California tracks made sure Black Ruby and Taz came their way. This reporter followed Black Ruby's bandwagon to Pomona, Los Alamitos, and even north to Ferndale and the Humboldt County Fair. But there was nothing like her match race against Taz at Del Mar on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 8, 2002.
Despite their lopsided rivalry, there was a whiff of doubt in the air, since Taz had won their most recent encounter. Management offered the match following the nine-race, so by the time the two mules entered the starting gate the sun was sinking fast behind the cliffs of Solana Beach.
Black Ruby delivered by two lengths under her constant companion Jim Burns. What lingers to this day, however, was the Del Mar crowd and its appreciative reaction to a non-wagering event between two mules. Official attendance that day was 19,342. Of those, it was estimated that 8,000 lingered, and they—we—went wild at the sight.
"She gave us so many great memories," said Mary McPherson, who raced Black Ruby with her husband, Sonny. "You won't believe how many calls and messages we've had this week. Even though she'd been retired since 2008, she still meant so much to a lot of people."
This writer included. During a field trip between racing seasons to the McPherson's 40 acres in Sonoma County, the notoriously antisocial Black Ruby allowed me to approach. Of course, she was hooked to a hotwalker at the time. Her black tail swished past the dark, gem-shaped marking on her rump that inspired her name and her long lashes drooped in boredom, while a flick of those fabled ears created their own breeze. A couple of snapshots and I was out of there with an experience to place alongside cherished encounters with some of the all-time greats.
Living to 30 is not unusual for a mule, animals bred for the long haul. According to Mary McPherson, Black Ruby was still an equine athlete at heart. Earlier this year, she could be seen scampering in the field alongside a young mule with racing potential.
"Any chance she got, she'd take off and run," McPherson said. "Then one day she came back limping. At first we figured she'd hurt a suspensory, but then it was more likely she also fell and hurt herself internally. She went downhill from there."
Black Ruby won 70 of her 119 races and finished second 22 times. Her remains will be buried on the McPherson's land, the ground marked by a suitable memorial.
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The Arc will be run Oct. 2. More formally, the journey around Longchamp's tricky course in the Bois de Bologne is known as the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), a name to be uttered with the reverence due what is both the most prestigious and most challenging 2,400-meter grass race on the planet. Apologies to no one.
The field for this 101st running of the Arc is tough enough—with defending champ Torquator Tasso facing the salty 3-year-olds Luxembourg, Vadeni, and Westover, along with such older stalwarts as Mishriff, Sealiway, and Mendocino. Their task has been made easier, however, by the exclusion of the Australian national treasure Verry Elleegant, winner of the 2021 Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) and 10 other group 1 races Down Under.
Now 7, Verry Elleegant arrived in France with a "120" rating from local officials. In her first appearance over a dry and ragged Deauville course in August she was indifferently ridden by Frankie Dettori, who seemed more concerned about dinner reservations, and was last of seven. Next out, Verry Elleegant was put on the engine by Christophe Soumillon in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) at Longchamp and ran a corker, caught only in the final yards to finish third.
In their Gallic wisdom, the French authorities slashed her rating to 113, discounting both her Melbourne Cup, an Australian group 1 win in February, and her obvious return to form. That number put her outside the 20-horse cutoff for the Arc. In frustrated response, her people will run Verry Elleegant at Longchamp Oct. 1 in the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (G1) at 14 furlongs for a winner's purse of about $150,000. First prize in the Arc is $2.5 million.
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The Woodward Stakes (G1) will be run Saturday, at Aqueduct Racetrack no less. The race was first run in 1954 and has been a coveted grade 1 event since the ratings commenced in 1974. Quite by chance, the '74 running also was the first of four straight wins in the Woodward by Forego. They could have retired the trophy right there, but thank goodness they did not, since the next three Woodwards were won by Seattle Slew, Affirmed, and Spectacular Bid (in a walkover). Ten more Hall of Famers have won it since.
The last time the Woodward was offered at Aqueduct was in 1967, while Belmont Park underwent an extensive facelift. The field going 10 furlongs on that late September day included three reigning or eventual Horses of the Year, the only time that's ever happened. Damascus won by 10 lengths, making mincemeat of Buckpasser, in what was his final start, and Dr. Fager, who let himself be cooked on the pace by a couple of hopeless rabbits. For those who prefer their history tied in a neat bow, Damascus was bred and owned by Edith Woodward Bancroft.
Life Is Good towers over a small field in Saturday's version of the Woodward at 1 1/8 miles, which at least affords the brilliant colt another chance to test his speed around two turns. He also has five past Woodward winners in his female family, including Damascus. So go ahead. Cut the check.
