(Cody Dorman, family and friends celebrate another win by Cody’s Wish / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

We are now embarking on a new “feature” that we hope to continue each Monday for the remainder of 2023. We are calling it “McLean’s Monday Musings & Muck Pit.”

It’s some of our thoughts and reflections about what has happened in the horse world over the past weekend, and, perhaps over the past week. Some are good thoughts. Some may be afterthoughts. Some may call them our “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” thoughts. And, yes, some will be our figurative “pitch fork tosses” into the proverbial “Muck Pit.”

So, without further adieu, here’s our inaugural pitch (and some fork):

Cleaning Off the Desk; Dusting Off the Computer; And Waxing Nostalgic: A Few Quick Thoughts:

Cody’s Wish: 

Undoubtedly, Cody’s Wish — the horse and the boy — are the best story in all of sports. Maybe for all time.

It rates with any. It supersedes most, if not all. It is truly amazing.

If Joe Drape was a decent person and a better journalist, he might want to consider being a little more well-rounded in his coverage of the greatest sport ever created and write about this amazing boy, for whom the horse is named, and the horse, from whom the world now roots on and calls their own.

The tale pulls at the heartstrings, as well as the reins. It moistens the eyes and melts the heart, at the very same time.

If Hollywood ever decides to return to the glory days of making truly great movies, then this storyline is one that deserves the best actors and scriptwriters. It is worth being on the big screen for the world to see in vivid color.

And, you know what makes this story even better?

It is true.

Amazingly enough, the writers don’t have the stretch the margins to make it feel so good.

It is true.

It is the story that should be at the top of the fold. Banner headlines. Top of mind.

It is true.

It should be the story that we all reiterate. Over. And. Over. Until the world opens its’ ears.

Because it is the story of why this sport — this industry — is so much different and so amazingly real over any other. Any. Other.

Because it is the story of why this sport exists. Yesterday. Today. And, yes, for those of you who want to preach and predict gloom and doom, tomorrow. Forever.

There are few words that can match the images. There are fewer images in life that can describe the love and bond.

This story is the definition of love. And, the real reason we all cherish our horses and our game.

We should not be ashamed to tell it. From the mountaintop all the way to the backside. Every chance we get.

If Hollywood, Disney, Drape or the worthless Tim Sullivan won’t do it, then maybe — just maybe — The Jockey Club, the Breeders’ Cup, the National HBPA, the HISA, and a host of race track executives should go together; raise the money necessary to hire the great Ron Howard; and commission him to work his magic on telling the story of Cody’s Wish. In technicolor. On the big screen. For the world, which desperately needs a feel-good story every now and then.

After all?

There’s no better story-teller and movie maker than Opie Taylor.

And, there’s no better story just sitting there waiting to be told.

Cody’s Wish II: 

While the story of Cody’s Wish and his special bond with Cody Dorman will always take center stage, and well it should, one should not and history cannot deny how amazing the horse truly is and the remarkable skill and talent he does possess.

Period.

On Belmont Stakes Day, Cody’s Wish manhandled the field in the G1 Metropolitan Mile. Man. Handled. Butt. Kicked. Whipped. Ass.

It was the 5YO’s 6th Graded Stakes victory in a row. It was the colt’s 4th G1 victory in a row. It was the son of Curlin’s 9th victory in just 13 starts, and the horse has never missed the board.

In short, Cody’s Wish is the best horse in the world right now, and whether the skeptics and historians want to agree or not, the discussion should turn to his place in history as one of the game’s all-time best.

He deserves to be there. Etched in stone. Or bronze.

Forte:

While we all will never know if the 2YO Champ and this year’s undoubted leader going into the 149th Kentucky Derby would or could have won the “Run for the Roses,” or not, the truth is that Forte was amazing in running 2nd in the G1 Belmont Stakes.

Having not raced since his win in the Florida Derby on April 1, Forte still managed to gut, grind and grunt out a hard-earned 2nd and once again demonstrated a resolve and fortitude that makes really good racehorses very good stallions.

There’s more to this story. Stay tuned. Forte may be a Force, yet.

Salute.

Jena Antonucci:

I don’t know and I have never met this young lady, who became the first female trainer to ever win a Triple Crown race when her 3YO Arcangelo captured the Belmont Stakes a couple of weeks back.

But, by nearly all accounts, the praise that she has gotten since winning the “Test of Champions” is both warranted and well-deserved.

The thing that has struck me the most is Jena Antonucci’s humility and graciousness, which matches her professionalism and her horsemanship.

Salue.

Fox Sports’ Coverage of Belmont Stakes:

On the very day of the Belmont Stakes, I took to Twitter and sounded applause for the team that produced and the team that generated this year’s coverage of the final leg of the Triple Crown. In my estimation, the coverage, commentary and the content of the entire day was magnificent and completely ran around NBC’s tired and mundane broadcasts of the past. IMO, Fox whipped NBC’s lackluster efforts by about the same distance as Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes in 1973.

Every single person of the on-air team whipped the crap out of the NBC analysts. Every. Single One.

Curt Menefee did a superb job as the host and weaved his way through a myriad of races, special interviews and featured stories like a real pro.

Tom Amoss is the best on-air, color commentator that the industry has today, and, perhaps, in broadcast history. If he was not such a good trainer, the man would undoubtedly be the best broadcaster in this industry. He is so much better than Randy Moss it is not even funny. Not. Even.

Mike Smith showed the same class and expertise as an “expert witness” in the broadcast as he does on the track. In interjected comments that were expert, on-point and meaningful and demonstrated a charismatic diplomacy that the curt Jerry Bailey could never muster.

Tom Rinaldi weaved his story-telling into broadcast gems, with heart-felt stories about Cody’s Wish, Cody Dorman, and Secretariat’s legendary rider Ron Turcotte. (I could have done without the self-serving “BS” from “BB.” But NBC’s Kenny Rice manages to kiss that stifle every broadcast, any way.)

Maggie Wolfendale is simply a very classy, honest, and talented voice,  who is not riddled with conflicts of interest like NBC’s Donna Brothers. Wonder why NBC has never disclosed that one of its’ so-called “journalists” on the biggest days of racing actually works for and is paid by the owners of Starlight Racing and Bob Baffert apologists?  Don’t you think that shows a significant bias going into the races? Don’t you think the general public should know? Journalism. Ethics. The two never meet any more. Sad.

I was at Churchill Downs just the other day and asked (begged) that they join with NYRA and craft a long-time agreement with Fox Sports to become the broadcast home of the Triple Crown, and, hopefully, other major race days.

To Fox Sports — salute.

Triple Crown Dates:

Just when you thought that the talking heads — who speak about the schedule for the Triple Crown races as if this was a new idea and a new story — had wilted on the vine?

Well, for some damn reason, they are back — again — and led by a host of “has-beens” who are truly “never-weres.”

If you want to change the distance between the mount and home plate, go for it. Sixty-feet and six inches are just not enough with fastballs now reaching 100 mph+.

If you want to change the distance between the hardwood and the top of the rim, go for it. Ten feet? Seriously? The ball “people” (can’t call the “boys” or “girls” anymore, either) can dunk it.

If you want to make the NFL field wider, then have at it. After all, the architects of American football never imagined that a 6-foot-5, 275-pound linebacker could ever run fast enough to chase down a running back from behind when lined up on one sideline and had to sprint to the other.

But when it comes to the Triple Crown? On the anniversary of the great Secretariat?

To even discuss moving the dates — including moving the Preakness before the Kentucky Derby (are you kidding me??? Would that date not interfere with Belinda Stronach’s main two Kentucky Derby preps at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita???) — is ridiculous.

To say that Andy Beyer is in favor of moving the dates now and that is supposed to sway anyone is ridiculous.

The Triple Crown is supposed to be hard. It is supposed to be difficult. It is supposed to take a true champion to win it. That’s why it is held in high esteem.

If you want to put a “participation trophy” in the game, like they do in youth soccer and Little League baseball these days? Then figure out some other title and don’t ruin the one prestigious honor that the game holds sacred.

If you want to be discussed in the same conversation as Secretariat, then go do what Secretariat did.

Until then, quit whining. And, build, birth, raise and race a better horse.

The Ole’ Muck Pit: 

The next time someone — anyone — talks about eliminating all dirt races and grass surfaces and suggests that today’s horse should only run on synthetic surfaces, please do me a favor.

Show me the first place in the world where a Thoroughbred is born, birthed, stands, nurses, and then gets fitted with a halter and makes their way to a field of lush plastic or bits of cut up paperworks to graze, roam, buck and play with Mom and a field of other babies.

Show me the first wild horse that strides across the Western hills and valleys that have been harrowed free of all grass and dirt and turned upside down and, instead, turned into a land fill.

Show me a horse — any horse — who would rather sleep on a carpet of Tapeta than a bale (or two) of straw; who would rather eat a mouthful of vitamins than a healthy chew of timothy or alfalfa grass; who would trade sweet feed and carrot stew for a tin foil of Jenny Craig?

Horses are natural creatures. They run for a living. They run for fun. They run because it makes them happy. And, they run because it makes others happy, too. They run. That’s what they do.

And, they will do what they were born to do. Always.

From birth and by nature, our horses learn to run on dirt and grass. Some of it is inherited. Some of it is learned behavior. All of it is natural. Dirt and grass is their play-pen. It is their park. It is their highway, sidewalk and nature’s surface.

It comes natural.

For anyone to claim they know better than either God or Mother Nature?

Well, not even Donna Brothers could sell that argument to her bosses (not the ones at NBC, mind you; but the ones at Starlight Racing who pay her money to promote their dirt and grass runners and potential stallions.

Wonder if that is the reason she changed her mind and previous public position of supporting all / only synthetic surfaces?

Just wondering.