What were the odds a Kentucky Derby winner would “sit out” the second of the Triple Crown races?
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Everybody loves a good sports comeback story, but what about when the story’s about someone (or, in this case, some horse) that no one ever expected to even be in the race, let alone win; but while Red’s amazed by the story, Black’s more focused on the initial mindset and subsequent decisions.
While growing up, Red would watch the Kentucky Derby with our dad, although now she’s more interested in movies about horse racing. In fact, one of her favorite movies is “Seabiscuit,” which tells the real-life story of a horse (not to mention a jockey and a trainer) that overcame all odds by beating the Triple Crown winner War Admiral by four lengths in a two-horse special race.
Even if the movie is on in the background (she’ll never convince Black it’s just “white noise” and not distracting), the recreated scenes in the movie always make Red stop and watch. But nothing quite prepared her for watching the real-life video of Rich Strike seemingly coming out of nowhere, as she was far back in the field for much of the race.
Watching Rich Strike expertly and elegantly weaving, at increasing speed, in and out of the “lanes” at Churchill Downs left me in awe of the athleticism of the horse and skill of the jockey. But, at the same time, I couldn’t help but laugh as it reminded me of busy Texas highways with drivers that insist on ducking and weaving through traffic at high speeds.
Black, on the other hand, appreciates the statistics – Rich Strike was not only a long shot (80-1), but the second greatest longshot in Derby history, with a first-time Kentucky Derby jockey and trainer. And what that meant was, against all odds, including not training at a high-profile stable and without an extremely wealthy owner, they came to the gate a bunch of “no names” but with an extraordinary combination of ability, preparation, and a commitment to never give up.
Less than a week later, Rich Strike’s owner, Rick Dawson, shocked the horse racing world by announcing they wouldn’t be running the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, explaining it was part of the original plan to give Rich Strike more recovery time and rest between races. And when Red asked her if she believed that, Black explained,
If it is true, it makes sense. And, even if it was not part of the original plan, it still makes sense. After the Kentucky Derby, they said they only enter races they think they can win. So, following that logic, they will get more press if they do not run the Preakness than if they do and do not win. And, will get more excitement going (and time to train) if they run Belmont. Regardless, stating they are doing what is the right decision for the horse is something great to see.
Even though there will not be a Triple Crown contender this year, this season already has a winner that will go down in history … with a made-for-movies Cinderella story.
Quick! If someone says "Julius Caesar," what comes to mind?
Almost everyone has heard of Julius Caesar, but how many of us really know much about him, or at least that's what Red starts to wonder when she receives the usual flippant, but still accurate, reply from her sister, after feeling very proud that she knew that July was named after the famous Roman.
Which is what got Red to realize, much to her surprise (shock, if truth be told), that even as a straight-A student with a love of history, that when it came to Julius Caesar, a famous historical figure and possibly one of the greatest generals and statesmen of all time, she couldn't tell you dates or battles or anything "historical" associated with him.
Even as a theater major in college, she never read Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," although she knew just enough about the play to know that it was where the fortune teller warned Caesar to "Beware the Ides of March." Instead, her knowledge of Caesar came from her love of movies.
My first, and probably my most enduring, memory is of a brilliant general who not only commanded armies as he conquered lands far from home but was a great statesman who was also involved with one of the world's most beautiful women. And while he was Julius Caesar and the woman was Cleopatra, to me, they'll always be Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, a movie almost as controversial as the general himself.
And Black? Besides knowing that Caesar Salad was invented by a different Caesar, she appreciates Julius Caesar's leadership skills and way with words,
There is much we can learn about leadership from Julius Caesar, whether on the battlefield, in politics, or in business (start small, take risks, communicate well), including what ultimately led to his death (always consider worst-case scenarios, never get complacent or arrogant). Many of his quotes speak (pun intended) to his powerful way with words, and the ability to not only deliver a message but to inspire (and story tell), with my favorite being, "I came, I saw, I conquered."
Talking isn't the same as communicating. And hearing isn't the same as listening. Think about it.
Being an effective communicator, whether in our personal lives or at work, is a critical skill (Black thinks it's a super-power), but one-size-doesn't-fit-all as we each use very different methods and styles … ranging from lots of words and talking stuffed animals (Red) to bullet points (Black).
When Red learned that June was Effective Communications Month, she had to laugh, as the first thought that popped into her head was,
Oh, Black will have a field day with this given my tendency to blah-blah-blah. Plus, I don't know how many times she's told me that whatever point I'm trying to make often gets lost in my "sea of words". Of course, when she's told me this in person, I get the added emphasis of seeing her roll her eyes. At least, it's not what I call "The Look", which is a step beyond the rolling of her eyes when you can only imagine what she's thinking, but you know it's not good. But, I digress, which, I guess, is part of my communication "challenge".
The fact Red's warm and fuzzy, and likes to couch her words (whether spoken or written) so as not to hurt anyone's feelings, and to provide full explanations to avoid misunderstanding, is a good thing, but is still only half the equation. Communication requires both the sending — and the receiving — of a message. But if the other party isn't listening, it falls on … well, deaf ears. Which often means you repeat yourself (oh, and we all know how our tone of voice changes when we're saying something for the millionth time), and although it may initially have been said with good intentions, ends up being seen as nagging.
Black, on the other hand, has never been accused of being quiet or shy, and given her extremely pragmatic business-like personality, has a much more direct communication style. Some of which Red recognizes can be useful,
I've often said that you write, talk, and probably even dream in bullet points. And while I might think of them as "abrupt" at times, there's no question that they provide a very clear and succinct way of communicating. Which is why I preface some of my longer emails that cover lots of topics and explanations, with, "I'm borrowing some of Black's beloved bullet points …"
So, what's the most effective method? Well, you can spend hours on the internet reading countless articles about the benefits of effective communications, the various types of communications (not everything is verbal and written — think about things like body language and facial expressions), and ways to improve communication skills, but Black tends to look at things slightly backward …
The reality is that we each have our own style of communicating, but we need to remember that communication is a two-way street, and the objective is connecting with other people, and sharing thoughts and ideas. Sometimes the best way to get our point across is to work backward and think how the other person will receive what we want to express. And then listening, truly listening, to their feedback.
We all “celebrate” Memorial Day differently, but we all should remember it’s a day to honor those who gave their lives serving this country.
Memorial Day may be the unofficial start of summer, and Red remembers celebrating over the years with family get-togethers, barbeques, and pool parties; whereas Black “celebrates” most holidays by having a quiet day to work uninterrupted, but it’s important never to forget the significance of the holiday.
For Red,
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the festivities, but as a lover of history, I was fascinated to learn the history of Memorial Day goes back to the Civil War. But what’s most important is that we each find a way to remember that Memorial Day honors those men and women who’ve given their lives for this country.While Black believes,
Today is a day to put aside politics and think about patriotism. It is about gratitude. About sacrifice. About honoring those who paid the greatest price for believing in something that is bigger than all of us.
Think about what the day means to you or read the words of others who pay respect to fallen members of the military (here and here). And join us in observing the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time.
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