On the morning after the Belmont Stakes, in a state of renewed
bewilderment, a pilgrim hastened to the Belmont barn of Allen Jerkens to
ask the burning question. Jerkens, being to Thoroughbred racing what
Delphi is to oracles, figured to be the right guy to ask why it has
become so hard for a horse to win the Triple Crown.
“How would I know?” Jerkens said. “I never even won one of those races.”
Fair enough. So how’s the weather up there?
Jerkens
smiled. For the first time since last fall, he was on horseback.
Something about the transport of ponies between barns. The important
thing was that Allen Jerkens was back on a horse, which is where he
belongs even at 83, just shy of 40 years since he nailed down
everlasting awe as the man who beat Secretariat with two different
horses.
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