Three cheers for the assistant starter!

[beca]

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There's a whole rant lurking in my mind about how it's impossible to load horses safely on national television.

Where is the lead rope across his ass, here? Oh yeah, it's not there because it makes it look like they're "forcing" him into the gate. They try to link hands, which is better than nothing, but a lead rope would have been safer for both man and horse. They should have at least spun him another couple times, once they got the blindfold on. Many things went wrong here. I'm not denying that.

But, this isn't a rant about what went wrong. This is, quite simply, a thank you to the assistant starter who reached out and held on (3:00). He put his own life at risk to save the horse. I've been in that position twice, and gotten seriously hurt both times. I suspect this man has, too, but he still reaches out, because the horse needed it. So thank you, anonymous man in the hideous purple jacket.

I have a ton of other comments on the Breeder's Cup, but they will have to wait because I want to post about Katie's wedding first. :3