This piece is posted on Gary Contessa’s News page, on his website. This article is not news, however. It’s philosophy, actually.
I know, I know–many people in horse racing are all caught up in “shoulds.” One of those “shoulds” is that, in order to be considered a serious turf writer, a woman “should” write Just the Facts, Ma’am. And a News section of a Trainer’s website–“should” be only about something that happened–not about philosophical concepts that spring from the heart of said Trainer.
A piece like this — in which I’ll take something Gary tweeted, and tell readers about how his words of Wisdom connect us all to The Big Picture–well, that’s just not news. Technically.
This piece is about something far-larger than mere News. News is news today–then kicked to the curb tomorrow, when Bigger News moves into town.
So this isn’t News. Instead, it’s a piece that we hope you will read–take in, think about–and use actually to move your own life and your life’s work forward. Pretty lofty ambition for a “News” article, yes?
This morning, the technical gods finally connected Gary’s tweets from two days ago to his Facebook page. It happened sometime after 11 last night, when I went to bed, so I saw them this AM. This one tweet struck me, immediately, because of the great Truth and Wisdom behind Gary’s words on Twitter:
“Just bought a lovely Rockport Harbor filly with absolutely no pedigree. Gonna have to make her own pedigree. Great mover.”
Now, read that over and think about it. Start with the last two short words of the tweet: “Great mover.” Gary watched the way in which this f!lly moved across the track, and his heart decided that she was a great investment. Now read the words just previous: “Gonna have to make her own pedigree.” Deep. Really.
From what Gary wrote before that, she had “…absolutely no pedigree,” that is, of course American Pharoah’s not her sire, and Rachel Alexandra’s not her dam. A horse with breeding like that would (theoretically) sell for kabillions of dollars–but may not be able to run a lick.
So, no, this Rockport Harbor f!lly, on paper, didn’t look like someone with connections to unabashed greatness, right now. If she makes it on the track–it will be because she has the raw talent–the grit, muscle, determination and heart–to run her glutes off, ears pricked–and win hearts.
If she makes it on the track–it will be because she did it, not her grandsire’s DNA.
It will be because she was blessed enough to land in the hands of a Thoroughbred Trainer who, himself, didn’t “pedigree” into horse racing. I saw the correlation between Gary’s lovely new f!lly and his own career almost immediately because this morning, the NYRA Media Guide arrived in the mail. I checked Gary’s page, to be sure that the changes I’d requested had been made. (Of course, they had.)
One line seemed to glow in the dark, forcing me to notice again, and to think:
INTRODUCTION TO RACING:
Climbed over the fence at Roosevelt Raceway.
Unlike many great Trainers, Gary wasn’t “grandfathered” into the sport and the industry. Now, certainly there’s nothing wrong with inheriting history, reputation and barns from one’s Father (or Mother!) I wish that I’d inherited horses, land and my vocation–who wouldn’t love that?
But no, Gary did it the hard way, because he had to: he had to, in that his heart and soul wouldn’t let him do anything else. As a small child, with no legendary ancestor in the industry–just his own love of horses, and a burning desire–that child climbed the fence at Roosevelt Raceway, and practically begged Trainers to let him muck stalls in exchange for riding a horse once a week.
There are many people in this sport, I’ll wager, who did inherit horse racing’s riches, yet who may wish they had Gary’s passion for horses and his love of the game. To Gary, horse racing isn’t a job–as you fans know–to Gary, it’s Life. And he didn’t get any of that–the passion, the drive, the absolute love–from DNA. All those things came together in the heart of a young boy, and created the horse-crazy, Exceller Fund President, Thoroughbred Trainer we see today.
Gary started out with “no pedigree,” just as this sweet new f!lly in whom he has faith. Gary made it because he had The Right Stuff, and Rockport Harbor f!lly will make it if she has that same Right Stuff. Gary saw that Stuff on the track, and–probably because he can relate to her “pedigree-free” past–he will know how to love, pet, hug, cajole and train her to become a big, hulking, strong, on-the-muscle racing machine who doesn’t take NO for an answer.
John Henry had no pedigree, either. And he became, well, John Henry.
So if you take away nothing from this missive today, take this and chew on it: it doesn’t matter who you are–it’s who you can become. It doesn’t matter if your parents came over on the Mayflower–or they defected from an oppressive regime. Where your folks have been–what they achieved–can serve as an inspiration to you, of course. Absolutely! But if you think that you are held back–that you cannot achieve true greatness, simply because you’re not descended from wealth/fame/historical merit–then you are very, very wrong.
Gary saw that f!lly, a Great Mover. You can be–you are–a great mover. you just have to move beyond the limitations that you’ve set for yourself. You have to look at what you know you can do, who you can become–and then, yes, your own Great Moves will carve out a new path.
The only one holding you back is…you. Don’t blame your Grandfather, or ancestors in the 18th Century. Gary Contessa had no horse Trainers in his family–ever. And yet he’s become one of the most-quoted, most beloved and respected Trainers in the sport. And his new f!lly–she may become Horse of the Year.
It’s what you put Out There–not the biological ingredients that went into making you–that count. Go on, make history–make a fuss–make your own pedigree.
Thank you, Gary, for inspiring us to find our own greatness, within.
DNA may make for interesting reading, but in no way does it tell The Whole Story, in horses OR humans.