It is five minutes to post. The horses are warming up behind the gate. Eighty five year old Manny Azpurua seems unfazed by the magnitude of the event. His horse Social Inclusion is the main reason the crowd has gathered at the old Aqueduct racetrack on this mild Saturday. He looks out at the historic race track and breathes calmly. He knows big races. His family knows big races. Ron Sanchez takes a peek from his corner eye to see how his trainer is holding up. The legacy of Aqueduct surrounds the grandstand today. You can feel Angel Cordero Jr. history having a seat. His history is joined by Jean Cruguet, Eddie Maple, and Jancinto Vasquez. The legacy of trainers hovers around Azpurua. Allen Jerkens is keeping his giant killers away today. He wants the big horse to shine. Howard Tesher and John P. Campo and their history comes by the old trainer side as well. Rick Lang takes out his old type writer. He places a sheet of the whitest paper in it and began to tap away. He will be recording this one for those who have taken their tack and backstretch knowledge to some place in the sky. Jockey Luis Contreras uses his whip to wipe away a little nervous energy that surfaces on Social Inclusion skin. He is confident. He knows the horse loves the track and he willingly told anyone who had a tape recorder and wanted to know how the horse was doing.
His main threat Samraat warms up like a horse that knows its game time. The young Ortiz who a few years ago was virtually an unknown name in the racing game bounces up and down lightly on the horse. Corey Nakatani who is always confident, runs his hand gently alongside the neck of Uncle Sigh. Both Uncle Sigh and Samraat are aware of each other. They can smell the intensity in the air. Today is race day but something about this day is different. The crowd is different, and they are aware that their is another horse that is fearless in the race today. They both have watched him since the march over from the backstretch. Another horse that has come to the party is Harpoon, train by Pletcher and ridden by John Velasquez. The horses begin to load. Everyone went in without incident. A yell can be heard from a starter to let them know he isn't ready yet. He has got the horse calm. Tom Durkin's voice is sending excitement throughout the crowd. And they are off in the Wood Memorial comes raining from Durkin's voice. Samraat and Uncle Sigh is immediately put in the game by their jock. Contreras guides Social Inclusion three wide and have him under a tight hold. Harpoon settles fourth and Velasquez is feeling good about his position. They travel down the backstretch doing a 24 flat open quarter and a 48 half. Contreras is biding his time. Sensing how the race is going he takes off. Durkin's voice yells "there goes Social Inclusion, and he quickly opens up" They turn for home and his lead is becoming wider. Luis looks over his shoulder. Samraat and Uncle Sigh is wondering what is going on. Harpoon is guided to the outside but is effort won't be good enough today. They come to the wire and Social Inclusion is the winner by six lengths. Tom Durkin tells the Aqueduct crowd that they have just witnessed something special.
Trainer Manny Azpurua had the same look he had on his face before the race started. He accepts the congratulation from those around him and slowly start making his way down to the winners' circle. Owner Ron Sanchez and his Velazulean pride bounces with excitement. There is a lot of noise singing with a knowing ruckus that envelopes the old Aqueduct race track. Writer Rick Lang is furiously documenting this day. The legacy of Cordero and all the other trainers and jockeys quietly exits the grandstand. The legacy is talking about the race and how beautiful the horse looked moving over the track.
Social Inclusion comes back to the winner's circle. Uncle Sigh and Samraat can be seen paying respect to the winner. Their eyes let him know. Both Nakatani and Ortiz, saddle in hand, are explaining to their trainers how the race went from their perspective. The winners' circle is filled with jubilation. The Venezuelan flag is draped over the horse. This is more than about a horse race. This is more than winning the Kentucky Derby. This is much bigger. The country..its people.. their uprising..this is their moment on the national stage. The horse is going to bring attention. It was never about the money. It was much bigger. Ron Sanchez knew it. Manny Azpurua knew it. The people of Venezuela knew it.
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