Who's Number 768?

We were driving up the Taconic on Thursday, and happened upon WPDH, 101.5-FM in Poughkeepsie. And like many classic rock stations like to do on Labor Day weekend, they were counting down the greatest songs of all time; in this case starting at #1015 in honor of its frequency. I find it a rather silly ritual, always ending up as they do with the usual suspects in the top ten.

More interesting to me is to hear what they pick at the lower end of the spectrum. That's when you're likely to hear a somewhat forgotten gem which you may not have heard in years. It's kinda silly though; I mean, how do you decide which song is 768 or 767? And who exactly is making that call?

Nonetheless, things were going really well at first. At #768, I'd Love to Change the World, by Ten Years After, has some homophobic lyrics, but the usual great lead guitar work by Alvin Lee. Long Distance Runaround, by Yes, followed at #767, and they even let it run into Fish (Schindleria Praematurus); a nice bonus there. After that came Story In Your Eyes by the Moody Blues, which is a great song, though the album which it's from, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, wasn't nearly as good as To Our Children's Children's Children. They're actually on tour to mark their 45th anniversary. They played in NY, but I just don't do the fossil rock thing. They were one of my favorite bands at one time, but I couldn't imagine going to see them now under most circumstances.

But the best-of list started to go downhill at this point, especially once we got into the 750's. Van Halen, Aerosmith, Pearl Jam. I just never, ever got into those bands, perhaps because of an extended progressive jazz phase commencing in the mid-70's. (Though I must say that I liked the Pearl Jam song, Alive, and would consider revisiting them if you can suggest an album.) There was an awful instrumental by Pink Floyd, another band which never caught my fancy - I've never even owned a single copy of Dark Side of the Moon - and that really bad Led Zeppelin song with the calypso break.

Then, it got outright sadistic - Scorpions segueing into Bob Seger, perhaps the most mediocre rocker of all time. Jeez, were they trying to kill me? Could My Love Does It Good or Billy Joel be far off? Welcome relief came with the Beatles' Helter Skelter, but then of course, in the vicinity of Defreetsville on Route 9, the station faded away, thanks for that.

Similarly, I know people like to propose top ten lists of the greatest horses of all time, an endeavor I find particularly fruitless considering that I wasn't around to see the best horses of the past. So who am I to rank the horses I've seen with Kelso or Native Dancer or even Secretariat (I was around, but too busy going to the trotters or listening to Moody Blues albums.) I'm just not a big list guy I guess; probably related to my aversion to award shows, some deep psychological scar perhaps.

I don't know if even Illman or Plonk are wonky enough to list their top 1,015 horses. But like with the music, it might be fun to consider the horses vying for, say, that coveted #768 spot. Has to be horses with some measure of accomplishment; but not too much. Maybe a horse like Any Given Saturday. Or Bandini. Roses In May, Flower Alley, Wonder Lady Anne L, or Henny Hughes.

It's a silly exercise, I know, just like with the songs. But, as I occasionally like to do here, it does has a semi-serious point. Other than Rachel Alexandra, none of the entrants for Saturday's Woodward would even be faintly considered for the top 1,015; not even close. Even Einstein, considered by some to be the best male handicap horse, and purchased yesterday by Frank Stronach, wouldn't crack that list in my opinion. I think that helps to put this race in perspective. The filly, clearly On The Threshold of a Dream, has probably already cracked the top 150 (even the champion Curlin is only at around #238 in my view), and, with people speculating that she could be the best filly ever, we're looking at possible Top Ten material. If she is just half of what we think she might be, this race should just be an easy walk in the park. Jess Jackson's claim that this race will help put her in historical perspective is empty and specious considering that, barring some dramatic improvement in form, these names will all be forgotten in just a few years and thereafter to Our Children's Children's Children, never to appear on any lists on Labor or any other Day. There may be only one horse currently in training, in this country anyway, high enough on the list to provide any historical context for Rachel Alexandra. Unfortunately, she's racing out in California; so Go Now, Mr. Jackson, and take thee to the Breeders' Cup after the filly takes care of business tomorrow.