Lava Man Revisited

A couple of days have passed since Lava Man's triumph in a Grade I turf race. While I found myself awestruck (and one only need scroll down to see the magnitude of my feelings), I've been surprised by the negativity surrounding this win. Instead of recognizing the beauty of his performance, many are quick to detract from his victory. The criticisms range from the quality of his competition -- "The quality turf horses retired to breed long ago" --to the idiocy of the other jockeys in the race -- "How could they let him get that easy lead?". Unsurprisingly, the attacks are reminiscent of the attacks levied against Lost in the Fog for the bulk of last summer. But, instead, of revisiting those well-trodden arguments over the requirements for greatness, my curiosity is piqued as to the psychological importance of the concept of greatness in relation to horse racing's inevitable imperfections. Does holding to an ideal help with the disappointments of reality, or does it merely keep us from appreciating greatness in the present? While Secretariat may truly have been the racing fan's messiah, his coming need not prevent an enjoyment of the wonder that the sport provides us now.