Columnist Ralph Siraco: Pincay helps provide therapy for racing fans

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Sept. 24, 2001 | 9:24 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday in the Sun and his California selections appear Tuesday-Sunday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074

When I began my usual vacation during the Fairplex Park fair meet, I had planned to do many of those errands that one keeps putting off. This vacation, however, was anything but usual. I found myself glued to the television set from morning through night watching in disbelief the events of Sept. 11 and the continuing aftermath.

How could this happen to America -- my country, our country, the most powerful nation on earth, the home of freedom?

Terrorists have no boundaries, and so we live in a new world.

While we continue to mourn the casualties of this assault, sports has played a key role in the recovery of our national psyche.

While most of the major and college sports returned to competition after a week to regroup, horse racing around the country bounced back to business within days after the day of destruction. Only the Meadowlands in New Jersey and Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. -- both utilized as staging grounds for the rescue efforts -- and Yonkers harness racing remained closed until early last week.

Fairplex Park at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, Calif., returned to racing the next day. Officials at a county fair meet in Ohio made the decision to go on with the day's activities after learning just hours before about the Twin Towers disaster on Sept. 11, saying they would not give in to the terrorists' objective of disrupting the American way of life.

Whether these immediate returns to business are viewed with disdain or surprise is a matter of personal taste. What is unmistakably clear, however, is that race and sports, their competition and drama, provide a needed and valuable diversion from the heavy heart our country bears for its fallen citizens.

Sports and racing supplied the therapy that our country so desperately needed.

Racing supplied that support in almost blanket immediacy. Sporting events soon followed. From President Bush on down to local leaders, such as Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Americans were encouraged to get back to whatever normal activities they could find.

The interactions among people attending the tracks and race books provided much more than a common ground to share handicapping tips and opinions; it gave all of us a chance to share thoughts and concerns about the devastating events of Sept. 11 and provided the same unity that sports provides its loyal fan base.

After a one-week postponement, Bally's Las Vegas brought the world's winningest jockey to its race book for a personal appearance. Laffit Pincay, Jr. had been to Las Vegas before and he has been the center of attention in a race book before, too. But, when the 54-years-young riding icon made his appearance last Friday, he showed his endless stream of fans more than just how much of a treasure he is to the sport of kings.

He led by example -- exactly what this country's leaders had been advising -- to go about our business and not ever let the terrorists win. Pincay played to a full house of grateful fans who were thankful to get back to business.

Mayor Goodman showed up with a proclamation that declared Friday, Sept. 21, as Laffit Pincay, Jr. Day in Las Vegas.

Their appearance and those who attended in the race book gave notice to our latest enemy that we will prevail.