THOROUGHBRED SPIRIT Thoroughbred Spirit - Catch It! Thoroughbred horses inspire dreams and stir the imagination.  To know a Thoroughbred is to be lifted up to a place of unparalled, exhilaration and transcendence. Look into the eyes of a thoroughbred, place your hand on his shoulder; you'll feel his supreme power and spirit, and be lifted up to a place of special beauty, passion, possibility and freedom. As in life, Thoroughbred racing has many ups and downs. There are moments of disappointment and despair as well as times of exhilaration and triumph. The following messages are intended to help lift our spirits during those times of disappointment and frustration and to help guide our actions, hopes and passions. Thoroughbred Spirit Is:         Knowing that to appreciate the full beauty of the mountain top, you must first  experience the shadow of the deepest valley Learning from every stumble and setback Being a dreamer as well as a doer Knowing the biggest risk in life is not to risk at all Knowing the gap between what can be imagined and what can be achieved has never been smaller Being fun to be around Not always acting your age Being willing to die of excitement and not boredom Making a path around a crowd when you can't find a road through it Being kind to slow bettors Unwavering determination Acting boldly and savoring slowly Knowing that of all the moments in history, this one is filled with the most promise Never being ashamed of bold ideas Never passing up a chance to dance Knowing that the harder the wind blows, the higher your kite will fly Being the first to support young people selling lemonade, washing cars, ushering you to your seat, learning to ride Listening to horses running Doing good in the world, and when some people are cynical, doing it anyway Acting now, not waiting for conditions to be "just right" Doing whatever it takes Making a difference Making adversity your ally Being the most positive person you know Not settling for what you used to be or have been, but reaching for what you can yet become Knowing that sometimes we need to glance back to see further ahead Being grateful for every genuine effort Living so that when others think of courage, spirit, integrity, and caring, they think of you Dropping a dollar in the Salvation Army box when you leave the track Favorite Quotes and Proverbs "Failure will never overtake you if your desire to succeed is strong enough."                     -Anonymous "I own race horses, I have no money, I couldn't be richer."                                                   -Anonymous "If your horse never loses, you'll never know what its like to win." -Jerry Quinn "In horseracing its what you learn after you know it all that's really important." -Jimmy Williams "I've spent most of my life with Thoroughbred horses, the rest I've just wasted." -Anonymous "In order to go fast, one must first go slow." --Old Irish Proverb "Men are generally more careful of the breeding of their horses than of their children." --William Penn "You really don't learn how to swear until you start betting on the horses." --Anonymous "A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Being willing to give that extra effort is what separates the winner from the one in second place." --H. Jackson Brown, Jr. "Confidence is contagious." --Jere R. Smith Jr.   “Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointments.”       --Henry Ward Beecher   “Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win -- essential to success.” -- Napoleon Hill "        "The sight of that pony did something to me I've never quiet been able to explain.  He was more than tremendous strength and speed and beauty of motion.  He set me dreaming." --Walt Morey " What the colt learns in youth he continues in old age"                                                                       --French Proverb "Horses change lives.  They give our young people confidence and self-esteem.  They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls, they give us hope!" --Toni Robinson "Horse lovers are really sick people" --Unknown