And She Wasn’t Done Horsing Around

Diane Pucin’s article about the Preakness [May 20] was a desperate attempt. And she called horse racing a desperate sport. I haven’t read such a pathetic article in quite a while. She spent way too much time focusing on what was going on in the ‘70s instead of today. Instead of bashing the sport she should try to promote it. This sport has a lot to offer.

So, we won’t have a Triple Crown winner this year. So what? There’s always next year. Horse racing is not a desperate sport. Diane is a desperate writer with too much time spent focusing on past history. I don’t care what the heck Jimmy Carter was wearing at any given time. It could’ve been a dress as far as I’m concerned. My own focus on Saturday was on the Preakness. The one that was happening that day. And what’s with the coulda, woulda, shoulda? I think someone else coulda, woulda, shoulda, written the article.

Carol Hoffman

Sierra Madre

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I was stunned by the level of stupidity exhibited by Diane Pucin in her column “Another Crowning Blow for a Desperate Sport.” She mentions the likes of Charles Barkley, Mario Lemieux, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as examples of what truly interests the public or what horse racing should aspire to be. Apparently it hasn’t dawned on her that the reason that you haven’t had a Triple Crown winner in 23 years is that, unlike any other professional sport, horse racing remains true to its classic origins and only the truly great horse racing athletes can withstand this remarkable test.

Let Bud Selig orchestrate a steroid, juiced-ball battle of the last-place home run champions, let Mario come out of retirement to save his deferred payments and let Mouth Barkley come back for some more also-ran, out-of-shape efforts, you can find me at Santa Anita watching some real athletes with more heart and soul than the NL, NHL and NBA combined.

Philip D. Gibbons

Santa Monica