When I watched Majesticperfection complete three quarters of a mile in 1:07.24 in the Iowa Sprint Handicap I was really impressed, immediately thinking that this could be a horse for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. But when I read the next morning exactly who’s track record Majesticperfection broke it put me into reminiscing mode. Coach Jimi Lee held the track record in Iowa for just under six years, but his resume is much more than a final time.

For Midwestern fans Coach Jimi Lee needs no introduction, he has been a part of the fabric of racing since 2002. Over the course of his career the now 10 year old has visited 12 race tracks, as far east as Mountaineer but never further west than Altoona, Iowa. His career record reads 52 races with 17 wins accumulating $978,818.

When reminded of Coach Jimi Lee while reading about Majesticperfection’s victory I truly thought that the Coach had probably been retired, it seemed logical he’s been around forever. But when I pulled up his PP’s I was surprised to see the old boy continues. Let’s not continue without giving his trainer Jimmy Divito credit. Keeping a veteran together and fast is nothing to scoff at. Coach Jimi Lee just ran for the first time in’10 on June 18th and ran second at his favorite track Prairie Meadows. He was only beaten only a length and a half off an eight month layoff in a race that was run in 1:08 and 3.

It’s horses like this that make the sport great. We get so caught up in the triple crown and Breeders’ Cup that sometimes we forget these great horses that make racing so easy to follow. It’s rare that we see careers like this anymore, horses just don’t maintain form in higher class levels like Coach Jimi Lee is now at 10 years old. So while we will follow Majesticperfection to a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup, do me a favor, put Coach Jimi Lee’s name in your virtual stable and appreciate his greatness on a much different level, a level that is rarely attained.

Every year we look forward to the Triple Crown. We become enamored with
watching 3-year-old talent progress through the early portion of the
calendar and watch them as they sort themselves out over five weeks. But what we also should remember is the unbelievable stakes action that takes place on each of the Triple rown undercards, each a microcosm of the Breeders’ Cup.

While the Belmont Stakes is what draws our attention to the calendar day of the first Saturday in June, this year the Grade One Manhattan Handicap may be the race most talked about following Belmont’s June 5th card. This field of 11 turf handicappers has produced well more than $10 Million between them.

They also have won 68 races combined, depth is a shallow word in describing this field. Do take some time and marvel at the accomplishments of each individual.

Gio Ponti is the class of this class-filled race, but this will be one of the
tougher tests of his career. Not only is he taking on Grade One winners such as Grand Couturier, Court Vision and Take the Points, he is also taking on the hurdle of returning from a run on Dubai World Cup night. I was tired for a month following my trip to Dubai for the World Cup . . . I talked, Gio Ponti ran a mile and a quarter in 90-degree heat.

Court Vision is so consistent it’s hard to overlook him even over a distance
that may be a touch long for his liking.

Take the Points will have to answer the Dubai question, but he is a two-time
Grade One winner that has won at the distance at this race track and very well could follow the footsteps of Gio Ponti’s 4-year-old campaign.

Three year olds on dirt will always be what we get most excited about here in
North America, but don’t allow that preprogrammed Yankee racing passion get in the way of the best race on the 2010 Belmont Stakes card, The Manhattan.