Attention to detail

Thoroughbreds and fighter jets share speed, performance and sensual good looks in their respective pedigree. They also share an inherent fragility.

During take-off, there is a speed(V₁), beyond which it is more dangerous to abort, if something were to go wrong, than it is to continue into the air and solve the problem once airborne.

Dissipating 25,929,651.0 joules of kinetic energy, without decreasing the original surface area of the structure or instigating an exothermic process, obliges one to maintain an ample supply of nerve, Caol Isla and Fruit of the Loom (the last two being critical).

If maintained properly, both thoroughbred and jet, are gloriously reliable; once given their "head", the biggest danger they face is FOD. Step on a stone or ingest one, at speed, and one quickly depletes one's stash(see above).

The aviation "industry", recognizing the dollar and moral value of their equipment, developed the idea of the FOD walk. A mass of individuals, lined abreast, marching down the tarmac with their heads down, looking for debris. Of any size.

In today's TDN(free subscription required), Lucas Marquardt details just such a venture at Win Star Farm.

Bill Casner, at the urging of a former employee, set up a fundraiser for a local middle-school football team, where they would scour his fields for protruding stones and remove them. In return WinStar donated money to the team with which they could purchase equipment.

Most of the kids and parents were unfamiliar with the thoroughbred industry(in the middle of Lexington) and what goes on behind the scenes. After the grunt work, everyone received a tour of the facility and several of the high priced broodmares. The athletes walked away with a greater appreciation for the industry and WinStar cleared up its fields.

Perhaps this exercise in mutualism can be transferred to the rest of the industry.

In other news, TDN reports that Garret Gomez has agreed to ride Go Between in the Classic. Go Between recently worked 4f in 46.8 and has demonstrated an affinity for the synthetics. I wonder how many calls Eoin Harty is getting about the ride on Colonel John?