Down the Stretch

Steven Crist, horse racing handicapper and writer par excellence, recently discovered YouTube's "treasure trove of historical racing footage," and he celebrates his find by linking to a real dandy -- the 1989 Preakness, which features Sunday Silence (who was coming off a Kentucky Derby win) and Easy Goer. It's thrilling enough on its own; just imagine having a big bet on one of the leaders at the top of the stretch. If you watch what's below and don't get the appeal of racing, I can't help you.