The following is part of our ongoing series, The Best Thing About Racing. Want to submit your own answer? Email garyking@thetdn.comThere are three major areas that really make racing special.Number one, it all starts and ends with the majestic equine athlete. Their beauty, their power, their courage, and their ability to bring out every emotion known to man in a two-minute period are unparalleled.The uncontrollable emotion of joy in the winner's circle from the connections of the winning horse is difficult to achieve in any other part of life. We see it all the time. People from the highest positions in industry, and even rulers of a country, they can barely speak after winning a race. I think the common answer when someone is asked by a reporter on TVG after they've won a race, “What are you feeling right now?” is “I don't have any words to describe it.”So, you can't get that excitement, in my opinion, anywhere else. You're definitely not getting it in the stock market or any other sport. That's because it's so difficult to get to that winner's circle, especially in the big races. So, it starts and ends with the majestic equine athlete and the love for them because of their beauty, power, and courage.Number two, which I've been fortunate enough to experience since I was 14 years old, is the common bond that individuals share through the horse. The horse and the sport of Thoroughbred racing have a way of bringing people together regardless of their differences. Next time you're at a horse sale or a race, just look around and you will see people from many diverse ethnic, social, religious, and economic backgrounds. It is the horse and the sport that bring them together. Over the past five decades, and I can't believe I'm saying that because that's 50 years and I'm aging myself, I have shared many special moments and built memories with family members as a result of our involvement with racing.I have also built many lifelong friendships. I met one of my dearest friends, John Williams, when I was around 15 years old in the late '70s. At the time, John was the general manager of Spendthrift Farm and was young enough to still have some black hair. We remain close friends to this day. We have attended each other's weddings and have developed a close bond with each other's families. During the past decade, I have developed many new friendships through my involvement with our Belladonna Racing partnership that I started with David Ingordo. He is another close friend. We have introduced our great sport to others at a high level. Over this time, I have become very close with many of our partners and consider them friends first.The sport of racing has given me the opportunity to meet so many successful and good people that I wouldn't have met if not for our shared love of racing.Number three, racing is still the most exciting two minutes in sports. Do we need to improve in some areas, such as branding, accessibility and providing access to our sport? Yes, we do. But look at this year's Kentucky Derby. We had an all-time record with 24.4 million viewers tuning in for the race. It's the pageantry, the intriguing personalities of our owners, jockeys and trainers, and the many human interest storylines that are areas that attract attention to our sport. That's something we can and should highlight to broaden interest in racing. Everyone also loves to cheer for the underdog. We see it in sports all the time.In my opinion, Thoroughbred racing is the only sport where we may find a small group of former high school classmates joining together to own a horse and then get the chance to compete against titans in the industry at the highest level. A large bankroll can improve your chances for success in this sport, but the dream of success at the highest level is available to everyone.The post Best Thing About Racing: Let Me Count the Ways appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.