In the December 22 issue of Thoroughbred Times, Steve Myrick has penned a story worthy of a wide audience in the world of horseracing that is especially fitting at this time of year. Without stealing any of his thunder, I'd like to present a short version of his "tale about giving" for your end-of-year reflection.

The star of this true story is Tim Sullivan, a writer/editor in upstate New York, a regular guy who gets the shakes when he bets more than fifty bucks. He plays at the track in warm weather and at the OTB parlor in cold weather. 

On Thanksgiving Day at the Albany OTB, Tim nailed the exacta in the Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs and made what was for him, a big score.

Immediately, Tim began searching for a thoroughbred race horse to retire. Not buy to run, but to retire. In a truly unique way of giving back in a very special way to the sport which provided him with the entertainment, excitement, and camaraderie in the special world all horseplayers share, Tim decided to find a runner that truly deserved to be retired.

He found his candidate in Lese Majeste, an 11-year-old gelding at Suffolk Downs who had won his last race 46 races ago. Lese Majeste had run 190 times in 9 years and chalked up a record of 19-15-21, with lifetime earnings of just under $163,000.

Tim contacted trainer-owner Carlos Figueroa to inquire if he could buy the horse with the intention to retire him from racing. Suffering from a losing streak, Figueroa decided to take Tim up on his offer and asked if he'd be interested in retiring two other horses as well.

Tim decided to go all the way, acquiring not only Lese Majeste, but also Before the Race (a 5-time winner) and Dignity (13 trips to the winner's circle).

Lese Majeste is now enjoying his retirement at Tranquility Farm, a facility for retired racehorses in California. Before the Race and Dignity are at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's facility near Lexington, Kentucky.

It's not a story from the movies, although it brings to mind the last line Humphrey Bogart says as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon: "it's the stuff that dreams are made of." 

Unexpected dreams for three horses that probably would not have gone to Foundation facilities and a simple dream that all horseplayers embrace at least a time or two for horses that hold sentimental memories for them.

Then again, it is the time of year for dreams and sentiment, isn't it?