Week in Italy educational, cultural experience for Michigan
Life is not all rainbows and lollipops, which is why I’m a sucker for sports stories that end in a pot of educational gold. Or in this case, Michigan maize.
You don’t have to love Jim Harbaugh to admit it was cool how the coach recently took the Wolverines to Italy on a week-long educational trip that was heavy on outside-the-classroom learning, light on football.
Harbaugh is a lot of things, including goofball gladiator. (Do yourself a favor and watch the video of the Michigan coach impersonating Maximus from “Gladiator” while sticking his head through a Russell Crowe cutout board in Rome. It is both glorious and disturbing.) I maintain, however, there usually is method to Harbaugh’s madness, and regarding the Italy trip the method is to be applauded.
Did the trip also serve as a recruiting tool? Of course. Top that, Ohio State. But mostly Michigan’s travels to Rome, Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo showed how serious Harbaugh is about providing educational opportunities outside of Ann Arbor.
This from Kyle Rowland, the Michigan beat reporter for The (Toledo) Blade who accompanied the team on the trip: “I, like many others, was skeptical of the trip before traveling to Italy. Not necessarily because I thought it was going to be a football trip — it was known early on there would only
champion 2-year-old and nothing is going right, it makes you scratch your head.”
Twice the temperamental colt refused to work out, and then came a foot abscess and a back problem. He didn’t have a timed workout for 42 consecutive days and didn’t race again until mid-April. Casse was having serious doubts about whether he could get him to Churchill Downs.
“There’s a lot of things that can go wrong,” Casse said, “and you need everything to go right. But I’ve never once counted him out. I know a lot of people have. So yes, it’s been difficult, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. We’re stronger, and I feel he’s the most talented horse out there right now.”
So do many handicappers, who consider Classic Empire the horse to beat in Saturday’s 143rd Kentucky Derby. He restored his reputation by overcoming a 70-day layoff with a come-frombehind victory April 15 in the Arkansas Derby. For the first time since Jan. 30 he regained the top spot in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s media poll, and don’t be surprised if he’s the morning- line favorite.
The comeback win was a great relief for Classic Empire’s regular rider, Julien Leparoux. “It was a tough winter, I am not going to lie,” Leparoux said. “Come January, we expected so much from him, and after the Holy Bull he just went downhill from there. But Mark and his team did an awesome job.
“Hopefully now there’s no more hiccups and we go to the Derby on a clear path. I think we can win it.”
The Derby’s 1 miles should be no problem for the son of Pioneerof the Nile, sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Classic Empire’s maternal grandfather, Cat Thief, won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so unlike many of his opponents, there are no stamina questions. Emotional stability is a concern, however. Will Classic Empire lose it amid the wall of noise from 165,000 fans?
“A lot has been said about how he’s going to handle the crowd,” Casse said.
“He won at Keeneland, there were a lot of people there. He won the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, a lot of people there. I really don’t see it being an issue.”
“What if?” is the scariest question in the English language. Trying to stay upbeat is the best defense, and Casse believes the worst is behind him.
“With the average horse you couldn’t do what we have done,” he said.
“You need so many things to go right, and the good news is this horse is so talented he can overcome a lot.
“I think the toughest deal is over, getting to this point. This is like a baseball game. All that matters is if you’re ahead in the last inning. I feel like we have the bases loaded.”