The more I learn about horse racing, the more global I realize it is. Name the country, there’s probably horse racing there. The sport maintains a sort of fluidity between different cultures. You don’t have to speak the same language to appreciate the impeccable breeding that has shaped the thoroughbred body into a smoothly-muscled, aerodynamic running machine.

My obsession, as of late, has been with the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse. While I should be studying, I’ve been shamelessly stalking the #HKIR social media team, a group of prominent racing personalities invited by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to provide coverage of the event. All I can say is ‘life goals.’ I would love for that to be me someday, because the experience they had was clearly second-to-none.

Because of the time zone difference, American racing enthusiasts must stay up into the wee hours of the night to catch the races at Sha Tin. But that didn’t keep me from tuning in after watching the movie Elf last Saturday night.

I was impressed, to say the least. I think the Breeders’ Cup is an absolutely wonderful event that showcases the nation’s finest racehorses, as well as representatives from other countries. But Breeders’ Cup still paled in comparison to the pomp and circumstance of the Hong Kong International Races. Continue reading →