37 Years to 37 Seconds. Miracles at the hand of prayer.

10 years ago

History was made as American Pharoah, joined the exclusive ranks of the Triple

Crown elite. The first horse to be named with that title in 37 years, he joins 11 others ever to place first in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Some call American Pharoah’s win a Triple Crown “miracle.” That actually may be more right than we think…

A factor that may have lifted the crownless dry spell was a decision made by American Pharoah’s jockey Victor Espinoza and the horse’s owners, the Zayat family, orthodox Jews. Before heading to training at Belmont, the jockey made a stop in Queens. Espinoza visited the gravesite of Grand Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Schneerson.

One writes down their prayers prior to entering the holy burial grounds and prepares to read them aloud, in front the grave of the Rebbe and that of his father in law’s. Espinoza wrote his own prayer note in Spanish that he ripped up, per tradition, and added it to the pile of thousands of other prayers. After the experience, Espinoza spoke of the spiritual effect the holy site had for him and how spirituality is a very important part of his every day life.

I myself have visited the Rebbe Menachem Schneerson’s gravesite many times and know of the spiritual energy of which Señor Espinoza speaks. The last time I visited was when I was pregnant with Jacob. My husband and I went seeking spiritual guidance and for our prayers to answered. And they were answered.

I was lucky enough to meet Rebbe Menachem Schneerson in the early nineties before his death, and his own premonition of my fate would shockingly be accurate 20 years later. How this intuitive holy man saw that fate in a naive and carefree 21 year old is testimony to the special omnipotence he had of which many of us speak. That same presence is felt long after he left this physical world, which is why many believe he still holds the power to hear their prayers beyond the grave.

Call it coincidence, good luck, wishful thinking. Whatever you want to call it, the jockey’s prayers were answered and so were mine. I prefer to believe that the power of prayer does heal, brought me back from the other side– 37 seconds later AND and helped end the 37 year dry spell to win the Triple Crown.