Old Zip by McGrath of Harlow


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The Song Challenge: Shoot For The Moon - If You Miss, You'll Still Land Among The Stars -- A horse who has lost 89 consecutive races has finally won one, against a human. Zippy Chippy holds the North American record for the number of races lost by a thoroughbred. But he finally ended his losing streak by taking on a two-legged challenger. The 10-year-old gelding beat a minor league baseball player in a handicap match race billed as Man versus Beast II. It was held before the International League game between the Rochester Red Wings and Ottawa Lynx in Rochester, New York state. He saw off Red Wings outfielder Darnell McDonald by a length in a 50-yard race. "I might have got him at 40 yards, but that extra 10 yards put him over the hump," said McDonald, who added he had never lost a race to a human. Last year Rochester outfielder Jose Herrera outran Zippy Chippy in a 40-yard race. "Zippy was ready today," jockey Jorge Hiraldo said. "Last year he was a little scared."

Old Zip by McGrath of Harlow
(Tune: A Horse Named Bill)

I had a horse, and his name was Zip,
and when he ran he'd have a real good kip,
and so of course
the horse
's all would run on past him.

Old Zip he always did his best,
but his best was bad, I must confess.
He never won one time,
and sure all the bookies loved him.

Since racing horse's was no go,
I took him to the County Show,
but all the pigs and the cows and the ducks
could always beat him.

So I took him down to the baseball ground,
to give him one last run around,
and then the cat's meat man
could sell him to MacDonalds.

Said a baseball man called Darnell Duck,
"If I beat that horse 'twould bring me luck",
and so a race was set,
and the bookies all were cheering.

Oh the race was long and the race was hard,
and the race was all of fifty yards,
"Oh God, I'm done,
old son"
And Zip came in the winner.

So all you nags who've never won,
Mary Carter's not the only one,
who still can rise,
surpris-
-ing all those smiling bastards

Oh I had a horse, his name was Zip,
and I thought that he had lost his grip,
but in the end,
my friend,
Old Zip he was a winner.