A generation of sports fans have missed the amazing beauty and pageantry of this event, maybe due to the proliferation of Off Track Betting and the lottery. My Dad and Grandfather used to go with my Uncle Charlie to Aqueduct racetrack in New York and I used to love reading the program and hearing the stories of the great horses they used to see up there, like the great Kelso and my favorite, the aesthetically perfect, Buckpasser.
It was fascinating to hear them discuss some of the strategies they used to decide on which horse to place their $2 bets. It's been called the "poor mans stock market" and certainly the challenge of wagering a few dollars is part of the charm, but if you appreciate the beauty and power of these great thoroughbreds, these great athletic animals, there's a lot more to love outside the allure of gambling.
The charm and pageantry of the event and the great pride that Kentuckians have in putting on this annual event is so evident when the horses are called to the gate, during the post parade, when the state song, "My Old Kentucky Home" is sung by the crowd, accompanied by the University of Louisville Band. If you don't at least get goose bumps, well, you just may not have what most human beings refer to as feelings.
The Kentucky Derby begins with the rendition of this song. I don't know if there is any sporting event that allows an entire state to display it's pride more than this one, you can feel it when this song is played.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY - MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME
My Old Kentucky Home
Words and Music by: Stephen C. Foster
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home
'Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom,
While the birds make music all the day;
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy, and bright,
By'n by hard times comes a-knocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!
Chorus
Weep no more, my lady,
Oh weep no more today!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,
For the old Kentucky home far away.
They hunt no more for the 'possum and the coon,
On meadow, the hill and the shore,
They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
On the bench by that old cabin door;
The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,
With sorrow where all was delight;
The time has come when the people have to part,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!
Chorus
The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the people may go;
A few more days and the trouble all will end
In the field where sugar-canes may grow;
A few more days for to tote the weary load,
No matter, 'twill never be light,
A few more days till we totter on the road,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!
Chorus
If you've not witnessed this event in the past, I recommend it highly. It is on my list of events to witness live at least once before I die, a must see event.
Below I've added videos of a couple of past races that are high on my list of all-time favorite horse races:
1973 Kentucky Derby - Secretariat beats Sham (both set Derby records, Secretariat's
record still stands today)
1973 Belmont Stakes - Secretariat completes THE MOST AWESOME PERFORMANCE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN AN ATHLETIC EVENT. EVER!!! BY ANY ATHLETE. COMPLETE AND UTTER DOMINATION OF THE FIELD.
1978 Kentucky Derby - Affirmed and Alydar duel it out,as they would in the Preakness and again in a classic Belmont Stakes race.
1978 Belmont Stakes - Affirmed completes the last leg of the Triple Crown. Still the last horse to win it.
1975 Belmont Park - Ruffian vs. Foolish Pleasure: The Great Match Race
Have to include Ruffian in any discussion of great all-time horses. One of the greatest tragedies in sports history.
SECRETARIAT - 1973 KENTUCKY DERBY
SECRETARIAT - 1973 BELMONT STAKES
AFFIRMED - 1978 KENTUCKY DERBY
AFFIRMED 1978 BELMONT STAKES
RUFFIAN BREAKS DOWN - JULY 6,1975 BELMONT PARK
To this day, it's hard for me to watch this and not break down myself.
The buildup for this race was monumental. A filly racing a colt, Are you kidding me?
But Ruffian appeared to be taking an early lead as the tragedy unfolded.
From the book RUFFIAN: BURNING FROM THE START by Jane Schwartz
Ruffian was half a length in front and everyone was on their feet, screaming. The noise in the stands was deafening, but it reached the riders only a distant hum. What they heard was the thundering of hooves, the sharp and steady intake of breath, the ancient and unchanging rhythm of the running horse.
Then both riders heard something else. A quick, bright sound, like the snapping of a twig. Suddenly Foolish Pleasure was a length in front, then two-three-four!- and Dave Johnson was crying out into the microphone, his own voice tinged with disbelief: "Ruffian has broken down! Ruffian has broken down!"
Fifty thousand people stopped screaming. On the television broadcast, Chic Anderson had called out the same words, in the same stricken voice, to eighteen million more people sitting in homes all across the country. Stunned, they watched the nightmare unfolding on their screens.
Ruffian kept on running.
Jacinto knew instantly what had happened, he had heard the crack of bone, he tried to pull the filly up as quickly as possible but the filly was having none of it. She wanted to run. She was in the race of her life; she was pulling away from the colt and she couldn't understand the sudden pain, the way her balance shifted as she went from four legs to three. She did not want the other horse in front, she would not let this happen, she was determined to regain the lead. Let me run! she shrieked at Jacinto,as silent, as unmistakable as ever, her only demand, fighting the bit, clearer than words, Let me run! And Jacinto pulled with all his might, tears stinging the back of his eyes, desperate to hold her up because, at least, oh God, there was a chance if she did not go down! But she was so strong and so determined that she kept on running, and Jacinto had to beg her, beg her to stop, stop! Because if she kept on running on three legs she would go down on the track, and then he knew she would never get back up.
But the filly wouldn't stop. She ignored Vasquez, ignored the bit tearing at her mouth, ignored the pain. She went on running, pulverizing the sesamoids, ripping the skin of her fetlock as the bones burst through, driving open the wound into the stinging sand of the Belmont track, tearing her ligaments, until her hoof was flopping uselessly, bent up like the tip of a ski, as she pounded down the track on the exposed bone, running on and on-it seemed to Jacinto like forever-until finally he managed to pull the valiant, mutilated filly to a halt.
TRIBUTE TO RUFFIAN:
A beautiful tribute to a wonderful champion, Ruffian.
The greatest filly of alltime. Unbeaten in her ten starts up to the Match Race with Foolish Pleasure. Never anywhere other than the lead at any time in any of her races. She amazed race fans with her beauty and speed. In my mind, the filly equivalent of Secretariat. A brilliant champion.
And finally, a tribute to another streaking comet, who teased the imagination of horse racing fans that we might possibly witness another Triple Crown winner with his blistering run through the Kentucky Derby. Another sad tragic ending. But what a champion. Almost a sad, surreal blending of the stories of Secretariat and Ruffian.
BARBARO MEMORIAL VIDEO
Song: Iris
Artist: Goo Goo Dolls
For the 133rd running hopefully we will see nothing but the beauty and magnificence of these horses on display. With mint julep in hand, I like, in no particular order (come on, if I could do that, I wouldn't be writing a blog, I'd be cashing TRIFECTAS baby ):
Street Sense
Scat Daddy
Great Hunter