Well, it's been fourteen years and one month since I started writing this column for the Amsterdam Recorder. It's been twenty six years since I selected Danzig Connection in the 1986 Belmont Stakes, the first Belmont Stakes that I wagered and won on. But, it's been thirty four years (1978) since we had a Triple Crown winner in the sport I love; thoroughbred racing. That's a lot of years and memories along the way are fresh in my mind. I have a knack of remembering dates and times of events in my life. People I know are always impressed that I can recall those dates and remember where I was, when it happened. I guess the reason is that when something I enjoyed made a impact on my life, I can remember each detail. Today, should be no different.
I will be attending my first Triple Crown race today. I've been to Belmont Park for each of the Breeder's Cup events throughout the years (90', 95', 01' 05') and the last time was 2008 when Dee Tee Stable's Aldebutante made her racing debut on September that year. Of the five trips to Elmont N.Y. that last trip was the warmest weather wise. That day there was MAYBE 5,000 people at the huge Belmont facility. Today, there will be over a hundred thousand plus to possibly witness history. To say I'm excited to be in attendance is a understatement.
The past week, I've been thinking back about what great sporting events I was lucky to see in person. Even though I am big huge New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I have never seen a championship game in there storied championship years. I'm a big professional wrestling fan (not sports entertainment, like today) and saw the first pay-per-view event live in our area in 1992 when the then WWF had it's Royal Rumble at the (then) Knickerbocker Arena. I saw my all-time favorite wrestler; Rowdy Roddy Piper win his ONLY singles championship in the organization at that event. But, in the sport of thoroughbred racing there were many great races I had the privilege to witness live.
I saw the Saratoga legend; Fourstardave race as a two year old in 1987, saw the undefeated great mare; Personal Ensign defeat the boys in the 1988 Whitney Handicap (the afternoon before the Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses concert at SPAC) saw one of my favorite horses of all-time; Easy Goer also defeat his older rivals in the 1989 Whitney Handicap before winning the Travers Stakes that year. These races are still clear in my mind nearly 25 years ago. In Breeder's Cup events; was unfortunately there to witness the sad and fatal breakdown of Go For Wand in the 1990 Breeder's Cup Distaff. Five year's later was privileged to see the greatest horse of the 90's; Cigar finish a wonderful season with a victory in the Breeder's Cup Classic of '95. I felt sights and sounds of the first major sporting event in the New York area after September 11, 2001 when the Breeder's Cup was held at Belmont Park . Traveling to the event, I remember crossing the Hudson River and seeing the smoke from the Twin Towers still rising nearly three weeks later. All these memories were from great thoroughbred events. But, today is a whole another page in racing history.
A three year old colt has only one opportunity to win a Triple Crown. For everyone outside the sport, these three races get world wide attention. Only 11 horses have accomplished this feat and as we know 11 have failed since Affirmed in 1978. I could be part of history this day and could see something that few horse racing fans have the chance to see. I guess I'm lucky and blessed to be there in person. If it happens, I'll be part of history. But, if it doesn't.....all the people who know me, will know that I will remember the time I had witnessing it. That's just the impact things I love have on me!
Life is always full of disappointments and in the sport of thoroughbred racing, it happens often. Once again, it happened at a crucial time in our sport. I was so looking forward to the Belmont Stakes today. It was the first time that I would be in attendance for a Triple Crown race. I've followed this race for over 25 years and unlike other sports; if it's star doesn't appear, the feat can't be done. I was about to leave work early yesterday, when a horse racing friend of mine sent me the text that I'll Have Another was scratched from today's Belmont Stakes and for a 34th year in a row, we would not have a possible, Triple Crown champion. To say I was very disappointed is a understatement. The feeling I felt the this past week was like when I first got interested in the sport so many years ago. I have to admit, I felt like a child at Christmas by having the chance to see a possible Triple Crown winner. But, like life itself, things can change in an instant.
The events of yesterday, brought me back to the morning of the 1992 Kentucky Derby over twenty years ago. That morning, the second choice on the morning line and horse that I thought could defeat the "wonder horse" and odds-on favorite; Azari came up sick, scratched and would not run in the Derby . That horse's named was; AP Indy. The race would go on, just like all races do and the 4-5 favorite Arazi was "up the track" and the colt that was scratched; AP Indy would live to fight another day. In fact, he would win the Belmont Stakes five weeks later and cap off a sensational season in winning the Breeder's Cup Classic and become the 1992 Horse of the Year. AP Indy had the chance to redeem himself, because his injury was not career ending. Unfortunately for I'll Have Another, it won't be the same happy ending.
I watched the press conference and saw the disappointment in his owner and trainer Doug O'Neill. Those two weren't the only disappointed folks. Thoroughbred racing has had a tumultuous past six months in 2012. Skaving articles from the New York Times about our sport and the trails & tribulations of NYRA and state of New York have put thoroughbred racing in a bad light once again. Now this, a horse going for the Triple Crown being scratched the day before the race. Not something that racing needed and again some in the public will cast a dark shadow on the sport I love.
I tell myself that things will improve and thoroughbred racing once again will be the "Sport of Kings". But, then this happens and I even doubt myself. Four year's ago in 2008, after Big Brown (who I was NOT a fan of) was pulled up before the finish of the Belmont Stakes, I said to my horse racing fans on E-Street in Fort Plain; " there WON'T be another Triple Crown champion in my lifetime". Well, after yesterday around noontime......the same thing returned to my head. I DIDN'T choose I'll Have Another to win the Belmont Stakes in my selections, because in my head I didn't want to jinx him. But, if he could accomplish this feat, I would have been elated to see it in person. Now, it will be just another day at Belmont Park for me today. I'll enjoy the races, just like I do at Saratoga during the summer. The same feeling won't be there and I'll keep telling myself that things will get better. You got to have faith that they will, just sometimes it's real hard. I've been disappointed before in my forty eight years on this earth, such is life I'm sure it will happen again.
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