Preakness Stakes memories

Anybody that knows me, knows that I like to reminisce about things in my life. Whether it was good times with family and friends, hearing a song on the radio and recalling where I was or looking back at 28 years of thoroughbred racing and what it's meant to me. The stories have been many with my love of the ponies, something if you told me in my youth I would be interested in, I wouldn't have believed you. So with the second leg of the Triple Crown today, I'll look back at some memorable Preakness days the last 25 years. Things I remember about the race and what I was doing that day in life.

May 20th 1989 ~ one of my all time favorite runners; Easy Goer was trying to avenge his defeat two week's previously on a off-track at Churchill Downs to Sunday Silence. The summer of '89 was technically my final year as a "single guy", we had our Buzz Club bowling banquet in the backyard of my late best friend; Frank Colvin. I remember watching the narrow defeat of New York's horse to Charlie Whittingham's California sensation. I also remember on that day to NEVER put frozen chicken on a grill without defrosting it first! Two years later, on May 18th 1991 ~ the first "official" public handicapper selection by yours truly was made on the public access show that Nick Kling and I hosted on Gateway Cable; "Down the Stretch". It was in that year's Preakness Stakes and the pick was; Best Pal. I tasted defeat with that pick by my Kentucky Derby choice; Hansel who made easy pickens of the field and who would win the Belmont Stakes three weeks later.

May 17th 1997 ~ the day of my little brother's wedding, as his best man I was quite busy that Preakness day. It was a blanket finish with Free House and Captain Bodgit that I watched from his wedding reception on the bar television and the winner; Silver Charm making it two for two in Triple Crown races. He would meet defeat in the Belmont Stakes three weeks later and break Triple Crown hearts again. May 17th 2003 ~ the biggest score my career was made when the gutsy gelding; Funny Cide blew away in competition by nine lengths at Pimlico and made one handicapper very happy. It was a losing wager on that year's Kentucky Derby and a fun contest by Capital OTB that rewarded me win my biggest payday to date.

May 21st 2005 ~ in one of the most incredible rides by a jockey ever, Jeremy Rose had to hold on for his life as Afleet Alex was rammed into at the top of the stretch, but continued on to win the second leg of the Triple Crown in 2005. I listened to the events unfold via the radio while at a benefit for my best friend Frank Colvin in Fort Plain at Fireman's Park. To this date, Afleet Alex is the ONLY horse that I chose "on top" in all three Triple Crown races. May 17th 2008 ~ the horse I love to hate; Big Brown made short order of that year's Preakness field, but that wasn't the best race on that day. At Arlington Park in the 4th race on their polytrack, Dee Tee Stables won their very 1st race with Kickin' N Screamin'. It was a magical moment in my career of thoroughbred racing, with my first winners circle photo as a owner (even though I wasn't in it). I watched the race from the Gloversville OTB and my loud cheering in the crowded parlor while looking at the race with no volume on a single television set certainly raised some eyebrows. It was my biggest thrill until being in the winner's circle photo for real, two year's later at Saratoga with Ausable Chasm.

These are six famous Preakness days in my life and this race is still my most successful of the three Triple Crown races. It will be tough to top those past memories today, unless I have the superfecta "cold" with my selections or California Chrome wins and heads to the Belmont Stakes and becomes the 12th Triple Crown winner. But first things first, NEVER forget the memories!