Saturday is the third Saturday in May. That means the Preakness Stakes will be run in Maryland (my Maryland!). The only time I went to Maryland was when we travelled from W&L to College Park to see a lacrosse game. It rained like Hell all through the game and we didn't get much satisfaction out of the game or the weather. Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind eating some crab cakes along the eastern shore. Twould be nice.
I watched some footage on youtube from the 1973 Kentucky Derby and Belmont. I forgot how amazing it was to see Secretariat run. In the Derby, he started off dead last then progressively got faster in each quarter until he finally caught Sham on the final turn and blew past him to win by two lengths. What a race. Oddly, Sham had set the course record in his run only to be beaten by Secretariat by two lengths. If not for Secretariat we all might be talking about Sham as some wonder horse.
The win at the Belmont was even more amazing. Much fewer horses and Secretariat on the inside lane. He blew past everyone and at the end won by thirty one lengths! Thirty one lengths! The other horses were just rounding the last turn when Ron Turcotte craned his neck back to see where they were at the end.
What a combination. A big red horse with powerful frame and legs. He was quite the thoroughbred. A Canadian jockey and trainer. And then the horse born on a farm in Caroline County, Virginia wore the royal blue and white of Washington and Lee for his owner's alma mater. What a great combination. He was the first Triple Crown winner in twenty five years. What a horse.
Well, anyway. I look forward to the possibility of Hand Spun winning for his trainer, Larry Jones of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He trains nearby in Delaware and his jockey is the winningest jockey in Maryland. I think the odds should be pretty good. We'll see. Go horse go!
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