A Derby Day Salute to Big Red

On this Derby Day I am saluting Secretariat. Secretariat, also known as “Big Red” was one of the greatest horses of all time. The first clip is the 1973 Derby and he went on to win the Triple Crown, an accomplishment which had not been won for a long time before Big Red did so. The 1973 Derby was the first one I remember watching and have watched each Derby since then.





This is the Preakness, the second jewel in the Triple Crown.




This is Big Red’s amazing Belmont run that stunned the racing world.




Years later through a friend of ours Evie and I were able to go see Big Red at his stud farm. We still have pictures of our visit to see Big Red and Riva Ridge.

What May Brings

The first of May is now here and brings with it a significant annual event that I look forward to watching each year....the Kentucky Derby. The Derby is run annually on the first Saturday of May, and in Kentucky is the official first day of barbeque season.

Since living in Kentucky the Derby has become one of those special days, much like July First, July Fourth, Thanksgiving, New Years, but not yet at the same level as Christmas.

The first Saturday afternoon across the Commonwealth of Kentucky business comes to a hault in the late afternoon. Streets are quiet as people gather to barbeque, party and watch the Derby. People who rarely watch horse racing, do so that day. Favorites are selected and friendly betting pools are done. People who never handicap a race will wade into the waters for this one race.

I too tomorrow will pick a horse to cheer. I will listen to the stories and make my choice. There is no real method to my process and no money invested, but I make my choice for a horse or two to cheer and follow during the race. Sometimes I am quickly disappointed with my selections but often by having selected two, sometimes a third, to watch and cheer I often have one that is in the thick of things coming around the final stretch.

Before going to college I would give passing interest to the Kentucky Derby, but that change in 1976. Watching the Derby is part of Kentucky that remains with me today. Even in Winnipeg with snow still melting around that Saturday was the first day we fired the barbeque. We are not able to barbeque in our complex, but I will be cooking up something on the George Forman grill tomorrow.

I have driven past Churchill Downs but I have never taken in a race at that track. One day I hope to go to Churchill, and spend a day or two just enjoying the races at this historic park.