During the NBC broadcast of the 150th Kentucky Derby on May 4, they showcased some of the tremendous history of a race of that longevity. There was Carl Nafzger telling Mrs. Genter so emotionally that her horse Unbridled was winning the 1990 edition, still fresh after all these years for being from a time when people didn’t think about cameras being ever-present. It being unscripted, so to speak, is what makes it resonate. They also showed highlights of Cody’s Wish’s racing days, which go hand-in-hand with the bond he had with the young man Cody Dorman. Although Cody’s Wish never ran in the Derby, he did find success at Churchill Downs and his story was another in the vein of what horses can mean to people that transcend even victories, how they touch one’s heart. Unbridled remains a special horse to me to this day for that stirring moment when Carl Nafzger and Mrs. Genter were swept up in his achievements, and Cody’s Wish engendered the same sentiment to many. Even during the broadcast, as his story was recapped, the racing reporter narrating was clearly holding back tears to remain professional. That is the power these horses can have, when there is a chance to connect one-on-one with them. I was glad they took time to note that and discuss more than betting trends.

Randy Moss mentioned that while racing has seen its appeal wane, the love for big events in this country endures.

The brief walk through some of those years of Derby history and how the Churchill Downs facility has changed over the years had me reflect on my own personal memories at that track on that day for the Derbies I attended from 2008 to 2019. The most enduring still remains standing on the turf course to watch the marquee race when Nyquist won. It was amazing to be in a spot so few watched from, on a day when massive crowds were almost everywhere. It was incredible to get the best visual of what such an enormous number of people filling the grandstand looks it. But best of all was seeing Nyquist run home triumphantly on that Derby day, because the BloodHorse team and I during the course of my internship had followed him during his training at Keeneland. I came to think of that as Nyquist Watch, and indeed to almost feel like an honorary member of his barn. When he won, it felt almost like my horse won and I was elated to see him reach the lead as he sped by my spot and never relinquish it.

As usual with a Derby, there were a multitude of intriguing storylines. For this one hundred and fiftieth renewal, trainer Larry Demeritte was fulfilling a dream by reaching the Derby with a horse he trained. Bahamas-born and from a family of racing professionals, he brought West Saratoga as his contender. Interestingly, the horse had a bloody shoulder mark I had only before seen in Arabians – perhaps a throwback to those long-ago ancestors. Keith Asmussen, son of trainer Steve, was riding in his first Derby, aboard the D. Wayne Lukas charge Just Steel. That horse represented Lukas’ fiftieth Derby starter. Dornoch, a full sibling to Derby winner Mage, had a chance to give his dam Puca the distinction of being the only mare to produce two Derby winners. Those are just a handful of the horses and connections garnering attention. My pick to win, Sierra Leone, was in with a chance to give his already-illustrious sire Gun Runner a Kentucky Derby winner.

When the race began, in the usual mad rush of the large field, it took most of the race before I could pick out Sierra Leone among the throng. Mystik Dan had a great trip on the rail under Brian Hernandez, Jr. Sierra Leone charged outside in deep stretch, in a battle with Forever Young. Mystik Dan never stopped trying and when they reached the wire, that trio had finished so close together it was hard to say for certain who had won. Brian Hernandez, Jr. watched the replay intently once the race was over and elation spread over his features. He seemed pretty sure he had won, and indeed he had. I was still proud of Sierra Leone, whose sire is one of my favorite fairly recent runners. He had come wide, been bumped and still came up short by only a nostril. While that could be disappointing for some to see him come so close to Derby glory, to me it showed he is still a talented racehorse and there should be future glory for him to claim. Forever Young made a proud showing for his Japanese connections too, finishing third. He and Sierra Leone actually share a second dam Darling My Darling.

It was a thrilling race, fitting to mark the occasion of its 150th running. It did indeed carry on the tradition of how a horse can touch a person’s life. Brian Hernandez’ elation after winning the race was wonderful to see. It was the first Derby victory for someone who has always struck me as a good rider from years of seeing him at Keeneland, and Mystik Dan’s trainer Kenny McPeek also notched his first Derby win. To top it off, the pair had also won the Oaks the day before with Thorpedo Anna. It was a great day of racing all around. Kudos to the newest Oaks and Derby winners and their connections!

I was fortunate to return to Kentucky for a few days to catch the last days of the spring meet at Keeneland, at a track that is so familiar it still feels like home in many ways.

There were a few changes for this meet, most caused by the new construction project in the works that saw the building that housed the jockeys’ quarters and administrative offices torn down, to make way for a larger and grander building that promises to provide new views of the horses in the paddock. It seems, from what I see of the drawing of the finished product, that it will take the place of temporary chalets that stood overlooking the paddock for several of the Breeders’ Cups Keeneland hosted.

For now, it meant the primary entrance which leads directly to the track apron was unavailable, but other than that for patrons much was the same. Keeneland retains its timeless charm well, even as it innovates. It was good to be back.

I was thrilled to see Jena Antonucci, not a lot of time gone by since she and Arcangelo stood in the winners’ circle at the Belmont Stakes. That historic victory was my introduction to her and her philosophy with horses, and it was an introduction – even through a phone and TV screen – that I was glad to have. Subsequently, I admit I was a little starstruck seeing her saddle a horse in the paddock for the first race I was there for that late April day, fresh off the plane at the airport a short distance from the track. Her horsemanship was evident as the feisty two-year-old she saddled was tacked up on the walk and even required a pony to try to be a calming influence.

The usual rhythm of the race days flowed – the cadence of race calls, the excitement of the crowd, getting a chance to pat famed pony Harley when he was brought over to the rail between races. I had missed the 100th Blue Grass Stakes, won by Sierra Leone, but I soaked in the history of that marquee race in the Keeneland Library’s exhibit reflecting its highlights. With the exception of the time the track was closed to the general public in 2020, even though I have moved away, I am glad I have kept a streak of spring meet attendance intact, attending the spring meet since 2006. It matters, for a track that I love and to be a touchstone of continuity when so much about my life has changed. I guess that is one way a person can go on, by finding those touchstones.

Keeneland featured an interview on their YouTube channel recently with Jill Babe, chef for the jockeys, who has been there for 60 consecutive race meets. She perfectly summed up how I feel about being there when she said, “When you come here, you feel like you’re at home… I want to come here forever. It just puts life in your body. It’s me. It’s part of me, and I hope I always feel that way, and I know I will.”

I couldn’t have said it more perfectly. After watching the horses train one morning and soaking in the peace of the surroundings and another afternoon of racing, the book closed on another meet. It is definitely not just the track that blossoms. It is the people and the horses too. It is a great interlude in the hustle of life, to sit by a rail and watch the horses go by.

While Giant’s Causeway was marketed as an iron horse, I believe Serena’s Song is a strong contender to have that title among Thoroughbred mares. The Hall of Fame inductee and 1995 champion three-year-old filly raced 38 times. Even in the mid-90s, that was not common for horses competing in the top tier races, and through the years since has become even less likely. When retired to become a broodmare, she had a multitude of foals back-to-back, barely missing a year. And on April 4 this year, she achieved another milestone of seeing the thirty-second anniversary of her foaling date. She is indeed a most durable individual, a testament to both the care lavished upon her at Denali Stud, where she is called the “Queen of Denali,” and to her own constitution.

As noteworthy as those details of her life are, however, what makes her shine more is her impact upon individuals who love racing and the reverence that evokes, much as everyone at Denali has for her that led to her royally-inspired title at the farm. She was offered peppermint cookies on April 4 to mark the occasion of her turning 32, and reading that she had reached that age filled me with awe all over again for her.

I am grateful that Denali has been gracious to share one-on-one time with her for her fans over the years, and that I have been able to visit her more than once in retirement. While I watched her races on TV, I was not in a position to attend any of them, so my first time in her presence was in 2010. I jumped at the chance to see her through a tour offered when the World Equestrian Games were in Lexington. In fact, I thought that tour was only possible as a special event while the Games were in town. Later I discovered how often Denali offered opportunities to visit her, but that never made it less special. Each visit was different too.

As could be expected from an “iron” horse, one who was dominant, Serena’s Song expected peppermints to have patience to stand for visitors. She was never mean, but she knew what she wanted and I was happy to feed her provided peppermints when I visited. Another time, the groom who brought her out of the stall for me handed me her lead rope and I alone got to handle her for pictures. That was a thrill beyond words, even more one-on-one than standing beside her for a photo. It was she and I, directly connecting with no one else involved. She was sleek and healthy as always, with an extra shine to her coat from the warmer days of that time of year and probably the added robustness of the grass responding to those same weather conditions. One other time I saw her stood out because I found a spot where she wanted to be scratched, and she was enjoying that thoroughly. That too felt like a more one-on-one connection than feeding her peppermints, as much as she liked those, for it was almost like providing care to scratch a spot she would have had difficulty reaching. It was a joy to give that care and see how she reacted to getting that itch scratched.

I am grateful I have had those moments in her presence. The mid-90s was when I first became most invested in racing and watching it at every opportunity. As one of the most noteworthy racehorses of that time, Serena’s Song made a strong impression. That made it even more special that I got to have those moments with her – I would have never dreamed I would when I watched her on TV in a state without horse racing.

Even though I have (reluctantly) moved away from Lexington, special moments with the renowned horses there like those recounted here stay with me. A toast to Serena’s Song for being one of the horses who gave me wonderful memories of the time I lived there, and here’s to her continued health!

Numerous racing publications highlighted Silver Charm turning 30 on February 22, a milestone age for any horse. He is also currently the oldest living Derby winner.

I recall watching his race career on TV in the late ’90s, through his Derby and Preakness wins, and near-victory in the Belmont, and annexing another top race in the 1998 Dubai World Cup. As a racehorse, he captivated the imagination. In retirement, I got to meet him in 2002 at Three Chimneys in his pasture. He was young and feisty, and I had to keep a respectful distance.

When he returned to the United States in 2014 after standing at stud in Japan, I and many others were grateful for the chance to get to visit him again. This current chapter of his life as a resident there may well be my favorite part of his story, for it is when I got to know him best. He is a wonderful ambassador, and has mellowed from the feisty horse he was at Three Chimneys when I first saw him. If it didn’t sound like anthropomorphizing, I would even call him gentlemanly and in my mind I do.

Reflecting on his thirty years, and all the people that have known him through the various chapters of his life, I thought about how some of what each of those people know of Silver Charm is unique to each individual, whoever we may be and in the way we got to know the champion. What is also amazing about his longevity is how many people have been part of his story along the way, and how that gave them their own memories of meaningful, one-on-one moments here and there.

It was wonderful to be among the people who saw him in his welcome party at Old Friends, and every moment seeing him there has been a joy. Yet my favorite moment was one day when the University of Kentucky’s Horse Racing Club had a service day and went to Old Friends to groom horses. Silver Charm was one we got to groom and it felt like a privilege to get to be that close to the champion and have a more personal moment than I ever thought I would have, and never could have foreseen watching him race on TV all those years ago, when I didn’t live in Kentucky and didn’t have a plan that I would.

I am grateful he has had all these years at Old Friends, and that I also got to be there for his twenty-fifth birthday celebration.

I no longer live in Kentucky, where Old Friends will host a party for him and fellow resident Touch Gold, as both reached their thirtieth birthdays this year. But I did send a card I made, with several photos of time spent with him over the years.

It has been a gift to get to know Silver Charm better, and I am grateful for everyone who helped bring him back to the United States. A toast to thirty years!

As late afternoon began to take hold, a light rain fell on the yard where I took my cat out for some leisure time. My mind was many miles away – or at least the greatest part of it was.

It was about 250 miles away, to be more specific. Google Maps noted that as the shortest route between where I stood on October 6 and the grounds of Keeneland, winding down its first day of the fall meet at that time I was outside.

It was warm and sunny there in Lexington – warm where I stood too, but overcast, and like another world.

The lyrics of a Paul Simon song flowed through my mind as I thought of the track I love and felt a little wistful not being near it.

Those lyrics are:

“And all the old hymns and family names

came fluttering down

leaves of emotion

As nothing is different, but everything’s changed”

Once I didn’t understand the contradiction in that last line. Yet over time, I think life can showing us how nothing can be different and yet things can change. It’s likely changed perceptions, changed lives, that do this.

Nothing’s different? Not at all, when I look across my memories and feel all the excitement of a Keeneland opening day like I never left.

Everything’s changed? In a lot of ways – I’ve jumped states, altered living arrangements, changed jobs and even life goals. To rebuild, sometimes that is necessary.

Finally starting to regain my footing, it is a bit easier to endure not being near Keeneland. Yet I know why the wistful feeling swept over me – I will likely miss all of this fall’s meet and the rhythm of my Aprils and Octobers will not be about Keeneland attendance without fail.

Yet such a love as I have for that track can never be diminished by miles or time apart. It lives in me.

When Sixtythreecaliber stepped into the starting gate for an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga on July 19th, she brought a record of 5 wins from 11 starts into the race. She broke her maiden in her second start and became a graded stakes winner by the end of her first season of racing. She also won her first stakes race, the non-graded Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in September 2022. That victory added to the impressive tally of wins for progeny of Gun runner, her sire. He had five stakes winners that day.

I invested in Sixtythreecaliber as part of a bundle of yearlings My Racehorse purchased from a Keeneland sale. Each yearling was offered individually as well, but I opted for the less expensive bundle, although it did not have the perks that came with individual shares of horses. It still let me get updates on each horse in the bundle and follow along throughout their journey to get to the races and then root for them when they raced.

I met Sixtythreecaliber when she was on a layup at Silver Springs, where she was recovering from tieback surgery. At that point, although I knew the intent of the surgery was to get her in condition to race successfully, I didn’t know how her race career would play out. Part of me even wondered if she would get to the races.

One thing I’ve learned for sure from the My Racehorse experience is how many little setbacks can occur just trying to get a horse to the races. So I was hopeful but adopted a position of waiting and seeing how it would play out for her.

What I did discover that day was what a sweet horse she is. She was perfectly willing to rest her head in my arms for what seemed like nothing so much as a cuddle. I was enamored.

When she began racing and it was evident she is all heart, always trying hard, and being a bit of a fighter to excel, that further endeared her to me. It always stands out to me when a horse takes on challenges with an innate drive to persevere.

When Sixtythreecaliber raced in the Seneca that September last year, I would have loved to be in attendance since it was so close to Lexington, my home at the time. But I was facing an imminent surgery and had to avoid crowds so I didn’t potentially contract anything that would compromise my chances of having the surgery when it was scheduled.

I cheered her on from home and seeing her win that first stakes race of her career was so thrilling that it eased the sting of not being able to experience it all in person.

Saratoga opened their annual boutique meet on July 13th this year, and Sixtythreecaliber stepped onto the track to race there in their second week of racing. She was seeking her first win of 2023, after notching a few placings in stakes races earlier this year. That explained the decision to enter her in an allowance optional claiming race.

Post time was a few moments after my work shift concluded, and Sixtythreecaliber was last in the initial stages of the race. When she began moving up through the field, it looked like she would hit the board in third, and it was impressive to see how she made up ground. But I should never underestimate how she’s all heart!

She kept going and won in a thriller, surging to the lead nearly in the shadow of the wire and holding off Nostalgic, who was charging hard on her outside. It was a wonderful interlude after the work day.

I was elated – at the manner of the win, how much heart she has, and that she won at such a boutique meet. Later, when she returned to the worktab at Saratoga after that race, her trainer Tom Amoss remarked that she is thriving at the upstate New York track.

She is a horse of top caliber, indeed. I’m glad to have a little investment in her journey, and even more to have the connection to her that I feel.

No matter that I am in a state without horse racing now, moments like those transmit a great deal of the sensations of attending in person. I am grateful for that.

Recently I saw an update about American Heiress, the first horse I ever invested in through My Racehorse, about her filly and that the farm where she lives is waiting to see if she is in foal to Essential Quality. The way the farm employee phrased how they were waiting for her pregnancy scan to reveal a foal made it sound like they were quite eager for her future as a producer and I was happy to read that. 

Even though American Heiress, daughter of American Pharoah and Keertana, did not pan out as a racehorse with a small number of starts to her credit, she endeared herself to me with her sweet nature and several different occasions when we got to spend time together one-on-one. 

I also already felt a bit of a connection to her prospective foal of 2024, the one they are waiting to see if she will have from the cross with Essential Quality, because his Belmont in 2021 was the first I had ever attended of that race. 

It was actually a bit of a funny story that I purchased my ticket to that race in installments and I did not even remember I had done it until I received an email that the second installment was due. I have no recollection of when I purchased the first installment, and when I got the email that the second installment was due I called Belmont Park to check that they would allow attendees or if there were restrictions about that because Churchill Downs had still limited attendance to their signature race in the Triple Crown series in 2021. 

Since I could not recall when I had purchased the ticket I did not know if they had considered how many people could attend or not and if that would affect my seating arrangement. They did have limited attendance but I was able to complete my purchase. 

When I arrived at Belmont Park on that first Saturday in June for the race, they had placed seat cushions in each spot where they had assigned a seat to a ticketholder and placed significant space between each seat purchased to allow for social distancing. Masks and proof of covid vaccination were also supposed to be required, but when I arrived no one asked to see my proof of covid vaccination. 

I had an amazing spot right in front of the finish line directly at the rail. I also enjoyed that due to the social distancing aspect no one was going to crowd in on my space.

All was set for a perfect view until unfortunately, for the actual Belmont Stakes, they starting gate crew stood up in front of those of us at the rail at the wire and blocked our view. I had never attended a race where the starting gate crew didn’t kneel or crouch underneath the the rail so they did not block paying patrons’ views. And I could not believe they did that there, especially for a Triple Crown race. 

Since they had blocked my view of getting a good photo of Essential Quality winning, I went over to the winners’ circle to get photographs of him that still somewhat showcased his victory, and that was how I coincidentally ended up in the background of some professional photographers’ captures of his winners’ circle ceremony. 

When I spotted myself in their photos later, I thought that was pretty neat to happen for the first Belmont I ever attended and would not have happened if my view did not get blocked at the wire. 

So when I read that American Heiress was bred to him, I reflected back on his Belmont and this experience there, and thought that would be neat if there is a foal by the first horse whose Belmont I attended and out of the first horse I ever invested in. 

I share some of the hope the farm where she lives has for that prospective foal, for those reasons named above, and I love to be reminded of the hope that is inherent in racing and that we can usually find in the world even when circumstances can at times be difficult. 

I also look forward to when they share updates about American Heiress’ first foal, the filly born this year, and maybe one day –  even though I have moved away from the racing state where I lived – I will see one of her foals race. But I know for sure I don’t have to live in a racing state to feel connected to racing and that is what matters – that I find the ways to keep that connection alive.

My Racehorse recently hosted a wonderful day of farm visits to see multiple horses affiliated with them, as well as a few standouts that are not. Departing from Keeneland Racecourse on a Gold Shield bus, the first stop was WinStar Farm, where Miss Macy Sue noisily greeted the group (she was typically turned out at that time but kept in a little longer to be shown). Mark Taylor hosted the visit at WinStar, and shared insights gleaned from his years at the farm. He pointed out the best attributes of Miss Macy Sue, a stellar-looking mare for any age, but especially at age 20. Taylor said she is a perfect example of what a Thoroughbred should be, and further noted that there are mares who will dominate the stallions they are bred to every time, mares that will dominate half the time, and some who always have the influence of stallions show in the foals they produce. He said Miss Macy Sue was one who dominated every time, and that she has two stallion sons to her credit in Liam’s Map and Not This Time is another feather in her cap. He also said her owners know she did enough for them with the foals she produced, so she has been retired from breeding. Taylor said as good as she looks, it could have been tempting for some owners to breed her still.

Then Wicked Lick and her 4 1/2 month old colt by Authentic came out to meet the group. Mark Taylor went through conformation points of note the colt possesses. After that, it was on to meet 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and her gray pasture buddy Noted and Quoted.

Leaving the mare and foal division of the farm, we went to see stallions Knicks Go and Not This Time, with Mark Taylor again providing insight into their conformation. He had a wealth of knowledge that I found interesting, more so for it being geared to industry professionals with existing familiarity with horse racing. He also mentioned how Taylor Made was considered to be on the outskirts of top farms with good soil, but with their nutrition program that did not hold as much relevance as it could have, and the stakes winners raised on the property attest to that. I enjoyed that he conducted that part of the day’s events for how much I learned, and it seemed to be a continuation of what I gleaned from classes that were specifically encompassing the equine part of the University of Kentucky’s Equine Science and Management Degree.

After WinStar, it was on to Spendthrift to see another Horse of the Year, Authentic, and the primary reason I booked this tour – to meet Monomoy Girl at last! As I avidly followed her career since shortly before she won Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes en route to Kentucky Oaks victory and jumped at the chance to buy microshares in her last year of racing in 2021, I was quite excited for the opportunity. Seeing her featured a bonus visit with Beholder, freshly inducted into the Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. She was stabled directly across from Monomoy Girl, so our group got to feed both mares carrots and Got Stormy as well, stabled further down the barn.

Feeding Monomoy Girl the carrot was a wonderful moment of communion with a mare I’ve admired for years. Though it was a simple moment, it was giving her something she loved and finding connection and joy in that. And what a beautiful thing to experience when first meeting a horse who means so much. I am grateful to My Racehorse and Spendthrift for providing that opportunity. Not long from now, I will be moving out of Kentucky and away from these horses I’ve had such pleasure in being around over the years. It was an unexpected change, so I am even more glad to have met Monomoy Girl before I go. As I will be in a state without a racing industry once more, I know I will look back on that memory and others made over the years fondly. Yet I hope one day to be back in a racing industry, once I’ve had a bit of a reset, particularly as I will soon tackle the Racing Officials Accreditation Program and would like to utilize that training eventually.

But that is in the future, and this day was about enjoying the visits with all the horses we got to see. The visit wrapped up with future offerings for My Racehorse, and some who are sold out and on layup. There was also a polydactyl cat in their training barn; the first time I’ve ever seen one outside of photos.

It was an idyllic day to visit Gainesway, and see most of their six active stallions. All was quiet and peaceful, as the stallions begin to settle into the lull between breeding seasons. I noted the fairly new stone placed by the fountain to honor Empire Maker, one of my favorite racehorses.

Raging Bull was brought out for the tour group, followed by Tapit.

After seeing those stallions outside, the guide took us through the breeding shed and the barns to see a few other stallions. I was glad to see Afleet Alex again, who was pensioned from breeding this year and is now living the easy life. He will stay at Gainesway for the rest of his days. While he was not the most commercial stallion his whole life, I am still glad he stayed in Kentucky and at one farm. The guide talked about what a good-natured horse he is; that and the way he snatched victory from what seemed like near-certain defeat in the Preakness have always made him stand out to me.

The visit wrapped up at the circular mare and foal barn, which had once been a dairy barn, and where I had never gone before. The guide hoped to show us mares and foals up close but they were all at the far end of the pasture, the lure of the grass there apparently too strong!

It was an enjoyable visit.

On a recent visit to Chicago with my nephew, I took the opportunity to visit Hawthorne for the first time. Tentative plans to visit Chicago with him, and lovely Arlington, did not pan out so if we wanted to visit a racecourse in that area, Hawthorne it was.

While it would never be considered on a par with Arlington’s charm (a track I only visited once, but that was enough to make it one I both wanted to introduce other people to and one I will miss), the visit to Hawthorne was a nice lowkey end to a vacation that had been packed with activity each other day, and I still found a somewhat rustic charm to the track. While I liked the outdoor setup trackside, I didn’t enjoy the small overly crowded indoor area, and it was unusual that there didn’t seem to be public access to see the horses in the paddock. I did inquire about that and was told how to get there, but there was a sign posted where I had been told to go that said it was for horsemen only. I have read since my visit that construction on Hawthorne’s casino was halted months before October 2021, and is expected to resume at the end of this year. That may explain why public access to the paddock was off-limits, as well as why the grandstand which was behind the path to the paddock had no spectators in it. In addition, there was not an admission charge though I had read there would be one, and that too may have been because grandstand seating was not an option.

The day of our visit coincided with Belmont Stakes day. I had not thought of that when I planned the trip in March (it’s been a stressful year, and sometimes details like that get lost), but I had chosen that date because Hawthorne would hold the Work All Week Stakes that day. While it was not a graded race, it was a chance to see one of their bigger races.

I did enjoy the trackside atmosphere, as previously mentioned. While it was a lowkey setting, the picnic tables and benches seemed to intimate a family day out, which is what this was for my nephew and myself and I enjoyed having a table to spread out on. There was also a tent nearby with TVs inside, with several set to Belmont Park’s simulcast signal. I was glad to have a place to watch the Belmont Stakes when the time came outside of the crowded indoor area and also have more tables and chairs. It was never too crowded outdoors to have access to a table to ourselves, either in the tent or alongside the track rail.

My nephew picked a winner early on, who later had an article written about him since he was his sire’s first winner. While we didn’t actually bet, my nephew was quite happy to pick a winner. For myself, I enjoyed a chance to be back at the races for the first time since Keeneland concluded its spring meet, particularly as I was having some issues that made it difficult to attend as much as I would have liked, but since that was not an option I could accept it and was just glad to watch the live feed of the races from home. Speaking of Keeneland, during the few times I do attend a track without a video screen like that central Kentucky plant has, it does first seem unusual, outside of the norm. And without paddock access, that may have been beneficial, but after a little while I realized what I did enjoy about Hawthorne was it seemed to let one more purely take in the horses and the experience, without analysts interjecting their commentary into the day. And I do love to connect with the horses more, through observation, if not actual contact.

After watching the Belmont where Rich Strike didn’t manage an effort on par with his Derby win (although according to trainer Eric Reed, he apparently did attempt a similar run by trying to get to the rail – where of course he launched his Derby winning bid from – more than he tried to run down actual rivals) and Mo Donegal won, we watched a few more races at Hawthorne and then called it a day.

While Rich Strike likely proved his Derby win was a stroke of luck, it is still inspiring that he won for a small stable, and that the racing world was introduced to the close, touching bond between him and his groom Jerry Dixon Jr.

While Hawthorne is not a track of the caliber of Keeneland or Arlington, I still enjoyed my day there. It’s not a track I would feel drawn to again and again like those named above, but it is one I am glad I saw once to form my own impressions of it. One other aspect that stood out to me, as a racing history enthusiast, were several photos from the 1940s and 1950s mounted on a wall. One showed a race winner receiving a tall trophy filled with carrots, dipping his nose in enthusiastically, and several people in the winner’s circle with him munching on a few of the carrots with large smiles on their faces. It was a contrast to typical winner’s circle photos, standing out for the levity and the immediate reward to the winning horse.