As we near the end of the first week in May, the warm weather has made its way east of the Mississippi. Mother's Day is this Sunday and the baseball season is already thirty games old. Clearly spring has arrived. Many of us mark the change in seasons based on certain annual events. For instance, if you grew up on Fifth Avenue, you might mark the spring season based on what's happening at Lincoln Center, The Guggenheim and The Met. If you were raised in the Bronx, it might be the first pitch on Opening Day. But there are some that swear that spring does not begin until you've had a mint julep and you can smell the freshly cut bluegrass as the horses exit the paddock to the tune of My Old Kentucky Home. This Saturday in Churchill Downs such pageantry will be on display at the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby.
Now, I am not a hard core fan of horse racing. But I am among the millions of casual followers. Like most, I tune in three times a year to watch The Derby, The Preakness and The Belmont. And I must admit there is something ritualistic about that song.
Anyway, when it comes to thoroughbred racing, the big question is who is going to be the next triple crown winner. It' s been 32 years since the last horse won it and that was Affirmed in 1978. Here is a clip of this noble horse at the Derby with Steve Cauthen aboard.Since Affirmed's triple crown win in 1978 there have been eleven horses that have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but were unable to win the Belmont. They are as follows:
- 1979 - Spectacular Bid
- 1981 - Pleasant Colony
- 1987 - Alysheba
- 1989 - Sunday Silence
- 1997 - Silver Charm
- 1998 - Real Quiet
- 1999 - Charismatic
- 2002 - War Emblem
- 2003 - Funny Cide
- 2004 - Smarty Jones
- 2008 - Big Brown
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