Secretariat gallops into the record books in the 1973 Kentucky Derby. It was 28 years before any other horse won the Derby in less than 2 minutes (Monarchos in 2001).
While I’ve never been to the race, and likely never will, I went to college in Kentucky, so the pageantry and beauty of the race, the horse farms and of course, the horses, hold a special sentimental place in my heart.
When I first graduated from what is now Asbury University, more than thirty years ago, it was hard leaving Kentucky and not knowing if, or when I’d be back. So when Dan Fogelburg’s Run For The Roses
came out, I’d get a little sad everytime I heard it. Over the years, I’ve been able to keep a strong association with my old Kentucky home so the memories are no longer sad. But they are valued.
But I didn’t start this post out to write about college. Today is Derby Day.
Recently, my family and I watched Secretariat
, about that amazing horse born right here in Doswell at Meadow Farm in Caroline County, Virginia, the site of the Virginia State Fair. It’s a great and inspiring story. Secretariat is buried at Clairborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. When we’re back in Kentucky this June, we hope to get by to see the memorial and statue at Kentucky Horse Park.
But for today, it’s juleps and fancy hats and horse racing. And a little Dan Fogleburg.
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