Teach
05-02-2015, 07:50 PM
I’m sure all of us saw watched American Pharoah win the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. This afternoon, I made my Derby bets on my ADW and then watched the race at home on my TV.
After the race was over, I got to thinking where I’ve watched and bet on the Kentucky Derby.
I saw my first Kentucky Derby at an elementary school friend’s house on his black-and-white TV. It was May, 1953. I was in the 5th grade. I was 10 years-old.
In that Derby, Dark Star with Hank Moreno upset the prohibitive favorite, Native Dancer. However, Dark Star would come up short in The Preakness. It was later discovered that he had an injured foot.
In the years that followed I would watch Kentucky Derby on my family’s black-and-white TV. One year, I’d say during the late-1950s (I believe I was a junior in high school) I was again watching the Derby on my own TV.
Only this time I was “under the gun.” I was working that Saturday evening as a clerk at a drugstore that was about a mile from my home. As I recall, the race went off about 5:45 p.m. Well, as soon as the race was over, I bolted out of my house and made like a track star. I made it to drugstore with just a couple minutes to spare for my 6 p.m. shift.
In the years that followed, I watched the Derby at the now defunct Foxboro (MA) Raceway, a harness track that is now a Gillette Stadium parking lot. I would later watch The Derby at Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, MA. On several occasions I watched the race at Suffolk Downs. Yet, I’ve also watched The Derby at one or both of the Connecticut casinos.
In conclusion, now, in my early 70s, I’m just happy that I could watch and enjoy the race once again.
After the race was over, I got to thinking where I’ve watched and bet on the Kentucky Derby.
I saw my first Kentucky Derby at an elementary school friend’s house on his black-and-white TV. It was May, 1953. I was in the 5th grade. I was 10 years-old.
In that Derby, Dark Star with Hank Moreno upset the prohibitive favorite, Native Dancer. However, Dark Star would come up short in The Preakness. It was later discovered that he had an injured foot.
In the years that followed I would watch Kentucky Derby on my family’s black-and-white TV. One year, I’d say during the late-1950s (I believe I was a junior in high school) I was again watching the Derby on my own TV.
Only this time I was “under the gun.” I was working that Saturday evening as a clerk at a drugstore that was about a mile from my home. As I recall, the race went off about 5:45 p.m. Well, as soon as the race was over, I bolted out of my house and made like a track star. I made it to drugstore with just a couple minutes to spare for my 6 p.m. shift.
In the years that followed, I watched the Derby at the now defunct Foxboro (MA) Raceway, a harness track that is now a Gillette Stadium parking lot. I would later watch The Derby at Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, MA. On several occasions I watched the race at Suffolk Downs. Yet, I’ve also watched The Derby at one or both of the Connecticut casinos.
In conclusion, now, in my early 70s, I’m just happy that I could watch and enjoy the race once again.