An unidentified horse races toward the finish line at Omaha's Ak-Sar-Ben Memories Flood My Mind Each Year on the First Saturday in May
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Did you watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday? I did. I never miss it. It's a family tradition.
There are many sporting events that are held in high regard in the homes of mid-Michigan families.
Many consider the opening day of Tiger baseball as a tradition to be revered.
Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey, Thanksgiving Detroit Lions' football, Super Bowl Sunday and New Years Day Rose Bowl games are those that most often make an inroad into family traditions.
But inCunningham world, the "First Saturday in May" has become a singular symbolic signal that spring has arrived.
Back on May 3, 1952, when CBS first televised the Kentucky Derby's Run for the Roses, my dad, my mom and I gathered close to the black and white television to catch a glimpse of the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports." My dad would always refer to the Kentucky Derby as "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports."
I was 8 years old . . . I believed him.
And so each year, we Cunninghams would set aside time on that first Saturday afternoon in May to gather and watch the Kentucky Derby.
In 1955, I remember the stretch dual of Swaps (Willie Shoemaker) and Nashua (Eddie Arcaro). The television coverage was better every year and we got to meet the jockeys and see the horses up close. I was 11 years old in 1955. I was wide-eyedand hooked on Churchill Downs. Willie Shoemaker was my favorite. I stood and cheered as he crossed the finish line ahead of Nashua.
In 1957, (I was a freshman at Saint James High School) my favorite jockey, Willie Shoemaker stood up tooearly on his horse, Gallant Man. Shoemaker thought that he had already crossed the finish line. Iron Leige snuck his nose ahead just at the last stride and claimed the Kentucky Derby title. My dad thought that Shoemaker had cheated and given the race to Iron Leige. I remember that the purse was over $100,000. There was an investigation. Nothing ever came of it. (The purse in 2006 for the Derby was $2,000,000.
My mom loved Silky Sullivan in 1958. Silky Sullivan always ran way in the back. And then at the end, he would get going like a "house on fire" and streak by all the other horses and win going away. Mom would laugh and try to mimic the Kentucky Derby play-by-play guy.
Of course, she was terrible. "Here comes Silky Sullivan from the back of the pack," she would say in her too high pitched voice. In fact, all of horse racing loved Silky Sullivan. But Silky Sullivan never was a factor in 1958. We were all disappointed.
Majestic Prince, Valeof Tears Canonero and Secretariat
Ten years of Kentucky Derbys passed quickly. By 1969, I was a Captain in the United States Air Force in Omaha, Nebraska. Horse racing was still in my blood. Omaha was the home of a racetrack calledAk-Sar-Ben (Nebraska, backwards) and I have to admit that I was a regular customer at the track's two-dollar window. 1969 was a year to remember.
In early May 1969, Majestic Prince beat Arts and Letters in a thrilling two-horse stretch drive to win the Kentucky Derby. It was the consensus at Ak-Sar-Ben that Majestic Prince would be the first Triple Crown winner (Kentucky Derby - Preakness - Belmont Stakes) since 1948.
Majestic Prince went on to win the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown by again defeating Arts and Letters in a stretch dual at the Preakness in mid-May only to lose the Belmont Stakes to Arts and Letters in a third head-to-head battle. What a month!
In 1969, I had a more personal thrill of a life-time when I was track side to see Vale of Tears set the track record at Ak-Sar-Ben for 6 furlongs (1:07 and 2/5) during the running of Omaha's prestigious Cornhusker Handicap. When the time of the race was posted on the track's tote board, there was a gasp from the grandstand. Most had assumed the track's record would never be broken. But Vale of Tears, under the ride of L.J. Durousseau, went wire-to-wire for the win and the record. What a thrill!
In 1971, I had an opportunity to travel to Kentucky and Churchill Downs to see Canonero win the 97th running of the Kentucky Derby. It's the only time I've ever been to the Kentucky Derby. I stood in the infield at the rail as big number 10 raced by - ahead of my betting selection. I'll never forget it. What a Day!
In 1973, my wait (and the country's) for a Triple Crown winner was over. Secretariat won the Derby in the fastest time ever (1:59 and 2/5). Secretariat went on to win the Preakness and then blew out the field at the Belmont . . . winning by 25 lengths over the rest of the field. I stood in front of the television, mouth open in amazement as Secretariat pulled further and further and even further into the lead. Secretariat - Triple Crown Winner. What a horse!
May 6, 2006 was a Kentucky Derby Day like so many others. "Down the stretch they come," screamed the track's play-by-play announcer. The horses bunched as they turned for home. Out of the pack as the horses pounded down the home stretch, it was Barbaro who came to the front. Barbaro passed horses and raced to the lead and then pulled away to win in grand fashion. What a day! What a horse! A Triple Crown? We'll see.
Family traditions are learned at an early age. Family traditions are a part of our life. Traditions are always worth remembering and re-living.
Thanks mom and dad.
The grandstand at Omaha's Ak-Sar-Ben
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O. J. Cunningham |
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