Kentucky Derby
Having never attended a Kentucky Derby in person, my memories are pretty slim on that subject; especially since the race only lasts about 2 minutes. However, Saturday’s muddy Kentucky Derby won by Justify led me to recall the 1974 Derby, not that it was run on a muddy track but rather the poor weather occurred where I was a long way from the site of the race. It was the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby, plus the year before Secretariat captivated the nation winning the Triple Crown (Derby, Preakness & Belmont) for the first time in 25 years.
Our softball team had a practice scheduled that first Saturday morning in May but was rained out shortly after we started, so our manager asked us if we’d help him move an above-ground swimming pool that he had purchased at a bargain price from a neighbor. He now wanted some bargain priced help to disassemble and move it!
First we had to drain the pool of the green, algae-contaminated water and leaves that had accumulated over the winter; then we had to carefully remove the liner without damaging it, followed by dismantling the wood support structure, and finally carrying the pieces to his place a couple houses down the street. All the while, the rains continued intermittently to the point by late afternoon, we were soaked and exhausted. Our manager had some pizza delivered and we rolled his TV into the garage to watch the Derby rather than destroying his family room with our wet clothes and muddy shoes.
Connonade won the race on a beautiful sunshiny day in Kentucky, compared to the wet weather we had suffered through. The worst part of it all, our manager didn't get the pool assembled and running that summer (if ever), since we never did get invited back for a pool party!
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