Majestic Prince

Wikipedia Entry - Majestic Prince
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Prince

Yep. You'll have to do a cut and paste for that link, too. I figure I'm going to learn the whole linking thing when one of my friends tells me how to do it, or I take the Web Development and Design class that starts on June 8th.

I never completely know what will come out of the fingertips when I start these things. Sometimes I don't even know the topic til I've signed in. Sometimes I know the topic, but the story changes as I'm writing. If you've been reading this thing, you've discovered that I can write a lot or a little. It all depends on so many factors. Here we go.


MAJESTIC PRINCE - Winner: 1969 Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes. 2nd Place: Belmont Stakes. Bill Hartack, Jockey.


In 1969, crouched in front of the Family Room TV was a little girl of 9 years. Her hair was long and blond. Her body was slim and fit.

Her nose 10 inches from the screen, she cheered in a whisper, "Come on! Come On! Go! Go! Go!"

By the end of The Kentucky Derby, the little girl could no longer contain herself. Her voice raised and she found herself bouncing up and down, pounding on the carpet with her fists.

"What are you doing?" her dad whined, rolling over on the couch; waking up from his nap.

The little girl pointed at the TV, "Majestic Prince just WON The Kentucky Derby! See!" she continued as the Instant Replay started.

"Oh," the groggy grouch replied, "Well, keep it down."

Shirking her shoulders in that "Oops Kinda Way", but not taking her eyes off the Instant Replay; the little girl continued to watch and listen as her dad fell back to sleep oblivious to the amazing Majestic Prince and the love affair that was forming between his daughter and all things Triple Crown.

Not to worry, though. Soon the little girl's entire family would know. After all, they had years of living together ahead, and the little girl was only nine years old.


CANONERO II - 1971 Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes Winner. Gustavo Avila, Jockey.

It would be a few years until the little girl saw the wonders of a true Triple Crown Winner, but she lived the disappointment of Majestic Prince's Second Place finish in the Belmont. Cannonero II's Fourth Place hurt less.


SECRETARIAT - 1973 Triple Crown Winner. Ron Turcotte, Jockey.

By the time Secretariat came along, the little girl was thirteen. She was no longer a child. She was a young lady who still loved The Triple Crown. From the moment she saw Secretariat, she thought of her beloved Majestic Prince. It was the white blaze and color, but "Big Red" did have a more beautifully colored coat. She couldn't deny it. She started to fall in love. It didn't hurt that he shared his "Big Red" nickname with Man O' War, either.


SECRETARIAT wearing his blinkers.

When she saw him step onto the race track, she was baffled and a bit mad. His white blaze was covered by blinkers. Majestic Prince hadn't needed blinkers.

"Hmmmmm," she thought, "We'll see."


SECRETARIAT Book Cover

When she saw him run, she lost her heart. It rode down the track with him.

"I wish I was a jockey," the already too tall, little girl thought.

She accepted this plight while watching horse racing for years to come. As she grew, so did her knowledge of the sport. As she aged, her awareness of the dangers, pit-falls, and inequity of the sport became more apparent.

She still can't take herself away from the sheer beauty, though. The Triple Crown is celebrated every year with a quiet reverence. Well, it's quiet until race time, at least.


MAN O' WAR - 1920 Preakness & Belmont Stakes Winner. Clarence Kummer, Jockey. (Not entered in the Kentucky Derby)



WAR EMBLEM - 2002 Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes Winner. Victor Espinoza, Jockey.


There's only one time in history that she's been absolutely sure which horse was going to win The Kentucky Derby. His lines went back to Man O' War. War Emblem was a long shot at 40-1. She agonized for hours about driving up to OTB (Off Track Betting) to place a bet, but couldn't bring herself to do it because of her maternal, biological grandfather's dismal gambling history and the fact that she wanted to place a $500 bet. She wasn't just satisfied with placing a $20 bet. If she was going to drive up and do it, it would be for $500; or what was the point. Oh silly woman. Still, had she placed that bet, would The Universe have shifted? Would War Emblem have lost? We'll never know.

What we do know is that the sport is still pure for the woman in spite of on track injury and death. In spite of horrifying practices by jockeys, trainers, owners, vets, and criminals; for the woman, the sport has the purity of youth, new beginnings, and intimate love affairs. It is hers. It is hers alone in her family. No one gets as excited about The Triple Crown as she does. She gets to lead with this one. She gets to educate, learn and share this passion with her family and the world like an angel enveloping their beloved in their wings. It is still her wish that she could throw her beloveds up in the air and watch as they magically grow their own wings. She knows the joy of this experience. She learned it from Majestic Prince and committed to it with Secretariat.

She also knows that if she ever has that "War Emblem Feeling" again, she's placing a "budget-friendly" bet; whatever that is.

So here's to 2010, Super Saver and Calvin Borel. Will they do it? She doesn't know, but she'll be watching starting at 3:30pm CST on NBC.


SUPER SAVER - 2010 Kentucky Derby Winner. Calvin Borel, Jockey.