Saturday June 10 was my good friend Matt’s birthday.  We exchanged some text messages.  I wished him a happy birthday, he lamented about how old he was “68…years old, what the hell?”  I concurred, turning 67 years old in a couple of weeks. “We just have to go with,” I replied.

Heck when we first became friends, we had grandparents younger than we are now.  Where did the time go?  Seems like only yesterday we were watching the ’69 Mets win the World Series.  Now I am sitting here fifty some years later, trying to write about memories as hazy as the skies this past week, the pain in my fingers and knuckles particularly bad this morning as I push on the keys and  learn to “just go with it.”

Saturday June 10, I received some news about another old friend.  This being the season of thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown, I reached out to Marilyne Kilchriss to find out about how Sid (Sir Sidney) was doing.  I got an email back on Saturday:

“Hey there!!  He’s doing amazing!  I adore that horse and hope to have him for the rest of his life.  The racetrack did a cool video on his career and trainer this spring and I’ll send you the link to it!  In the meantime, enjoy some pics of the dramatic, handsome boy.  My goal is to show at the WEC sometime this fall!  We will see how we progress in our dressage training.  Marilyne.”

The sport of horseracing has suffered in recent years. In 2020 the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was passed to help protect thoroughbred racehorses.  After twelve horses died over a relatively short period of time at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill made the decision last week to shut down racing and move the rest of the meet to Ellis Park to give them the opportunity to review operations.

A great decision by Churchill Downs to protect horses and the sport of thoroughbred horse racing.

Saturday June 10 was also The Belmont, the last leg of the Triple Crown.  Though we didn’t have any contenders this year for a single horse to win all three races, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont; it was still a big day.  It was the fiftieth anniversary of Secretariat becoming the 1973 Triple Crown champion,  winning the Belmont by 31 lengths, a feat I have referred to in my writing a few time before.

Saturday’s  Belmont was also historical because this year’s winner Arcangelo was able to hold on to beat the favorite Forte, making Arcangelo’s trainer Jena Antonucci the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race.

Very exciting.

Goosebumps.

And speaking of goosebumps, I would encourage you to watch the video about Sid.  There are some good horse racing stories too.

And it just goes to show you that old guys like Matt, and me, and Sid can still enjoy life after working hard for many years.  In spite of some aches and pains, we have great memories, and we are lucky enough to each have those who want to have us for the rest of our lives.

Sometimes in life, there are those things that make all the difference.

Just go with it.

Postscript:

The photo above is brat pack circa 1974.  My friend Butch on the left, Matt to his right, me next, and my friend Joe on the right.