Long-Awaited Dream!

I sat on the couch holding 2-month old Willie when Seattle Slew won.  Bill's folks were in Sandpoint from Louisiana to see their grandson.

I don't remember the specifics when Affirmed won, but I know that I was expecting Annie a few months later. 

I have told the kids over and over during the past few years how they were each born during the years of the last two Triple Crown winners.

I sat on the couch most of the afternoon yesterday warming up to American Pharoah.  For some reason this horse story hadn't quite matched up to the passion and "rah-rah for the little guy" that accompanied last year's hopeful California Chrome. 

Yeah, the short tail made for a brief tidbit, but how much further can one go in dramatizing a horse with a tail that got bitten off by another horse.   

Jockey Victor Espinoza's story got to me when they told how he grew up on a goat farm outside Mexico City and was afraid to have anything to do with the ponies as a youngster. 

Yeah, that's pretty dramatic, and the fact that Victor had visions at a young age of something far beyond the goat farm was pretty impressive. 

Throughout the three hours leading up to the race, continued views of American Pharoah in his stall, walking from his stall, walking through the tunnel started doing the trick. 

I was getting excited.  What had also helped was an earlier snippet involving his trainer, disclosing that the horse likes people and doesn't try to bite. 

Amazing for a 3-year-old hot-blood stallion.   That revelation made me start to really like him.

Probably most compelling about all the programming prior to the actual Belmont race yesterday was the interview with trainer Bob Baffert, whom I've seen for years while watching all those races that never materialized into a Triple Crown.

When he teared up and talked about his parents and how he wished they could be alive to see this, I connected big time with the whole concept of his horse maybe winning the Triple Crown.

I was ready, and I was thinking about Annie off in Germany who had never experienced a Triple Crown winner in her lifetime.  I also did some calculating and came up with four in my lifetime with Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978).  

Bill noted just three Triple Crowns for him, as he was born in 1950.

Two for Willie. 

Zip for Annie. 

The time was right, and emotion was welling as the horses neared the starting gate.  

I sent a Facebook message to Annie, whom I knew was about to head to bed in Germany.

"Horses at the gate."

From Annie, "?"

Oh, she's had such a busy day, she probably wonders why I'm telling her our horses are at the gate.

"At the Belmont gate," I texted in explanation.

She said she probably couldn't find the race on her TV stations but noted that it would be nice to have a Triple Crown winner.

A minute or so later, holding back tears, I tapped out, "Triple Crown Winner!"

Then, I heard Victor Espinoza's voice on the TV, "Holy S---!!!"

"Jockey sez "Holy S----!" I texted.

"Well, it's a big deal!" Annie texted back.

"Night night," I wrote.

So, 37 years, and it has happened once more in our lifetime and for the first time in our daughter's.

Bob Baffert's first words once again involved his parents, wishing they could be there to see this. 

It was special to him and to all across this country who love horses, love their families and love to share the dreams that special horses can create. 

Today another horse dream begins in our family as my sisters and my brother are picking up a new horse in Montana and bringing her to Sandpoint.  

This is a really big deal for my brother Kevin who has purchased half interest in the Arabian yearling chestnut filly with four white stockings and a strip.

And, would you believe her name is "Chrome"!

Who knows where this dream will end up, but with horses of any kind, there's just something special with the visions they inspire.

Congratulations American Pharoah (Triple Crown 2015)!  What an achievement!  

May the equine dreams continue to unfold! 

Happy Sunday after the Triple Crown!