My first equine fav was Cigar. He was, for me, The Beatles of the sport. Crowds were wild about him. I've not seen anything like it since. Last time live was Arlington Park - this during Cubs/Cards weekend mind you (and you know I'd not miss that for anything...except Cigar. Fairmont might?). visiting him later at the KY horse park, he didn't look great, and I was surprised he wasn't that well groomed. But I digress...

Today, I read with sadness of the passing of Awesome Again. I had to watch the great race & call of the 1998 BC Classic on You Tube. That great ending as the top 3 seemed to part ways in the last furlong, enabling AG to just plow through and win, under Pat day.

I'm told he was a nice man and trainer, but for whatever reason I never was a sonny Hine fan, trainer of the favorite Skip Away. Silver Charm was a fav and those great preps pre-Derby were classics. Have a great painting with the 3 warriors noses apart from back then. Swain acted up several times during the warm ups but was there at the end.

Awesome Again had been retired to Old Friends in KY, where my Bourbon Lane partnership sends our retired athletes. It's a great place with great people and you should visit if you have the opportunity. I'm sure a lot of your money sits within that farm. Mine sure does.