Memories - By Joe Hickey

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Bill Fitzsimmons — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:49:43 GMT

Great article! Enjoyed reading it.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Somethingroyal — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:40:03 GMT

I have kept the Times, Newsweek and the Sports Illistrated with Secretariat on the front covers. Everyone once in awhile I very carefully take them out to reminisce. My collection also includes a 1988 The Thoroughbred Record with Secretariat on the front cover and a 1978 Turf and cover photo on Sport Digest of Big Red in a 1973 pre-Preakness workout. Such great memories...

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Fred Fitz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:53:05 GMT

Joe

Thank You for your warm memories of my grand dad "Sunny Jim". It's been 36 years since he passed away and it's nice to know others still remember him as fondly as we, his family, do.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Brandi Taylor — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:32:43 GMT

Does anyone know the address where I could send a letter to Jack Van Berg? He has always been my favorite trainer.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

wista — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:03:43 GMT

The 1954 foal crop may have been the best ever. Not only Bold Ruler and Round Table but also Gallant Man and the pre-race Derby favorite, Gen. Duke,a Calumet colt. Amazingly, Calumet won the '57 derby with Iron Liege, who may have been their third best! The champion two year old of the previous year,1956, was Barbizon, another Calumet foal of 1954

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

John T — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:09:58 GMT

It,s a long time since I heard the track in Maryland mentioned in any racing conversation,Havre de Grace.Long gone into history just like the Chicago track,Washington Park or that grand old track in Toronto were you used to just hop on the streetcar to get there,Greenwood.Which of course in an era before that was old Woodbine

were the Queen,s Plate was run and when the ocasion arose the King,s Plate.

Great story Joe.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

anna w — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:17:11 GMT

i don't have as many things like that but i have two scrapbooks that i fill with newspaper clipping from each triple crown race since 2001.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

ike — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:00:22 GMT

great memories-

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

mz — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:56:33 GMT

Hey, Mr. Hickey: if you're ever thinking of giving away the Northern Dancer halter plates, this is just to let you know that they would go really well with my yellowing newspaper cut-outs in my scrap books showing him winning the Remsen and going on through the 1964 glory days. I never made it to his Queen's Plate but I got there the next year and made my Dad bet on Langcrest (who had finished second to the Dancer in the Plate) as a longshot in a stakes race on the undercard. Langcrest won at big odds. My Dad had never bet before and never bet again: why ruin a perfect record?

Dad's gone. The Dancer's gone. We're lucky we have the memories.

Thanks for all yours.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

da3hoss — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:04:42 GMT

Wow, thanks for sharing.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Rodney — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:45:20 GMT

Nice warm memories.

Those were the "Golden Years" of racing.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

MRO — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:42:28 GMT

My box of racing keepsakes only dates back to the early/mid 80s, but I wouldn't part with the racing programs, Blood-Horse covers, and newspaper articles for anything. I can't open the boxes without losing a couple of days while I go back in time. What treasures!

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

sunnysunrise — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:16:28 GMT

How truly lucky you are to be the recipient of those wonderful keepsakes and thanks so much for sharing your memories of times forgotten. It's the little known facts in your article that a fan enjoys reading. The mention of those names tugs at my heart to return to the glory days when grandstands were full and fans flocked to the track...no online betting service.

Considering the current state of affairs, 2009 gave us memories that will stand the test of time and be compared to those thrilling races of the past. Just when we weren't expecting it, crowds once more were drawn like magnets and watched with awe as Mine That Bird won the Derby; mesmerized by Rachael's unbelievable performances with comparisons to the immortal Ruffian; Europe’s Sea the Stars, Summer Bird’s maturity and domination, Goldikova winning two BC’s in a row and promising to win again in 2010, and then Zenyatta capping off her unbeaten career against the world's best in the BC Classic. Once again the racing gods have given us memories to cherish and snippets to enlighten future racing fans.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

C Britton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:15:06 GMT

Anything Mr. Hickey writes, I read.

What a treat it is to read about all his experiences, horses, and people he has been involved with over the years.

Reading his stories, I can't help but feel that horse racing will never be the same, and not for the better I might add.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Bill Daly — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:02:37 GMT

That's quite a trove of memories! I, too, have a sealed tube of cushion from Bowie as I was in attendance on their last day. I remember the plumbing that should have been in a museum and the day somebody threw a chair through the grandstand window and jumped out because he thought there had been an explosion. Actually somebody dropped a big barrel of beer on the floor and it reverberated like an explosion. That happened one Campbell day. That being said, Bowie had one of the best racing surfaces I have ever seen. Thanks for the memories, Joe.

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

JL — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:50:10 GMT

Beautiful memories of beautiful times...horses will do that to you. Thanks for taking us along for the stroll. JL

re: Memories - By Joe Hickey

Somethingroyal — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:25:44 GMT

Wow, thank you Joe for sharing such a wonderful article. Memories like these should be shared and cherished.