Of Spectacular Friends, and The Bid

One day removed from the heavens opening up and dumping 18 inches of snow on yours truly and Suburban Chicago, a visit to the mailbox revealed an unusually hefty load. Most was just the usual nuisances ... bills, advertisements, a bank statement, but today there was also something very special waiting for me. I opened the large envelope from a good friend first, and I was instantly transported back in time to wonderful childhood memories.

Spectacular Bid was my favorite horse as a kid, and back then, as a subscriber of Sports Illustrated, I always treasured their editions with horse racing on the cover the most. Therefore, you can understand why Spectacular Bid, as the SI coverboy after his Kentucky Derby triumph, was one of all-time favorite editions. It was an edition I hadn’t seen in more than 30 years. That is, until today. I cannot thank Jasen Mangrum, of Handicapper’s Corner, enough for the extremely thoughtful gift.

The wonderful photos were what tripped the walk down memory lane, but diving into the article, authored by William Leggett, was pure joy.

“At the finish Spectacular Bid had his 11th consecutive win, and again he had shown how versatile he is. Obviously he is that very rare horse who can handle any track -- and almost any adverse circumstance -- anywhere; Churchill Downs was the ninth different track on which he has won.”

Obviously I am a bit biased, but I have to wonder if a Kentucky Derby winner will ever again have an 11 race winning streak, or already have won races at nine different tracks. It does not seem likely.

“And so Spectacular Bid appears to be on the threshold of becoming the third Triple Crown winner in three years and the fourth in the last seven. Next week he will run in the Preakness at Pimlico, where he may well draw the largest crowd ever to attend a sporting event in Maryland. Spectacular Bid deserves that.”

Star racehorses were heroes back when I was a kid. I long for those days. Hell, I long for a racehorse like Spectacular Bid again.

“It was a lightning-fast one [track condition] that Secretariat handled so masterfully seven years ago [it was actually six]. Spectacular Bid had to make his own lightning.”

Secretariat may have run the fastest Derby ever, but Spectacular Bid got it done over a deep, drying-out track. And we all know what kind of times he was able to throw down the following year at California.

“The buildup to this year’s Derby centered on the first confrontation between Flying Paster and Spectacular Bid.”

I remember the buildup well. Flying Paster was the California hotshot, and Bid was, well, Bid was Bid. If there was any doubt as to who was better after the Derby, it was proven many times over in future races.

“When the Derby gate opened, Spectacular Bid appeared to dawdle before getting in gear. All the trouble that people predicted for Franklin seemed about to crystallize. But as General Assembly, Shamgo, Flying Paster and Lot O’ Gold swept into the first turn, Franklin moved Spectacular Bid to the outside to be in the clear. Bye-bye, trouble, hello, roses.”

Ronnie Franklin rides remained problematic for as long as he piloted the great Spectacular Bid, but on this one glorious spring afternoon at Louisville, Kentucky, everything was perfect. Everything was spectacular.

Jasen, you definitely made my day!