The weeks leading up to the turn of a new year are typically hectic, culminating in a worldwide celebration on December 31st as one year seamlessly gives way to another. Then there is often a sudden deflation of emotions, as there are bills to pay, resolutions to keep or mostly break, jobs to go back to, and a winter to face of short days, long dark nights, and chillier weather in most locales.
During the winter months, the true aficionado of the sport of horse racing in America thinks differently than others. Most people daydream about future events like when spring will arrive, or when they will take a trip to Florida to escape the snow, or when it will be a family member’s birthday. A mainstream follower of sports might turn his or her attention to the NFL playoffs or look forward to the start of baseball’s spring training. By contrast, the odd duck called a horse racing fan (short for fanatic) makes it through the winter by regularly contemplating how long it is until the first Saturday in May.
On January 1st of any year, there are roughly four months until the Kentucky Derby, and this extravaganza unofficially ushers in the six-months that matter most to avid horse racing fans in the United States. It’s their equivalent of the NFL, MLB, or NBA season and playoffs.
Once the Derby has come and gone, dedicated racing fans experience a slight emotional letdown, but the condition is fleeting. After all, its only two weeks until the Preakness, five to the Belmont, not quite three months until the annual ritual gatherings at Saratoga and Del Mar, and six months to the Breeders’ Cup.
When you are a young horse racing enthusiast, the next Kentucky Derby and the ones after that are something you take for granted. Your youth gives you confidence that you’ll likely see many more. But as the years slip by, the upcoming Kentucky Derby takes on an even more special meaning. You increasingly appreciate the prep races and look forward to the hullabaloo and pageantry surrounding a sporting event that lasts two minutes. You savor the moment…and hope for a mortal version of Pegasus that wins the Triple Crown while you are still around to see it.
As of today, January 1, 2015, there are precisely 121 days left until the Kentucky Derby. If you already are counting the number of months, weeks, and days until May 2nd arrives, you are part of the clan.
Copyright © 2015 Horse Racing Business
Wishing you a blessed year in 2015.
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