IS GETTING ITS DRAFT BOARD READY
From: Fitzpatrick, Frank
To: Fagan, Kate; McKee, Don
Subject: Hold your horses
Jensen's laid up with his annual summer leg crisis. In his honor, and to welcome Kate to Thursday's Fogey Confab, I thought we'd discuss what undoubtedly is her generation's favorite sport, horse racing. I see Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird might run in the Pennsylvania Derby. I'm not sure which is the less-exciting concept - Mine That Bird as a Derby winner or the Pennsylvania Derby. Now if Rachel Alexandra ran, I might be interested. Meanwhile, If Mine that Bird, as fluky a Derby winner as I can recall, runs and disappoints, I hope he doesn't mind that bird that several thousand disgruntled Philly Park bettors will be flashing his way.
From: McKee, Don
To: Fitzpatrick, Frank; Fagan, Kate
Subject: Hold your horses
Welcome to the Fogey Confab, Kate. We couldn't locate your grandfather on such short notice.
Don't mind Frank. He has a disgracefully low opinion of Philadelphia fans. I think the losers will cheerfully tear up their tickets, toss them over their shoulders, and amble toward the nearest bar.
From: Fitzpatrick, Frank
To: McKee, Don; Fagan, Kate
Subject: Hold your horses
McKee's got it backward. The bar-ambling always comes first in Philly.
From: Fagan, Kate
To: McKee, Don; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: Hold your horses
Oddly enough - as I've been called in as a reserve on this day - I'm a huge horse racing fan. When I was living in Saratoga Springs, I'd get up early to watch Street Sense work out.
I made a $2 souvenir bet for Streety to win the Travers that year. He did. Later that night, my dad pointed out if I didn't intend to cash the ticket, I probably should have made a $1 bet.
I responded, "Whatever." As for Mine that Bird, he's a fluke. He ain't no Streety.
From: McKee, Don
To: Fagan, Kate; Fitzpatrick, Frank
Subject: Hold your horses
I still have my $2 ticket to win on Secretariat from the 1973 Kentucky Derby. Those old tix are pure gold. . . . and to cash it in would have gotten me $2.10. I was in the infield with 100,000 drunken college kids. All I saw of the race was a reddish-brown blur as Secretariat zipped past the chain-link fence that penned us in. I also vaguely remember having mint juleps for breakfast. Very tasty.
From: Fitzpatrick, Frank
To: Fagan, Kate; McKee, Don
Subject: Hold your horses
You were in Louisville on Derby Day, 1973? Lucky stiff. I was at my brother-in-law's wedding. I saved nothing and it was at a Baptist church, so they weren't serving anything stronger than lemonade. . . . Kate, kindly refrain from intelligent exchanges. Word will get back to Gonzo and you'll lose your daily Talkin' gig.
From: Fagan, Kate
To: Fitzpatrick, Frank; McKee, Don
Subject: Hold your horses
Promise? Fifty bucks says McKee made the bet at an OTB. . . . They have those back in '73?
From: Fitzpatrick, Frank
To: Fagan, Kate; McKee, Don
Subject: Hold your horses
Yeah, but he'd had to have sprung for bus fare to NYC, so we know that didn't happen.
From: McKee, Don
To: Fitzpatrick, Frank; Fagan, Kate
Subject: Hold your horses
There he goes again! You're making the assumption that Gonzo, in fact, reads the paper on his day off, while reclining in a back booth at Dirty Frank's.
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