2021 Kentucky Derby

I’m sorry to hear that about the horses.

But it’s still one of Mama’s favorite songs. When it came out, she heard it as a song of inspiration about overcoming all the brutality and battering and hatred she survived throughout childhood, and stepping out successfully into a new and safe and fulfilling life.
To her it will always be a beautiful song.

A song means something different to each individual and if it's inspiring and helps you through life, by all means, embrace it!

I think when Dan Fogelberg wrote it he WAS referring to people and in that sense, many times throughout our life we have to "take a chance" and "run for the roses."

In my case, I've loved horses ever since I can remember so I translated everything into horses. The clouds were a horse (and some still are!) My bicycle was a horse; I was a horse; the back of an upholstered chair was a horse and I broke a few springs riding on it; the doghouse was a horse; I knocked off the snowman's head so I could sit on top of it and pretend it was a horse. Friends marveled while driving down the highway I could spot a vehicle pulling a horse trailer before anyone else could.

We're happy that your Mama found the Winner's Circle. 

Congrats Ætheling on your mom making a safe life for herself. I cannot say that enough. I know what it's like to go through abuse.

I have been a horse racing fan my entire life. I've never been around them or anything. I'm a city girl, but I have always thought they were so majestic. My family watches the triple crown races every year. I take it much farther & watch everything I can. Run For The Roses has always reminded me of the Kentucky Derby because that's what they are doing & the race is also known as The Run For The Roses. I cry everytime I hear New York, New York since that's the song for the Belmont. I cry because of all the times we had a horse going for the triple crown who did not win the Belmont. I cry for the hope, the dream of the glory. I cry for what the Belmont means (at least to me). I have so many memories.

Mom never read the Dick Francis novels. Isn't he a former jockey?

There was another song played at the Belmont before New York, New York and it ties in with the "oldness" of My Old Kentucky Home for the Kentucky Derby and Maryland My Maryland for the Preakness: The Sidewalks of New York was the Belmont's theme that Mom remembers; you know it, "East side, west side, all around the town ...."

Here's Mom in her younger days (riding Sunny); the "horsey" ones are her favorite lifetime memories:  

Mom loved to ride and take riding (jumping) lessons. She went once or twice a week for years, but she didn't start riding until she was 21 and had her own car to be able to drive out to the stables in the suburbs. Sunny was one of the horses the stable had for schooling lessons. The picture was taken at a schooling show where everyone wore their "show clothes" like they would at a regular horse show.  Mom never showed in these type of jumping classes but she did show Paso Finos which are a gaited horse originating from South America and Puerto Rico (no jumping involved).  A guy visiting the stable saw mom riding and asked if she would be interested in exercising his horse during the summer.  Mom said sure and that's how she started riding Pasos.  The guy and his wife showed Brittany Spaniels in the winter, so they asked mom to show their horse in the summer.  They became good friends and they had the truck and trailer and did the driving and paid for everything, and mom did the showing and got to keep the trophies.