Monday, October 31, 2005

The mighty Kelso...

This past Saturday over $15,000,000 in purses were awarded to the fastest thoroughbreds in the world at the 'Breeder's Cup' races at Belmont Race Track but it was on this day in 1964 that racing history was made about 6 miles away from Belmont at Aqueduct Race Track by the mighty Kelso...

It was on October 31, 1964 that the 7-year old gelding owned by Mrs. Richard C. du Pont became the greatest money-earner in the history of thoroughbred racing by winning a 2-mile race by the fastest time ever recorded for that distance on a dirt track and he did it with ease, beating Roman Brother by a full 5 1/2 lengths...

Kelso's victory in the 1964 'Jockey Club Gold Cup' clinched his 5th consecutive 'Horse of the Year' award. The mighty Kelso retired in March of 1966, earning nearly $2,000,000, a record for that time, finishing in the money in 53 of his 63 races...

In Kelso's time, purses were in the high 5 figures, occasionally topping 6 but nothing close to the multi-million dollar races that are common today. This makes his money making accomplishments even more impressive. Kelso, called "King Kelly" by many is generally ranked among the top 5 greatest thoroughbreds of all-time. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame before his death on October 16, 1983...

More October 31 Memories...

1926) Magician Harry Houdini dies of complications from a ruptured appendix on Halloween...

1941) Mount Rushmore with 60-foot busts of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln is declared complete after 14 years of work...

1950) West Virginia's Earl Lloyd becomes the NBA's 1st black player when he debuts with the Washington Capitols (the Capitols will fold 9 weeks later and Lloyd will spend most of his 9-year career with the Syracuse Nationals)...

1956) Brooklyn ends its streetcar service (buses with electric poles replace the streetcars)...

1964) Barbra Streisand's "People" LP goes #1 for 5 weeks...

1968) President Johnson orders a halt to all U.S. bombing of North Vietnam...

1970) Michelle Phillips and actor Dennis Hopper get hitched but not for long (the marriage ends in divorce 8 days later)...

1984) India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by Sikh security guards (son Rajiv is sworn in as new prime minister)...

1985) Stevie Wonder tops the charts with "Part-Time Lover"...

1986) 'Dr. J' (Julius Erving) of the 76ers announces his retirement at the end of the season...

1987) Chris Antley becomes the 1st jockey to win 9 races in 1 day (Belmont Race Track)...

1988) Debbie Gibson holds a seance at her Halloween party to contact the spirits of Liberace and Sid Vicious (you couldn't make this stuff up)...

1988) Distinguished director, producer and actor John Houseman dies at 86...

1991) Broadway producer Joseph Papp dies of cancer at 70...

1993) Movie director Federico Fellini dies in Rome at 73...

1999) EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes off the coast of Nantucket, killing all 217 aboard...

2001) A 61-year old New York Hospital worker becomes the 4th person to die from anthrax inhalation...

Happy Birthday To...

1920) Ex-jockey, author Dick Francis...

1927) Lee Grant...

1931) Dan Rather...

1950) Jane Pauley...

1961) "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson...

1964) Actor-comedian Rob Schneider...

Commentary...

Halloween is not just for kids but an industry that has taken on epic proportions in the sale of candy, costumes, greeting cards and on and on. While it hasn't been just for kids for a long time now, we need to keep a watch out for kids who will be trick-or-treating tonight. And if you're celebrating and dressing up like a fool, have fun but make it safe...