Funny Cide Reminds Us Dreams Do Come True
Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for. — Joseph Addison
I was reminded of Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner, because he recently traveled from his retirement home at the Kentucky Horse Park and made an appearance in Saratoga.
Remember Funny Cide? Sackatoga Stables, a small group of former high school buddies, who pooled their money to buy racehorses, owned him. They were just a bunch of regular guys who arrived at the Kentucky Derby in a yellow school bus.
On May 3, 2003, Funny Cide emerged as the star of the 35,000 horses born in 2000 by winning the Kentucky Derby in a time of 2:01.19, the 10th fastest in Derby history.
Funny Cide wasn’t supposed to win. But he did—by 1¾ lengths. He went off at odds of nearly 13 to one. A winning ticket returned $27.60.
Funny Cide was unique in other ways. He was the first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 to win the race. And Funny Cide was the first New York bred to win.
Why do I bring up a retired racehorse? It’s because of what he represents.
John Asher in the The Voice-Tribune says it best. “Funny Cide is a living, breathing reminder of the value of dreams and the pursuit of those dreams.”
What happens if you don’t have a dream? If you have no hope? Have you ever thought how miserable life would be?
That’s why I love Funny Cide. I love him because he reminds me dreams do come true.
