It will not surprise me that in the coming weeks and months the night staff at the Kentucky Horse Park will report seeing a small dk brown horse running through the paddock at the Hall of Champions or walking around the Park or maybe even mischievously banging on Cigar's stall door. When they go to investigate he will disappear..... John's spirit will always be with us.
One $Million, Two $Million 3 $Million More Gave'em Lip at the Scotch Then Opened the Door To the Small Hall of Champions For others Who Wore That Mark of Distinction In their Days of Yore
Springs Racing Hall of Fame Reminded us Once more Of Minutes at the Trackside And Blankets that You Wore We Cheer Again Your Greatness To Have You in our Lore
Now Another One deserving Will Walk into the Hall But Two 'n Twenty Years? Well, I'm Sure We'll Always Call The Second Box just to our Left "John Henry's Stall"
Knew I was seeing you for the last time just 5 weeks ago in your "IV League" status... with everlasting Class. I'll be thinking of You on Friday at 2:00. Happy Hoofing ol' Chap, Nina in Alcova,Wy
On my way to visit John this last Labor Day, I had the old folk song "John Henry" running through my head. I sing in a chorus. We had just come all the way from California to sing in Knoxville, Tennessee on Labor Day weekend. On Sunday night in our song circle, I told the chorus that the next day, I'd be seeing the *real* John Henry. Everyone in Tennessee that night joined me in singing a rousing version of "John Henry" (the steel drivin' man). Next morning on the road to Kentucky, I thought it would be appropriate to have some words about my hero, the equine John Henry, who never learned the meaning of the words "I give up". The first two verses I came up with while driving. I added the others later:
When John Henry was a young racehorse Before he found his fame He kicked his steel bucket clean out of his stall and that's how John Henry got his name, Lord, Lord! That's how John Henry got his name!
When John Henry won the Arlington Million He was runnin' on down the stretch- He looked that other little ol' horse in the eye, and told him "I'm just gettin' started, you better quit, Lord, Lord! I'm just gettin' started, you better quit!"
John Henry looked at Charlie Whittingham, Thinking "A horse may be nothing but a horse, But before I'll let one of your fine boys try and beat me I'll run 'em all ragged 'round the course, Lord, Lord! I'll run 'em all ragged 'round the course!"
When John Henry became an old man He was beloved and esteemed He came from farther back than many other fine horses And the fire in his eye always gleamed, Lord, Lord! The fire in his eye always gleamed!
The sound of thunder came rolling We looked up with eyes open wide, Is that a hurricane passing over us? No, that's just John Henry hitting his stride, Lord, Lord! That's just John Henry hitting his stride!
i remember the time john actually walked over to me... he heard me call and came! i was speechless. and u no what he did? he looked me in the eye, sniffed at me and them blew snot in my face! lol! thats john for you. :,) happy tears. we'll all see him again someday
6 comments:
It will not surprise me that in the coming weeks and months the night staff at the Kentucky Horse Park will report seeing a small dk brown horse running through the paddock at the Hall of Champions or walking around the Park or maybe even mischievously banging on Cigar's stall door. When they go to investigate he will disappear.....
John's spirit will always be with us.
Bob in PA
Never A Stallion
Always A Stall
One $Million, Two $Million
3 $Million More
Gave'em Lip at the Scotch
Then Opened the Door
To the Small Hall of Champions
For others Who Wore
That Mark of Distinction
In their Days of Yore
Springs Racing Hall of Fame
Reminded us Once more
Of Minutes at the Trackside
And Blankets that You Wore
We Cheer Again Your Greatness
To Have You in our Lore
Now Another One deserving
Will Walk into the Hall
But Two 'n Twenty Years? Well,
I'm Sure We'll Always Call
The Second Box just to our Left
"John Henry's Stall"
Knew I was seeing you for the last time just 5 weeks ago in your "IV League" status... with everlasting Class.
I'll be thinking of You on Friday at 2:00. Happy Hoofing ol' Chap, Nina in Alcova,Wy
Thanks Nina and Bob!
Dr. John
On my way to visit John this last Labor Day, I had the old folk song "John Henry" running through my head. I sing in a chorus. We had just come all the way from California to sing in Knoxville, Tennessee on Labor Day weekend. On Sunday night in our song circle, I told the chorus that the next day, I'd be seeing the *real* John Henry. Everyone in Tennessee that night joined me in singing a rousing version of "John Henry" (the steel drivin' man). Next morning on the road to Kentucky, I thought it would be appropriate to have some words about my hero, the equine John Henry, who never learned the meaning of the words "I give up". The first two verses I came up with while driving. I added the others later:
When John Henry was a young racehorse
Before he found his fame
He kicked his steel bucket clean out of his stall
and that's how John Henry got his name, Lord, Lord!
That's how John Henry got his name!
When John Henry won the Arlington Million
He was runnin' on down the stretch-
He looked that other little ol' horse in the eye,
and told him "I'm just gettin' started, you better quit, Lord, Lord!
I'm just gettin' started, you better quit!"
John Henry looked at Charlie Whittingham,
Thinking "A horse may be nothing but a horse,
But before I'll let one of your fine boys try and beat me
I'll run 'em all ragged 'round the course, Lord, Lord!
I'll run 'em all ragged 'round the course!"
When John Henry became an old man
He was beloved and esteemed
He came from farther back than many other fine horses
And the fire in his eye always gleamed, Lord, Lord!
The fire in his eye always gleamed!
The sound of thunder came rolling
We looked up with eyes open wide,
Is that a hurricane passing over us?
No, that's just John Henry hitting his stride, Lord, Lord!
That's just John Henry hitting his stride!
i remember the time john actually walked over to me... he heard me call and came! i was speechless. and u no what he did? he looked me in the eye, sniffed at me and them blew snot in my face! lol! thats john for you. :,) happy tears. we'll all see him again someday
Amy,
Thank you for sharing your story with us. That sounds exactly like something John would do!
Dr. John K
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