Thanks for the pix and updates. I love the child's drawing at the bottom of the poster, where Barbaro is standing in a field with three red flowers.
Do you think the 8-year-old artist was thinking that if Barbaro has to be "put out to pasture" that he should "stop and smell the roses" while there?
Then I realized Barbaro *has* smelled the roses, as in being the winner of the Run of the Roses. Which led me to thinking of the Dan Fogelberg song - I love it. And I double-checked - Barbaro definitely was born in "western Kentucky" - Nicholasville, to be exact.
RUN FOR THE ROSES
Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With mama beside you
To help you along
You'll soon be a growing up strong.
All the long, lazy mornings
In pastures of green
The sun on your withers
The wind in your mane
Could never prepare you
For what lies ahead
The run for the roses so red --
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
From sire to sire
It's born in the blood
The fire of a mare
And the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training
And it's something unknown
That drives you and carries
You home.
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
should read ... "winner of the Run for the Roses" ... I type "of" for "for" all the time ... oh well ... think faster than fingers can type/typo.
Not to change the subject, but you brought up Dan Fogelberg and that great song. He wrote and performed another, "Leader of The Band". Every time I hear this incredibly beautiful song tears come to my eyes.
****
An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet makers son
His hands were meant
For different work
And his heart was known to none --
He left his home
And went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me
A gift I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand.
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.
......................
I don't think I said I love you near enough --
****
May I say ........... to you gentle people who love this good horse so much ...... thank you for your good hearts. It means a lot to so many of us to see the goodness in people.