Violet, Pensive and my Grandpa Sanchez!

So, at the end of June, I was visiting family in Rhinelander, and Grandma and Grandpa Sanchez were there. It was nice to talk with Grandpa, play cards with him, and just catch up. He showed me pictures of Uncle Rick's new Japanese Water Dog, and, of course, I showed him pictures of my new thoroughbred! Grandpa and I were looking at photos of my big red girl and he was praising her beauty.

When suddenly, out of the blue, he told me a story about when he was in the service in 1944. He said that he and a friend got time off from base and they drove up to Churchill Downs to the Kentucky Derby! He had never seen a thoroughbred before, nor ever a horse race. And he talked about how exciting it was to see Pensive win that year. How beautiful the horses were and how regal Pensive was. I was floored! Grandpa saw one of Violet's and Hailee's relatives win the Kentucky Derby!! He saw one of Violet's Kentucky Derby relatives when my dad was still a little infant. I too want to go to the Kentucky Derby one day!

Anyway, Pensive was a gorgeaus red chestnut who won the Kentucky Derby by 4 1/2 lengths and then won the Preakness easily, but lost the Belmont by less than half a length. Some blame his jockey who didn't encourage an end burst of speed! Either way, Pensive was just like his sire, Hyperion, who won two legs of the English Triple Crown. Pensive was owned by Calumet Farms, purchased during the son's time in charge, the son who dispersed the trotters to purchase more flat horses. When Pensive retired, he was part of an interesting little hat trick -- his first crop produced Ponder, the 1949 Kentucky Derby winner, and Ponder retired to produce in his first crop Needles, also a Kentucky Derby winner! You can read more about Pensive, the horse my grandpa met, at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pensive
or
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Hyperion.html#Pensive
or
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2006/derby_history/derby_charts/years/1944.html

Ocala, Florida -- Horse Capitol of the World!!

Ocala, Florida, a town in Marion County is the central location for horse farms! There are over 1,200 horse farms in this small area with over 600 thoroughbred farms. The land in the area is similar to Kentucky Blue Grass! Ocala is also on the Western leg of the Dixie Highway. It has become famous because it is producing world class competitors, including 1956' Kentucky Derby winner, Needles, and the 1978 triple crown winner, Affirmed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calls Ocala the "Horse Capitol of the World!" Violet's daddy, Groomstick, lived there right before he was sent to New Mexico, and it's the region where my darling Violet was bred and born! In fact, Violet's papers came through the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company! Ocala has many of the best horses on earth! And it has some of the best world class equestrian facilities on earth. You can read more about Violet's home at the following links:

http://www.ocalaequestriancomplex.com/

or

http://www.flhorsepark.com/

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocala,_Florida

or

http://brickcity.com/ocala_horse_industry.php

or

http://funandsun.com/1tocf/amusf/horsetail.html

or

http://www.horsesdaily.com/news/eventing/2006/ocalaht2/index.html