1975 Kentucky Derby

[el camino]

I was watching the 75 derby on youtube and sounds as if the track announcer muffed the call. Sounds like he thought Foolish Pleasure was Prince thou art, who finished 6th. He is describing exactly the move by Foolish Pleasure and saying Prince thou art and then just just before the finish he says "at the wire it prince th....and now Foolish Pleasure, Foolish Pleasure now to the Lead."

This must have been kind of a big deal at the time I was wondering if anyone had recollections from the day.

[Equipoise28]

Yeah, I remember that. It was a big deal at the time, that the announcer (was it Chick Anderson?) mistook Foolish Pleasure for Prince Thou Art. In his defense, the colors for the two were similar (white and black) and the horses were both dark bays.

[el camino]

I figured it most have been. The Preakness was a good one that year as well sure looked like Master Derby was beaten then just as suddenly made a desperate surge to stay ahead of Foolish Pleasure. He might have even been nosed for a second could not tell from the camera angle.

[ct2346]

I remember this too. It p---- me off. I had bet Prince Thou Art and got excited and confused in the same moment. He never turned into anything after that 3yo winter...

[Equipoise28]

I read somewhere that Prince Thou Art died in the fall of his three year old season, don't know why. I was a big fan of his full sister, Cum Laude Laurie.

[ct2346]

Equipoise -

Clearing away the cobwebs and the mists, you are right, I remember now his passing. As far as pedigree goes, both he and his sister, you can't get any better than that....

[Equipoise28]

Amen to that, ct.

[nferro9925]

Google came up with a partial mention that he was euthanized because broke....

I hate when they do that!! And you can't get the rest of the thread.

[Equipoise28]

el camino, here's a little more info for you, from Wikipedia:

"Anderson's only prominent mistake came in the 1975 Derby, which he called for both the Churchill fans and ABC Television.

Confused by the similar silks of Foolish Pleasure and Prince Thou Art, he described Prince Thou Art as the leader during the late stages of the race, before correcting himself near the end. A newspaper headline on Anderson's rare error read "Prince Thou Ain't".

History-minded observers compared it to a similar mistake that legendary announcer Clem McCarthy had made during the running of the 1947 Preakness Stakes."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chic_Anderson

[steward]

Google came up with a partial mention that he was euthanized because broke....

I hate when they do that!! And you can't get the rest of the thread.

"Nov 17, 1975 KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Prince Thou Art, the 3-year-old colt whose broken ankle was mended in emergency surgery last week, was destroyed Sunday after he accidentally shattered another bone in the same leg."

Prince Thou Art's last race was on 9/21/75 at Belmont. His leg injury must have been due to a training or stable accident.

*NY Times had a different wrinkle:

November 17, 1975, Monday

"Prince Thou Art, the 3year-old colt whose shattered left front ankle was operated on last Thursday, was humanely destroyed yesterday morning after becoming infected. "

[nferro9925]

Thank Steward.

[Joltman]

I was watching the 75 derby on youtube and sounds as if the track announcer muffed the call. Sounds like he thought Foolish Pleasure was Prince thou art, who finished 6th. He is describing exactly the move by Foolish Pleasure and saying Prince thou art and then just just before the finish he says "at the wire it prince th....and now Foolish Pleasure, Foolish Pleasure now to the Lead."

This must have been kind of a big deal at the time I was wondering if anyone had recollections from the day.

Quite memorable for me. Was in the infield as college student with my family no less. First mint julep ever. Still have the glass. Actually saw the race from the infield in those days. Had Bombay Duck on the lead in the fastest time ever to the 3.4, when, according to legend, he got hit in the head by a tossed beer can.

one of those memories ....

jm

[Equipoise28]

Had Bombay Duck on the lead in the fastest time ever to the 3.4, when, according to legend, he got hit in the head by a tossed beer can.

Oh man, I'd forgotten that! You're right. Not to hijack the thread, but does anybody remember the smoke bomb that got tossed out on the track during the '76 Derby? Only time I ever saw Jim McKay get mad.

[steward]

75 was the first and only time that I made a futures bet on a KD. I got 5-2 at a Reno sports book sometime earlier in the year, and it was one of the dumbest bets that I ever cashed. I watched the thing on a friend's 12-inch Sony and never figured out where Foolish Pleasure was anytime in the race.