Mark Anderson
October 24, 2002
I believe it impossible to pay tribute to the great and unique Affirmed without including the special people at Jonabell. The champion’s pride and contentment were always apparent and were undoubtedly enhanced by the caring treatment he received on a daily basis, without failure, from his handlers. I’ve greatly enjoyed the company of Phillip Hampton and his crew, in no small part because it was obvious they loved Affirmed as much as I did. I hope they know the extent of my gratitude for the courtesies and friendship they’ve allowed me over the years.
Affirmed was the first horse to stimulate my emotions beyond the joy of cashing a ticket. The 1978 Triple Crown provided unbelievable horseracing drama, made even better because the Affirmed team was so easy to root for. You had Steve Cauthen, riding his first Derby horse at the age of eighteen; Laz Barrera with an unwavering, but charming, confidence in his horse; and the underdog effect since Alydar was supposedly a more talented horse. That misconception was evidenced by Alydar’s favoritism on Derby Day. To this day, you’ll still hear people say Alydar was better – Affirmed just tried harder. Let there be no doubt, Affirmed had much more than heart. He also had tremendous talent and intelligence. I believe that he’s been slighted in the eyes of history because he’s been compared more to Alydar than the likes of Secretariat or Seattle Slew. His record speaks for itself, fourteen Grade I wins, carrying up to 132 pounds, Alydar or no Alydar. I’ll always believe there’s never been a horse that could have beaten a fit and ready Affirmed without experiencing the battle of his life.
In May 1992, one of my Derby companions suggested we go to a farm or two on Thursday before heading for Louisville. I immediately knew there was only one horse I wanted to see; not Secretariat or Seattle Slew; but Affirmed. When I looked at him in his stall, I remembered 1978 and how much effort he needed to beat Alydar. I thought how easy it would have been for him to quit in the deep stretch at Belmont. But he refused to let Alydar beat him, as if he knew exactly what was at stake. Perhaps he did. I’ve heard quite a few people say he was the most intelligent horse they had known. For the next seven years, I would spend an hour or two at Jonabell each year. However, I always had friends with me and knew they didn’t share my appreciation for the experience. The last straw was in 1997. I was watching Affirmed and said to a friend, who was a baseball enthusiast, “You know, that’s Ted Williams you’re looking at.” When he replied, “I can’t tell the difference between him and a milk-wagon horse”, I knew I would be going solo in future years.
In years past, I would watch the Derby Trial and wonder what it would be like to be in attendance on opening day and stay all week in Kentucky. The 1998 Derby Trial would indeed find me at Churchill Downs. I awoke the following morning and departed for Lexington and Jonabell. Arriving there with nothing but free time was fantastic. I spent a great deal of time studying Affirmed. He was different from the others. He had a regal demeanor but when he decided to acknowledge my presence, it was as though he had decided to let his guard down. I then knew I wanted to get much closer to him. The next morning, with the help of a few carrots, we began a friendship that only grew stronger over the next few years. I hoped that Affirmed could distinguish me from others and I really believed that he did. When he walked across the paddock at the sight of me, I felt like a child. I often wondered if the guys were laughing at me, but I didn’t really care. The barroom in my house became a shrine to Affirmed. I had kept newspapers from his glory days and framed everything I could find. I later framed numerous pictures that my future wife had taken of us. Over the next couple years, I drove from Chicago to Lexington more and more frequently. In 1999, I made five trips, even sharing a carrot with him that Thanksgiving.
It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for almost two years. I remember January 12, 2001 so vividly. I knew he was in trouble and, barring a miraculous recovery, would be put down. From Chicago, information was hard to come by. It was about 5:30 PM and I was in a restaurant with a friend. Fittingly, that friend was Bob Bice. In recent years, Bob had traveled to Jonabell with me a few times and always appreciated the experience as well as Affirmed. Suddenly, my cell phone rang. It was my wife and she relayed the information from the nightly news. Affirmed was gone. I barely kept my composure long enough to excuse myself and start my sad journey home. I was about an hour away and that was fine with me. I wanted some private time to let the emotions sink in. I must admit, I was caught a bit off-guard by the intensity of them. I guess it was because a large piece of my life was taken from me. Whatever the reasons, I cried most of the way home and stayed in a fog for a day or two. Few people understand how I could care so much for a horse. There was something about Affirmed that was hard to explain. I considered him royalty. When he looked at you, there seemed to be an understanding that is uncommon among horses. He seemed to know just how special he was and always behaved accordingly. Even in the breeding shed, where most stallions can get a little silly at times, he was all business. In all the hours I spent watching him, I never saw him raise a fuss or get defiant with anyone. I always realized how exceptional he was and loved the idea that he seemed to enjoy seeing me. Maybe it was the carrots.
I’m so pleased that, during my time spent at Jonabell, I always appreciated how special it was and how privileged I was to have the opportunity. And now that those times are gone forever, I appreciate them even more. They will remain some of my fondest memories.