I am not sure if anyone else likes horse racing but I do and I wanted to share on how I became such a fan of horse racing. At age 6 when we lived east of Cincy the neighbors behind us had horses and thats where my love for horses came from. At age 15 and 16 I had a blessing of going with the 4-H group at the time to Kentucky and do I ever love being in that state! We have visited Keeneland, churchhill downs, Ky horse park and we did pass by alot of horse farms as well. It was an amazing experience for sure! In 2004 I started watching horse racing on TV and have ever since. The first race I watched was the belmont stakes the last leg of the triple crown where smarty jones was trying to be the first triple crown winner since 1978. He had the lead into the stretch but was caught mid-stretch and wasn"t able to hang on to win. If you dont know what the triple crown is, its 3 races held at 3 diffrent tracks over a month or so time period. The first leg is the Ky derby held every first Saturday in May. The 2nd leg is the preakness held every 3rd Saturday in May. And lastly the belmont stakes is the final leg held every 2nd Saturday in June. Over the last 11 years several horses have tried to win the triple crown but failed. Last year 2015 was diffrent. A horse by the name american pharoah came into the derby with everyone not knowing what would happen over a month later. He won the derby by 2 lengths, although he really had to work to win that race. 2 weeks later he came into the preakness held at pimlico in Baltimore. Everyone watching on TV and for those that were there knew the 2nd leg is the most difficult of the 3 races but everyone was concerned that day because the race was run in a thunderstorm on a sloppy track a condition that AP hadn"t run in at all. He drew the 1 post starting spot which was a concern possibly being pinned on the rail in the slop. He was sent right to the lead which wasn"t expected at all. By the far turn when a few other horses caught him I thought its over, he isn"t going to do it. But he had plenty left and pulled away in the stretch to win by 5 lengths. The sloppy track didn"t affect him at all. 3 weeks later at belmont on a fast track on a sunny day everyone knew what was on the line. Something that hadn"t happened since 1978. Several other horses had been in this position before but failed to win. AP was diffrent. He started in post 5, the same starting spot as seattle slew in 1977 when he won the triple crown. AP didn"t have the best start but he went right to the lead just like the preakness. Everyone was concerned because so often horses get the early lead at a mile and a half distance and don"t hold on to win but AP was a special horse. By mid-way around the far turn he opened up his lead and by the top of the stretch with over 90 thousand people cheering him home he continued to open up in the stretch and won the triple crown something that no one else had done in 37 years. When you re-watch the race on Youtube (search 2015 belmont stakes and you will see what I mean) you get chills and tears re-seeing a true champion do something that hadn"t be done in 37 years. Its worth re-watching for many years to come! I witnessed history being made at the age of 23, something I had wanted to see happen in 2004 but it wasn"t meant to be. 2015 was the year that history was made and I am so blessed to have seen it, something I may not see again for many years. Thanks for reading this article about a true champion horse.