Moments in Derby History: Pat has his Day

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Not many jockey statues at Churchill Downs. In fact, not any, until Pat Day put up 8,803 wins.

”I come down here and walk around this room and look at this and think wow, did this really happen?’” Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day said.

More impressive than a statue is the museum-sized trophy room at Pat Day’s house.

”This isn’t all of it,” Day said. “We’ve got a room in the back plum full of some other stuff.”

The winner of 12 Breeders’ Cups, nine Triple Crown races, and almost every major race in the world only has one Kentucky Derby trophy. But it’s more than enough.

”Where does the Derby win rank in all this stuff?” I asked.

“The top,” he said.

To understand why, you have to take a trip around the track with me to learn the rest of the story. The jewel that eluded Pat Day was on his home track, where he remains the all-time winningest rider. He came so close many times, like in 1988 while riding Forty Niner.

“And down the stretch they come,” the race announcer said. “Winning colors in front. Here comes Forty Niner on the outside. Lukas and Stevens. It’s a flying finish. Winning Colors by a head.”

2nd place.

”Coming off the turn, I thought I had her,” Day said. “I mean, I set Forty Niner down and his back dropped this much. He went to reach and went whooooo.”

The next year, 1989, he was on Easy Goer.

”Coming to the finish of the Derby,” the race announcer said. “Sunday Silence wins the Derby by two lengths.”

2nd place again.

”He didn’t have any confidence in the footing,” Day said. “Wouldn’t extend himself. Easy Goer was a better horse than Sunday Silence.”

The next year, 1990, Pat got to choose between Summer Squall and Unbridled.

”Believe me,” Day said. “Pound for pound, Summer Squall was better than Unbridled.”

His selection aboard Summer Squall was unfolding beautifully.

”It was like driving a Ferrari on the Watterson,” Day said. “You go where you want to go. I’m like this, making my way up through the field. At that point in my mind it’s like, not whether I win or lose, it’s how far do I want to win by. I just felt like any time, whoop, he was going to cut.”

But turning for home, something happened that Pat didn’t understand until he watched the race replay.

”Unbridled on the outside, Summer Squall on the rail,” the race announcer said. “And down the stretch they come. Unbridled takes command”

”Mike Battaglia was calling the race,” Day said. “And he said ‘it’s Summer Squall in front’ and 150,000 people went through the roof with the noise, like a wall of noise, just broke his concentration.”

You might think Pat Day’s concentration and spirit would be broken after 2nd place again for the third year in a row. But his trainer was bigger than all this.

”I came to Christ in January of 1984,” Day said. “That set me on the rock. I mean, it allowed me not to get too excited when I won, too depressed when I lost. It levelled off. My life was a roller coaster ride before, and my whole attitude was dependent on my last performance.”

So when 1992 rolled around and the superhorse Arazi came in as the overwhelming favorite, and Pat Day was dismissed by bettors on Lil E Tee at 17 -1, he put it all in the hands of his higher power.

”Arazi is now charging up in the middle of the racetrack,” the race announcer said as Arazi was passing horses. “Arazi is flying.”

”Did you think Arazi was beatable?” I asked.

“Well, I’ve learned if you’re in em, you can win em,” Day said.

”And down the stretch they come,” the race announcer said. “Lil E Tee with Pat Day aboard takes command.”

”From the eighth pole to the wire,” Day said. “Every jump was just building within me and when I crossed the finish line in front it was just, it was indescribable. Indescribable.”

”Lil E Tee wins the Derby by one with Pat Day aboard,” the race announcer said.

”If I thought the feeling was the ceiling,” Day said. “It was just a little bit north of the moon. It just totally blew me away.”

What does Pat Day miss most each year when he watches the Derby? Coming out of the tunnel to the crowd singing My Old Kentucky Home. For his thoughts on that and so much more about his wonderful life, we’ve posted the entire interview with Pat Day below.

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