I just got home from celebrating Christmas with my family, and before I hit the hay, I just want to say how much I'm looking forward to the debut of the John Henry bronze tomorrow. It's long overdue, but since it's been so long overdue, it's so fitting that it happens on the opening day of Santa Anita's 75th Anniversary season.

I'll be going down to the Kingsbury Fountain as the 4th race goes off, maybe even before, because I want to get a spot where I can be surrounded by the emotion that's going to happen there when Ronnie takes that cloth off.

John Henry won hearts all over the country, and he did do a few things across town at Hollywood Park....like winning the Hollywood Turf Invitational THREE times. But his relationship with Santa Anita and Oak Tree was magical. He IS the giant at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains of the last 30 years.

I can hardly wait!

Well, that was something! I set off to the fountain about 5 minutes before the 4th race went off, thinking that I had plenty of time to get a spot. WRONG! I was confronted with this incredible sea of humanity.....how long the ones with the "front seats" had been there is impossible to say. I'd say about 10 to 15 deep....yeah, no joke and no exaggeration.

It was a tremendous tribute to John, and a testimony of how much he meant, and still means, to the fans who love this sport. I got teary just being surrounded by all those people, and that was 5 minutes before the cloth came off. It was an experience that I will remember always.

Also, by the way, I went back again about a half-hour after the last race of the day, and there were still a lot of people standing around the statue, taking pictures, maybe sharing stories, and seemingly reluctant to leave.

As far as the statue itself is concerned, there's three things that really stood out for me. First of all, the commission of this work called for John to be depicted under tack, and that was vitally important. He was a warrior first and foremost, and without his saddle, saddle-towel, reins, bridle, and shadow roll he would be just another nice conformation pose.

Secondly, the statement made by his head is so completely the way he was. His head is lifted high, ears pricked, with an aura of invincibility and a sense of disdain for anyone who would challenge him. Remember, John Henry was a smallish horse who probably never physically intimidated anybody. But his head and the way he carried it was all anyone needed to know.

Lastly, and the most amazing thing of all, is that Nina Kaiser captured John Henry's eye. The first time I looked in John Henry's eye was at the KHP when he was about 25 years old, and it confirmed what I thought I had seen in every head-shot photograph that I ever saw. Look for yourself at any picture you can find....there's a liquid depth and intelligence there that so totally doesn't match his nasty persona. Kaiser somehow caught that essence in bronze, and that just might be her greatest achievement ever!

The Artist...