The 1984 Derby would be bittersweet in hindsight. The Beychok, Leggio, Dean and Piazza crew had grown to more than a dozen men. We had established a routine that included flying up on Wednesday and attending the races Thursday through Saturday. We were still staying at the Galt House and had a reserved spot at the funeral home within easy walking distance of the track. Our setup at the track had improved and we had a private room and a clubhouse box which meant that we didn’t have to sneak in by exchanging those plastic wristbands anymore. You see, they gave out a wristband in exchange for a ticket to the 3^rd floor clubhouse. Well, some years we were a few short of tickets but not of willing folks who wanted to go the 3^rd floor. So….The kids were dispatached to sneak in and our go to move would be to get a wristband from one of the adults; slip it high up on our forearm; go retrieve a buddy; give him the wristband; and come back in to the 3^rd floor like we owned the place. Hey, it wasn’t fully kosher but we weren’t either so it worked out for everyone and no one got hurt.

 

And, most importantly, we had found some good Italian food and a gracious host in Sonny Lentini at his restaurant Lentini’s on Bardstown Road. Funny what you remember about trips but the meals at Lentinis – usually on Friday Derby eve – were some of the best of times.  We had found Lentinis simply because it was one of the few Italian restaurants we could locate in Louisville. As was his custom, Dr. Leggio had befriended Sonny Lentini and given Mr. Lentini and everyone in the joint the impression that Dr. Leggio was from New Orleans and somehow connected to some powerful interests who operated in New Orleans. So, after the first year, we were treated like royalty in the restaurant. I can remember Mr. Sonny literally asking some patrons to finish their meal and pay their check and make their table available quickly so we could sit down. The notion that Dr. Leggio and Gus Piazza were somehow notorious was folly but it sure was funny to see the restaurant welcome us with open arms every year on the busiest night of the year.

 

As previously disclosed, I had become a big fan of Woody Stephens and his horses and he hadn’t let me down in the Belmont the previous summer as my Derby horse Caveat won the Belmont and paid handsomely. So, when Woody brought another Derby horse to the dance in 1984 I had my Derby horse. That horse was Swale and true to Woody fashion, he didn’t map out the most traditional path to the Derby for the Claiborne Farm homebred. After a brilliant two year old season, Swale was not even the best horse in the Stephens barn that year as another brilliant two year named Devils Bag occupied a stall in the Stephens barn and the Bag was thought to be the best horse in the country.

Devils Bag was the two year old champion and was undefeated coming into his three year old year and the stable go to rider Eddie Maple had chosen to ride him instead of Swale as the three year old season opened. And why not. The Bag had destroyed all competition in 1983 and had won the Flamingo Prep before the Flamingo Stakes at Hialiah. But, a stunning 4^th place finish in the Flamingo – then the more prestigious prep than the Florida Derby – cast questions on his ability to go a longer distance. Devils Bag rebounded in an allowance three weeks later at Keeneland and then won the Derby Trial a mere 10 days later and was on course to run in the Preakness as the likely favorite when a bone chip was discovered and he was retired.

Swale opened up his sophomore year with an 8-length win in the sprint Hutcheson followed by a strange third place finish in the Fountain of Youth as the 2-5 favorite. His victory in the Florida Derby on March 31 stamped him as horse to beat in the Derby but unlike today’s trainers, Woody decided to run Swale in the Lexington Stakes just three weeks after the Florida Derby and three weeks before the Kentucky Derby. He ran second by 8 lengths in the Lexington on a sloppy racetrack and some of the bloom was off the rose so to speak. But, ole Woody knew what he was doing in just giving Swale a tightener before the big dance and on Derby Day Swale showed why he was a champion and beat the field by easy 2½ lengths under Laffit Pincay.

Meanwhile, his trainer Woody Stephens was battling a severe case of pneumonia and had been hospitalized for the two weeks before the Derby. He was released from the hospital on Derby Eve just in time to saddle what was thought to be the second best horse in the barn.

Swale was my pick in the Derby and it marked my first Derby winner in six attempts so it was a nice topper to what was already a great week of laughs, story telling and memories.

Unfortunately Swale would experience tragic circumstances. After, losing the Preakness he went to win the Belmont giving Stephens his third winner in a row in the Belmont. But, Swale would suddenly die 10 days after his victory suffering an inexplicable heart attack. Swale was a true champion running 14 times and winning 9 races and his death hit hard throughout the racing world.

Another death hit hard and at home in early 1985. The 1984 Derby was the last Derby I would share with Dr. Anthony B. Leggio who died just after January 1^st in 1985 from a heart attack. If you have read any of these pages recounting my Derby experiences I hope you understand what an influence Dr. Leggio was on my life and what a one in a million man he was as a father, husband, doctor and friend. Anyone who met him never forgot him and I miss him dearly even after 30 years – especially around Derby time.