Now that Churchill Downs’ spring horse racing season has been switched to Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky, Erie-area racing fans are wondering if some of the big-name horses and riders might head to .
Many lucrative stakes races are scheduled at the Erie track, and they might prove enticing to Churchill Downs regulars. That famous track in Louisville, longtime home of the Kentucky Derby, was recently closed because of the high number of horse deaths.
Churchill officials said the suspension of racing will provide an opportunity for a “top to bottom review” of all aspects of racing there.
Presque Isle Downs & Casino is owned by Churchill Downs, but hopes that such a connection might bolster the quality of racing here have never been realized. If anything, amenities for Erie racing fans have declined since Churchill took over. Maybe that could change now.
● Saturday’s running of the 155th Belmont Stakes brought back memories of Secretariat’s incredible 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont. Can you image that it took place 50 years ago?
When I worked on the horse farms around Lexington during the summer of 1974, I went over to Paris, Kentucky, to visit Secretariat. Only 4 years old at the time, he was huge and kept trying to race with all of the other horses in the pasture. They wanted no part of Secretariat, but he was a great attraction for fans who visited from all over America.
The end of his offspring:A day in Cochranton, Pa., with Secretariat's last known daughter
● Dr. Joseph Cacchione, an Erie native and former executive at Saint Vincent Hospital, has been in the headlines in Philadelphia where he is chief executive officer of Thomas Jefferson University.
About a half-dozen organizations made up of medical students are calling on the school to improve diversity efforts. They are holding Thomas Jefferson University president Mark Tykocinski responsible.
If anybody can bring peace to the medical college, it’s Cacchione. He was well respected in Erie and later at the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as a director for eight years.
● A reunion of former players of the Erie Hockey Lions is set for Aug. 11-12. Former Lions players have been meeting regularly to discuss all the details, and the group includes Terry Dunn, Dick hom*ovec, Ed Tropper, Erik Hengelbrok and Ron Sciarrilli.
At the last meeting, Hengelbrok announced that Rick Chartraw, the former Lions star who played in the NHL on several Stanley Cup champions, plans to travel from his home in Australia to Erie for the reunion.
To a man, the former players at the most recent meeting said it would be great if the reunion would be open to fans, who were so loud and loyal at the former Glenwood Ice Rink. A get-together Aug. 11 at the Sunflower Club would be the ideal time for fans to stop by and celebrate with the local hockey pioneers.
● Worldatlas.com recently featured Erie in its “Most Charming Cities in Pennsylvania” list. The site calls Erie “a gorgeous gem offering a profusion of natural wonders, including Presque Isle State Park. Erie’s arresting beauty extends beyond the edges of Lake Erie, where sandy shores, verdant woodlands and picturesque hiking paths are a part of this amazing city.”
● Congratulations to old friend and classmate Bill Gloeckler, who will be honored as person of the year at Thursday’s Shillelagh Golf Tournament, which benefits the Barber National Institute. The Whispering Woods tournament, always a highlight of the local golf scene, couldn’t have picked a better man to salute.
● Comedian Pat Cooper, who died June 6 at 93, once performed at Erie’s Calabrese Club. When the late Vic Rotunda met Cooper, whose real name was Pasquale Caputo, after a show in Cleveland, he mentioned Cooper’s Cally Club performance. “Don’t remind me,” Cooper replied.
● Some of the best-tasting donuts in Erie will be lost now that Jack Frost has been sold. The building’s new owners don’t plan to use it as a donut shop.
More:Jack Frost Donuts of Erie sold; new owners plan convenience store and coffee and bake shop
● The new pickleball courts at Zuck Park and Asbury Park look pretty sharp. Pickleball has become hugely popular across the country, and the courts will probably get a lot of use. I kind of feel sorry for tennis players, although the courts sat vacant for much of the time in recent years.
● Chautauqua Institution will show the film “The Princess Bride” on July 22, with musical accompaniment by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. Rob Reiner directed that film, and the Reiner family has been regular visitors to Chautauqua County since their late father, Carl Reiner, left his mammoth collection of comedy sketches, plays, and film material to Jamestown’s National Comedy Center.
● When longtime professional wrestler The Iron Sheik died June 7 at 81, it brought back memories of his appearance at a big show at the then-Tullio Arena. Andre the Giant also appeared on that show, and I interviewed him at his Avalon Hotel suite after the match. Andre agreed to talk only if I brought him two cases of beer, which I did.
● The sale of the former Miller Brothers building on State Street to the city seems like a smart move on Erie’s part. For decades, it served as part of the Koehler Beer operation, the brewery of which was located across the street.
Mark Miller once took me through the building, which is built like a giant fortress. Miller has been battling cancer for more than a year, but he looked strong during recent interviews.
Kevin Cuneo can be reached at Kevin.Cuneo1844@gmail.com.
