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When I first got the opportunity to meet Ronnie Franklin, I was 17 years old and he was 19 years old. I used to
go to the local racetracks - Bowie, Pimlico, Laurel, and Delaware Park to watch him ride. My sister and I were there
to watch the 104th running of The Preakness Stakes on May 19, 1979. Excerpt from
my diary: I
wore my shirt “Ronnie Franklin is a real jock!” C wore “Where Is Everybody Bid Is
Asking.” She didn’t have enough “E’s” to change it to Keeps Asking. We left 7:50am. Caught rail to Metro center then walked to Gray Line station. Tickets
didn’t go on sale until 9:30am. Got tickets for $5.25 roundtrip. Found
out admission was $5, lent C $2. We stood where the horses get saddled with jockeys. Took pictures of Ronnie. Then for the 7th race I used flash bulbs. People called him and he posed. C said she saw him read my shirt and smile.
I shook and took all my film. Because it was so crowded me and C couldn’t see the actual race, so we listened to the call of the race.
Jockey Ronnie Franklin, who won 1979 Derby and Preakness aboard Spectacular Bid, dies at 58 (Baltimore Sun March 8, 2018)
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