THE DAYS OF THE ROSES
Bill Hartack
April 10, 1967
Four times in seven tries—a superlative record—Hartack has won racing's premier event, the Kentucky Derby. Analyzing those triumphs, he offers his own version of the controversial victory by a nose over Gallant Man
But I'm getting tired of offering my services. I'm getting tired of fighting and not accomplishing anything. About my career on the racetrack, I've always maintained, whether it's a small race or a big race, there's no honor in riding and losing. There's only honor in winning. About life in general and the future, I don't believe in cycles. Naturally, sometimes you're going to go up and sometimes you're going to go down. But that doesn't make it a cycle. That's like saying to yourself, "Don't worry, tomorrow will be a better day." Tomorrow's not going to be a better day, unless you make it a better day or attempt to make it a better day. The bus just isn't going to come over and pick you up. You've got to find the station and go get on. In this world there's no such thing as just waiting until the next bus comes along. Because you may not catch that one either. It's not as easy as that.