About two hours before the running of the 136th. Belmont Stakes the record crowd of more than 120,000 at the track had just one name on their mind: Smarty Jones, the little red colt from Philadelphia. The three-year-old was the people's favorite and the popular choice in off-track betting and with the bookmakers to win the 1 1/2-mile race and complete American racing's Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes - for the first time since Affirmed won the three events under the great rider Steve Cauthen in 1978. The crowd was genuinely excited because it appeared nothing could stop Smarty Jones from winning the Belmont. Well, Birdstone and the last eighth of a mile stopped the Philadelphia colt and the Triple Crown was placed on ice again. But before that happened, the crowd saw on the huge track screen a photograph of Ronald Reagan and the line that told the story: 1911 - 2004.
We all knew that the 40th. President of the United States had passed on.
The huge crowd, which had been in a festive mood, fell silent as the track announcer said that former President Ronald Reagan had died at age 93. A moment of silence was called. There was silence, something that is most unusual in New York, a bustling, loud and in-your-face city. It was one of those where were you moments.

New Yorkers liked Reagan, who rose to one of the most powerful offices in the world from being a radio announcer, actor and Governor of California. A steady and impressive rise by anyone's standards. This is a predominantly Democratic city, but it voted twice in favor of Reagan in 1980 when he defeated Jimmy Carter to become the 40th. President and again in 1988 when he was reelected over Walter Mondale. There was something about him that people liked. He had that fatherly figure, he would stand up and defend the United States, he wanted America to stand tall again after Watergate, the Iran hostage crisis, Vietnam and he tried to restore the economic problems by introducing a policy that became known as Reaganomics.

Reagan's administration wasn't perfect. High on the list of mistakes was the Iran Contra controversy. He also let Libya know in no uncertain terms that the U.S. was not going to be pushed around by terrorists and he also contributed in a major way to the collapse of communism and the reduction in the arms race with the Soviet Union. Who will ever forget Reagan calling on Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall," which separated West and East Germany and when he spoke to the nation after the Challenger spacecraft exploded soon after takeoff and he remembered the astronauts as "touching the face of God." He had a way with words. he could communicate with the people as well as any other President. He was never short of a joke and he had that disarming smile about him.

There are many unforgettable images of Reagan. Riding a horse, chopping wood, and, of course, with his beloved wife of more than 50 years, Nancy. They were not afraid to hold hands, hug each other and even kiss in public. They showed that love and being affectionate can still exists late in life.
Nancy was his soul mate and best friend, too. She protected him, too, in his final years in the White House and for the past 10 years was at his side as Alzheimer's  Disease took him away from every day life. She was devoted to him. It was a genuine love story.