[mick]

This has nothing to do with horse racing, but I can't let December 7 pass without saying something.

My father enlisted after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, on this day 77 years ago, and served with distinction in the Pacific. As a little boy, I would sit on the edge of the bathtub and watch him shave. In my mind, I can still see the scar on his upper right arm where he was shot by a sniper on one of those jungle islands where he was building landing strips for our planes. So many of my generation have memories of our fathers and their military service during WWII. (And as I type this, I'm thinking of my friend Galen, who fought in another war for our country.)

I seldom switch on the news these days as there are things about my country that I no longer recognize and frankly find appalling. One thing that has never changed, however, is my gratitude and respect for the men and women who have served. Thank you, veterans. And let's all take a moment and remember Pearl Harbor.