89-year-old Kentucky Derby fan gets special wish granted

An 89-year-old Kentucky Derby ace instrumentality successful hospice attraction was granted a peculiar privation — to marque it to 1 much race.

This past play marked the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, and Bob Weihe had been to 79 successful a row. CBS News contributor David Begnaud posted a video online successful an effort to get Weihe a ticket.

Churchill Downs, the location of the Kentucky Derby, granted the Louisville native's wish.

On Saturday, Weihe, who is often confined to his bed, was acceptable to go. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered to nonstop him disconnected to be his 80th Kentucky Derby.

His woman Barbara and sons Mark and Scott joined him for the event, on with Weihe's caretaker and a household friend.

At Churchill Downs, Weihe was welcomed arsenic a VIP and taken to a spot straight successful beforehand of the leaderboard with an unobstructed presumption of the decorativeness line. He got a idiosyncratic invited from way president Mike Anderson.

"I've lone been present 30 years," Anderson told Weihe. "I can't ideate 80! That's terrific."

Weihe asked Anderson for conscionable 1 thing: a programme signed by the winning trainer and jockey to adhd to his collection.

Even though Weihe attended decades of races, this 1 was historical to experience. Cherie DeVaux became the archetypal pistillate trainer to triumph the Derby arsenic Golden Tempo came from down to transverse the decorativeness enactment first.

Earlier successful the day, Weihe had besides chosen 3 circumstantial horses – 1, 19 and 22 – and erstwhile the contention was finished the apical 3 finishers were each 3 of Weihe's picks – 19, 1 and 22.

Following the race, Churchill Downs authoritative Darren Rogers helped fulfill Weihe's petition by getting the programme signed by DeVaux and jockey Jose Ortiz.

"It's precise emotional, due to the fact that the Kentucky Derby is portion of the cloth of the radical present successful Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky," Rogers said. "Derby Bob is what the derby is each about."

Begnaud aboriginal delivered the programme to Weihe's home.

Barbara Weihe said she was thankful for the effort to get her hubby to 1 much Derby.

"I'm 89 years aged and person ne'er been to the Derby similar this. It's fantastic you each did truthful overmuch for him," she said.

In:

• Kentucky Derby