LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Horseracing fan Ronnie Nalley was one of the first ones through the gates of Churchill Downs Saturday afternoon for an event he said he refused to miss.
"I've always been a fan and anyone who knows me knows that," Nalley said. "That's all I've ever concentrated on my whole life when it comes to horseracing, that's me."
Nalley said the love affair began at an early age.
"1964. Northern Dancer won the Derby that year," he said. "I was out in the infield, 16 years old."
Over the years, Nalley has seen his share of history, laying eyes on five Triple Crown winners - Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, American Pharoah and Justify.
It's that last name that brought lines of people out to Churchill Downs Saturday evening for the Stephen Foster Racing Celebration, like Jennie Lou Brown and her life-long friends who made their way to the track for a glimpse of the Triple Crown winner.
"I've been in Louisiana over 50 years so I came up here just to see Justify and to come to Churchill Downs and I'm so excited," she said.
Justify galloped his way into racing legend last Saturday by winning the Belmont Stakes to complete the Triple Crown sweep, becoming just the 13th horse to accomplish the feat.
"Oh, I knew he'd win. I just knew it," Brown said. "He's so beautiful. He's so big and strong."
While the horse may have gotten the most shouts of adoration Saturday evening, Justify's trainer, Bob Baffert, also caught the eyes of some fans.
"I want to meet the trainer because he's almost as good looking as the horse," Brown said.
Justify now joins the other elite horses to accomplish the rarest achievement in thoroughbred racing, but Nalley, who knows a thing or two about Triple Crown winners, said the colt is something else.
"He's unbelievable to look at. He's a monster race horse," he said. "He's the largest horse I've ever laid my eyes on in height, in width, and he has to have a huge, huge set of lungs on him."