With Silky Sullivan back from Kentucky, racing fans came out in the thousands to see him run—or, after his retirement following his four-year-old season, just to see the horse they called "Mr. Heart Attack". For the rest of his life, he received birthday and Christmas cards. They cheered when he was paraded each year (beginning in 1965) at Golden Gate Fields for Saint Patrick's Day and at Santa Anita for the Santa Anita Derby. He had his own secretary to answer his mail.