"Chewie" Remembrances Dominate "Star Wars" Day Observances.
CABRERA: The 145th running of the Kentucky Derby is about to get under way a short time from now. This year's race is expected to be wide open after the favorite was scratched due to a respiratory disease. And weather could play a role in the Derby as rain moves through the Louisville area today. The first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing is affectionately called the most exciting two minutes in sports. Stay tuned. We'll keep you posted. Finally, this hour, May the fourth be with you. It's "Star Wars" day. This year's anniversary is bittersweet for fans of the ethic space saga. Peter Mayhew, who played the Wookie warrior, Chewbacca, died this week at the age of 74. Standing over seven feet tall and covered in yak hair as Chewbacca, Mayhew may have looked terrifying, but he said he always thought of Hans Solo's sidekick, Chewie, as a teddy bear or a security blanket, despite this year's early encounter with C-3PO.</s>UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Screaming about it can't help.</s>HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: That's not wise.</s>UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: But, sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.</s>FORD: That's because a droid doesn't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookies are known to do that.</s>CABRERA: Of course, that wasn't this year. That was the early, early interaction. Mayhew acted in five films in the "Star Wars" series, starting with the original trilogy, episodes four, five and six, and he then acted in episode three and seven. Poor health forced him to pull out of "The Last Jedi," episode 8. But he still got a film credit as a Chewbacca consultant. This weekend, social media is full of tributes for Peter Mayhew, including this tweet from the "Star Wars" co-star, Mark Hamill: "He was the gentlest of giants, a big man with an even bigger heart. He never failed to make me smile. A loyal friend who I loved dearly. I am grateful for the memories we shared. I am a better man for just having known him. Thanks, Pete." Agreed. Thanks, Mr. Mayhew.</s>FORD: Chewie!</s>FORD: Chewie, we're home.</s>CABRERA: Breaking news out of the Middle East where escalations turn deadly. CNN has learned a 1-year-old baby is now the latest victim in a series of airstrikes.