136th Kentucky Derby

Can't believe it's that time of year again. Time to see which horse will try to breal the 31 year old Triple Crown drought. The favorites may have a tough time due to the rain and sloppy track. Post time is 6:24 PM EDT.

Here's the story from the AP as I read it on espn.com.

All male horses carry 126 pounds. All female horses (11 Devil May Care) carry 121 pounds.
Betting Odds as of Wednesday:

136^thKentucky Derby

Post Horse Odds
1 Lookin At Lucky 3-1
2 Ice Box 10-1
3 Noble's Promise 12-1
4 Super Saver 15-1
5 Line of David 30-1
6 Stately Victor 30-1
7 American Lion 30-1
8 Dean's Kitten 50-1
9 Make Music For Me 50-1
10 Paddy O'Prado 20-1
11 Devil May Care 10-1
12 Conveyance 12-1
13 Jackson Bend 15-1
14 Mission Impazible 20-1
15 Discreetly Mine 30-1
16 Awesome Act 10-1
17 Dublin 12-1
18 Backtalk 50-1
19 Homeboykris 50-1
20 Sidney's Candy 5-1

Here is a look at the 20 horses that will run today.

Here are the latest odds, as of 6:09 PM EDT (dramatic changes due to the weather):

Post Horse Odds
1 Lookin At Lucky 7-1
2 Ice Box 10-1
3 Noble's Promise 24-1
4 Super Saver 8-1
5 Line of David 18-1
6 Stately Victor 19-1
7 American Lion 21-1
8 Dean's Kitten 23-1
9 Make Music For Me 28-1
10 Paddy O'Prado 11-1
11 Devil May Care 10-1
12 Conveyance 27-1
13 Jackson Bend 21-1
14 Mission Impazible 18-1
15 Discreetly Mine 34-1
16 Awesome Act 12-1
17 Dublin 19-1
18 Backtalk 21-1
19 Homeboykris 25-1
20 Sidney's Candy 9-1

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WIN: 4 Super Saver $18 $8.80 $6
PLACE: 2 Ice Box $11.20 $8
SHOW: 10 Paddy O'Prado $7.40

Exacta: $152.40
Trifecta: $2,377.40
Super: $$202,569.20

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Now that Super Saver is this year's Triple Crown hopeful, here's a story about the winning horse and his dominant jockey.

It's good to know that Super Saver will run in the Preakness in two weeks.

135th Kentucky Derby

Hard to believe the Kentucky Derby is over for another year. Yeah I know it's always the first Saturday in May, but wow, it seemed to sneak up on me this year.

Well, as you no doubt already know, Mine That Bird, at 50-1, pulled off the second largest upset in Derby history with his win today. And it wasn't close, either.

This horse came out of nowhere to win, literally. It really was quite amazing to watch, especially on slow motion replay. Mine That Bird dodged in and around other horses to get to the inside rail and took off from there.

Can Mine That Bird end the longest drought in Triple Crown history and become the first horse to win all three races since 1978?

We'll see in two weeks at the Preakness Stakes.

Here's another article on the race.

5/3 UPDATE: It would be unfortunate if this happened. Especially for people like me who could give a hoot about horse racing, except for the Triple Crown races.

140th Belmont Stakes

So it comes down to this, if you're interested in horse racing only for the Triple Crown, as I am. Apparently Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown has a great chance to break the 30 year drought of Triple Crown winning horses. According to the odds, his closest rival, Casino Drive, has pulled out of the race today due to an injury.

One and a half miles is a great distance for a horse to run and fittingly, if he can win this will have a well deserved spot in Triple Crown racing history. Especially if he can win this race going away, as he did in the first two jewels.

I'm hoping Big Brown can win. What a great story that would be. Of course I'll update this post sometime after the race with the results.


140^th Belmont Stakes
at Belmont Park, NY
(1.5 miles, Post time sometime around 6:05 PM)

Post Horse ML Odds

1. Big Brown 2-5
2. Guadalcanal 50-1
3. Macho Again 20-1
4. Denis of Cork 12-1 ***Place***
5. Casino Drive 7-2 *withdrawn*
6. Da'Tara 30-1 ****WIN****
7. Tale of Ekati 20-1
8. Anak Nakal 30-1 **Show**
9. Ready's Echo 30-1 **Show**
10. Icabad Crane 20-1

Big Brown couldn't deliver the goods today, finishing last in the Belmont Stakes. Da'Tara was your winner by 5 1/4 lengths in a really anticlimactic race. Denis of Cork came in second and both Anak Nakal and Ready's Echo finished in a dead heat for third.

I actually like the fact that Big Brown finished last. Jockey Kent Desormeaux realized the horse didn't have it and rather than push, he eased up and just let Big Brown jog to the finish.

Now the questions that will linger will be if Big Brown's cracked hoof had something to do with his performance or not. According to this article, the answer is no.

Now we can effectively ignore horse racing until the first Saturday of May 2009, when we see which horse will try to snap the 31 year drought of Triple Crown winners.

PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images (top) and UPI (bottom).

134th Kentucky Derby

Today is Derby Day, with post time at 6:04 PM.

This year marks the 30^th anniversary since the last time there was a Triple Crown Winner (1978, Affirmed).

Most of the major horse racing "experts" expect this to be a wide-open race. As for me, I don't know enough about the horses, trainers and jockeys to make an educated guess as to which horse will win. And I really don't care, either.

All I know is that I enjoy watching these Triple Crown races and that I'll be rooting for the horse that wins today to win the Preakness in two weeks and the Belmont Stakes three weeks after that.

I just read an article that said that the track at Churchill Downs could be wet and muddy today, which will really mess up the horses an make an unpredictable race even more so. I'll update the post with the top three finishers later tonight.

134^th Kentucky Derby
at Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY

Post Horse Odds
1 Cool Coal Man 20-1
2 Tale of Ekati 15-1
3 Anak Nakal 30-1
4 Court Vision 20-1
5 Eight Belles 20-1 **place**
6 Z Fortune 15-1
7 Big Truck 50-1
8 Visionaire 20-1
9 Pyro 6-1
10 Colonel John 4-1
11 Z Humor 30-1
12 Smooth Air 20-1
13 Bob Black Jack 20-1
14 Monba 15-1
15 Adriano 30-1
16 Denis of Cork 20-1 **show**
17 Cowboy Cal 20-1
18 Recapturetheglory 20-1
19 Gayego 15-1
20 Big Brown 3-1 **win**

Well, Big Brown is your winner (by 4 3/4 lengths) and 2008 Triple Crown contender. Eight Belles, even though she finished second, is the tragic big loser of the day. Denis of Cork finished third. Read all the details here.

Photo credits: Big Brown from horsephotos.com and Eight Belles from Viewimages.

Anniversaries, Milestones and the Belmont Stakes

Today marks the beginning of year three of this here blog. You ought to go back in my archives and see what you missed. Go ahead, you can do it.... but you need to come back when you're done.

Sometime towards the beginning of May marked my 600th post. It was a milestone that went unnoticed until recently. I couldn't even tell you which post that was, but is realistic considering how often I post.

I don't think I've been this remarkably consistent with anything I've done in a very long time.

I write this blog primarily for myself, in case you haven't noticed. If you happen to enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it then that's a plus for me. As always, I'm honored to have you along for the ride, no matter where it takes me.

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Maybe some of you haven't noticed, but Sir Scribe-o-rama and I have a great new blog (linked over there in the sidebar) where we challenge each other to watch and review movies, which are then posted for your enjoyment. I bring this to your attention, not only becasue you're apparently not as observant as I'd hoped you'd be but, as with all bloggers - WE WANT COMMENTERS [besides Scribe and myself]!!! Oh, and btw, please don't neglect leaving comments on this blog.

So, please indulge yourselves in the fun, and make me happy. Over and out. Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.


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The last horse race in the Triple Crown series is today. There will be no Triple Crown winner again and this years Derby winner, Street Sense, isn't even running. I'll still watch the race and when it's done, so will my interest in horse racing be - until Derby weekend next year.

*** 139th Running of the Belmont Stakes ***

Belmont Park, Elmont, New York
Saturday, June 9
Distance: 1 1/2 Miles
Post Time: 6:25 p.m. (ET)
Purse: $1 million

Post Horse
1 Imawildandcrazyguy
2 Tiago
3 Curlin
4 C P West
5 Slew's Tizzy
6 Hard Spun
7 Rags to Riches

Rags to Riches carries 121 pounds; others carry 126 pounds.

19:00 update: And what a race it was!!! The day belonged to the lady (pictured above, courtesy of AP), who won by a nose over Curlin. Curlin, if you'll recall, defeated Street Sense (who won the Derby) by the same narrow margin in the Preakness.

Rags to Riches was the first filly to run the Belmont since Silverbulletday in 1999 (finishing 7th). She's the first filly to win it in 102 years, since Tanya in 1905. She is the third filly to win the race overall, joining Ruthless in 1867 - the very first Belmont Stakes race...

Here's espn.com's summary.

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Happy 24th birthday to my little sister C.

Preakness Stakes at Pimlico

Can Street Sense win the second leg of the Triple Crown today? I certainly hope so. If the horse doesn't win, it will make for a less than dramatic Belmont Stakes on June 9th. There's a much better chance of it though, odds-wise, since there are only nine horses running in today's race, unlike the 20 horses who ran the Derby two weeks ago. Of course, Street Sense is the favorite, followed by Hard Spun and Curlin. Post time is at 18:09. Let's just hope that a similar nightmare from last year's Preakness does not happen again, to Street Sense or any of the other horses.

*** 132nd Running of the Preakness Stakes ***
Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland
Saturday, May 19
Distance: 1 3/16 Miles
Post Time: 6:09 p.m. (ET)
Purse: $1 million

Post Horse

1 Mint Slewlep
2 Xchanger
3 Circular Quay
4 Curlin
5 King of the Roxy
6 Flying First Class
7 Hard Spun
8 Street Sense
9 C P West

18:30 Update: Curlin edged Street Sense by a nose in a very exciting race. Hard Spun placed third. Street Sense came from the back of the pack again to briefly take the lead but could not hold it. Curlin's victory, fastest in Preakness history at 1:53.46, means that the Triple Crown winning drought will continue into 2008. If these same horses run again at Belmont in three weeks it should make for an exciting finish to the Triple Crown races.

Here's the story from espn.com

Derby Day at Churchill Downs

I really don't care about horse racing, except on the days that the Triple Crown races are run.

As always, the first Saturday in May is the running of the Kentucky Derby. Today we'll find out which horse will be the Triple Crown contender for 2007.

There hasn't been a Triple Crown winning horse since 1978, which I believe is the longest drought in Triple Crown history.

*** 133rd Running of the Kentucky Derby ***
Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky
Saturday, May 5th
Distance: 1 1/4 Miles
Post Time: 6:04 p.m. (ET)
Purse: $2 million Guaranteed

Post Horse
1 --- Sedgefield
2 --- Curlin
3 --- Zanjero
4 --- Storm in May
5 --- Imawildandcrazyguy
6 --- Cowtown Cat
7 --- Street Sense
8 --- Hard Spun
9 --- Liquidity
10 --- Teuflesberg
11 --- Bwana Bull
12 --- Nobiz Like Shobiz
13 --- Sam P.
14 --- Scat Daddy
15 --- Tiago
16 --- Circular Quay
17 --- Stormello
18 --- Any Given Saturday
19 --- Dominican
20 --- Great Hunter

Colts & Geldings Carry 126 Pounds

UPDATE: 6:20 pm = Street Sense (pictured at left with jockey Calvin Borel) is the winner, Hard Spun placed 2nd and Curlin came in third.

Here's a race recap, thanks to espn.com.

One noted spectator at today's race was first time guest, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England.

On to Pimlico in two weeks!