Derby Day

About a week ago, I found myself in Kentucky.  Sometimes my wanderings surprise me as well.  Also taking me by surprise...I fell in love with Kentucky.  And so today, we are talking about a big day in Kentucky.

It's Derby Day.  Thats right, the famous Kentucky Derby is happening right now in Louisville.  Tucked away deep in Louisville, the famous racetrack Churchill Downs has been hosting the Kentucky Derby for 144 years. 

A dirt track, one and quarter miles, it is one of the longest races in the career of a three year old thoroughbred. 

If you take a second to think about that, I said three year old.  That's right, this race is restricted to three year olds.  This is the only chance they ever have at running this race.  It's 2 minutes in their careers, a once in a lifetime chance to have their name go down in history, and up on the walls of Churchill downs.  Like Secretariat, the 1973 winner, who also won "the triple crown" title (a triple crown means that horse must win The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes).  

Those famed triple crown winners are Sir Gallant (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941),  Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), and most recently American Pharoah (2015).  That's it, only 12 horses have ever done it. And those legendary horses, ran this very track I stood peering onto last Saturday.

The famous twin spires of Churchill downs are today hosting 150,000 fans for the most exciting 2 minutes in sports.

Here is the paddock, where the horses may be seen briefly before the race.  In real time, they have just done the walk from the stables with their owners onto the track.

And of course, today is a gamblers paradise.

Will Justify continue his winning streak and beat 'the curse of Apollo'? Can Mendelssohn challenge? Will Bolt d'Oro rise up? Or Vino Rossi? Audible is a fan favorite, but My Boy Jack is getting lots of attention as he seems to like running in the mud and it's raining in Kentucky. I will be watching Magnum Moon, who like Justify did not race as a two year old. If i were standing in Louisville today, I'd be betting a trifecta on Justify, Bolt d'Oro, and Mendelssohn. Let's see how they fare in the muck though! But only 20 horses out of 23,000 thoroughbreds foaled three years ago will run.  They are all magnificent.  There's also Free Drop Billy, Promises Fullfilled, Flameaway, Good Magic, Firenze Fire, Lone Sailor, Hofburg, Enticed, Bravazo, Instilled Regard, Solomini, Noble Indy, Combatant, and Blended Citizen.   It's going to looks a little like this, a snapshot I took of the Churchill Downs video at their museum.  But muddier.  

The winner will wear the famous garland of roses.  I for one, and going to settle in to watch, and wish each of the magnificent creatures a wonderful, close race.