Who Have You Got in the Kentucky Derby?

 

 AP Photo/Garry JonesThe first Saturday in May is upon us: Derby Day! I’ve become a fan ever since getting an HDTV. It’s so beautiful, and I’ve been known to well up during “My Old Kentucky Home”It’s about memories — not of Kentucky bluegrass, but of Carry Back and Secretariat.

Care to pick a winner? I’m sure you can beat my method, the tried-and-failed “great name” strategy.

American Pharaoh is the favorite. (Should he expect a congratulatory call from the President?)

Dortmund, a son of 2008 Derby winner Big Brown, has the next best odds. Carpe Diem is 7-1 and may appeal to some of you classicists. Mubtaahij has good blood lines and was picked by the New York Post‘s in-house expert, who doesn’t care for American Pharaoh’s #18 post position. With NR having a big weekend event, some might want to honor WFB by placing a bet on Firing Line (12-1), with Gary Stevens up. Ocho Ocho Ocho, positioned on the rail, sounds like a slightly revised Herman Cain tax plan, and faces similar odds.

I’m going with a long shot named Far Right. It seems that a farrier for the original breeder has political views “just to the right of Reagan.” The horse’s paternal blood lines were so unimpressive that it was originally sold for $2,500 in 2013. But great grandpa on the maternal side is Seattle Slew! The horse has drawn an appropriate post position, second from the outside. He likes to run on the rail, so you’ll probably see him head there while the rest go for an early lead.

Published in General, Sports
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There are 18 comments.

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  1. AUMom Member
    AUMom
    @AUMom

    Far Right is my pick. He’s a 30-1 shot. Normal.

    • #1
  2. user_1050 Member
    user_1050
    @MattBartle

    It’s funny – I pay no attention to horse racing in general, and I’ve never placed a bet.

    But I look forward to the Triple Crown every year. I love it!

    Gotta go with Firing Line in honor of WFB.

    • #2
  3. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @carcat74

    I still remember reading about Man-O’-War in high school.  Is any of his bloodline still around?

    • #3
  4. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    I’ll take Seattle Slew!

    • #4
  5. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    As an industry, racing is in deep, deep trouble. No one pays attention until Derby Day and if the Kentucky Winner falls in the Preakness, no one even watches the Belmont.

    Once upon a time in America the track was the only place you legally gamble. Now every state has lotteries and Indian casinos.

    As a bonifide Crosby-phile any horse I would pick would finish sometime around Thursday. (Although Bing co-owned Ligaroti who lost by a nose to Seabiscuit in their famous match race.)

    • #5
  6. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    My bet is that is that the wining horse will have thrown his jockey coming out of the gate and then go on to win the race on his own, and be awarded the full cash prize. Using the money he will be the first horse to attend and graduate from Princeton University. Following this ground breaking accomplishment he will become the founder of a private Horse Advocacy group pushing to equalize horse rights in America and the World. His work will go largely unnoticed at first but his ideas and argument will slowly make head way with the American people. Eventually he will be called up to testify before congress. His testimony will be carried on all major News channels live and will be remembered as one of the most emotional and persuasive arguments ever made before a Congressional Committee.  In recognition of his work on behalf of all Equine right he will be awarded the Nobel Peace prize, which he will decline to accept until Sweden abolishes their centuries long practice of allowing horse to be owned as slaves. He will die at the ripe old age of 32 having just finished his autobiography, for which he will be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. His daughter will accept the prize on his behalf. Sweden having just become the first country to pass a full Equine rights law. Three years later the rest of the EU followed, with America joining them in another year.

    • #6
  7. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Great. Valiuth is betting his house on “Mr. Ed.”

    • #7
  8. Fricosis Guy Listener
    Fricosis Guy
    @FricosisGuy

    Willll-bur!

    • #8
  9. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    Bing had better luck in baseball.

    • #9
  10. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Secretariat . . . the last great race horse.

    I guess I have to pull for Far Right in this Derby, although Firing Line would be cool too, even though the jockey’s name isn’t “Buckley” . . .

    • #10
  11. Mr. Dart Inactive
    Mr. Dart
    @MrDart

    #8 Dortmund is my pick.  Huge horse… long stride… undefeated… trained by Baffert who also has American Pharaoh.  AP is a super horse but he’s way out there at 18 so I’ll go with Dortmund.

    • #11
  12. Jim Kearney Member
    Jim Kearney
    @JimKearney

    Mr. Dart:#8 Dortmund is my pick. Huge horse… long stride… undefeated… trained by Baffert who also has American Pharaoh. AP is a super horse but he’s way out there at 18 so I’ll go with Dortmund.

    Just got a look at Dortmund. Gigantic animal.

    • #12
  13. user_3444 Coolidge
    user_3444
    @JosephStanko

    Since no one else is taking American Pharaoh I will.  I’m rooting for jockey Victor Espinoza to win the Derby back-to-back.

    • #13
  14. Jim Kearney Member
    Jim Kearney
    @JimKearney

    Joseph Stanko:Since no one else is taking American Pharaoh I will. I’m rooting for jockey Victor Espinoza to win the Derby back-to-back.

    Good call!

    Firing Line, the horse, ran a strong race, finishing second! FYI, Firing Line, the classic television show is available on Amazon Prime.

    • #14
  15. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    EJHill:Great. Valiuth is betting his house on “Mr. Ed.”

    You know he’d win.

    • #15
  16. Jim Kearney Member
    Jim Kearney
    @JimKearney

    One of the reasons horse racing is bringing up the rear in the contest against other sports is that the top athletes don’t do interviews.

    So Mr. Ed is exactly the horse which the industry needs. Of course, of course!

    • #16
  17. user_3444 Coolidge
    user_3444
    @JosephStanko

    Jim Kearney:One of the reasons horse racing is bringing up the rear in the contest against other sports is that the top athletes don’t do interviews.

    So Mr. Ed is exactly the horse which the industry needs. Of course, of course!

    Don’t forget endorsements!  We need more commercials featuring California Chrome running in Nike horseshoes…

    • #17
  18. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    Oh my… my pick above says Seattle Slew when it should have said American Pharoah. Stupid autcorrect!

    • #18
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