Kentucky Derby Day As Well

Since today is also Kentucky Derby Day (Big Weekend: Trains, Horses and Mothers) one of the few days of the year I suspect when everyone watches a horse race even if they have no clue who's running and what it's all about. I don't know who's running this year either, but even if I did, I'd probably just follow my usual course: root for the underdog. One of my favorite Derby wins was the one a few years ago when a horse that was like, 50 to 1 odds, came out of nowhere and won the race. That was a lot of fun. I love when the experts are all proven wrong. No one had talked pre-race about the possibility of that particular horse winning so they had no set-up tape to turn to except that of the unexpected win. Ha!

The 137th running of the race will begin about 6:24 or so, so there's still plenty of time to find out what and who if you're so inclined. Nineteen horses running today with the scratch of Uncle Mo, the original favorite. Still lots of sturdy, pounding horseflesh being jockeyed about down that stretch. I do prefer it when there are fewer horses running the track, but we'll see what happens.


I try to watch three races out of the year if at all possible. The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Every year there's a new possibility of a Triple Crown Champion - something that hasn't been done - winning all three races in a row- since Affirmed did it in 1978. That's how long it's been.

Go to this link if you want to see the horses running today, the odds and other assorted Derby news.

All paintings by the French Impressionist Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917)