The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby starting gates at 6:24 p.m.

The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs will have a field of 19 horses breaking from the starting gates at 6:24 p.m.

So whats the Decision  ?

Orb

Verrazano

Golden Cents !

THere is a black jockey and I is rootin for him

Whaddabout Charming Kitten and Lines of Battle ?

where is Mapster ? 

Among the most famous Kentucky Derby victors are horses that went on to win the coveted Triple Crown.  Only eleven horses in history have earned this distinction and none since 1978.  In addition to the aforementioned Sir Barton (1919) and Gallant Fox (1930) Derby winners that have gone on to win the Preakness and Belmont include Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), and Citation (1948).  After that, there was a twenty five year drought with no Triple Crown winners before Secretariat—considered by many the greatest race horse in history—won all three races in 1973. There would be two more Triple Crown winners in the 1970’s—Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed in 1978.  Jim Fitzsimmons (Gallant Fox, Omaha) is the only trainer to win more than one Triple Crown while the legendary Eddie Arcaro (Whirlaway, Citation) is the only jockey to accomplish the feat more than once.

The fastest time ever run at the Kentucky Derby’s current distance was turned in by Secretariat in 1973 when he completed the mile and a quarter in 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds.  Further demonstrating the greatness of ‘Big Red’ was his astounding fractional times—every quarter mile of the race was faster than the one before it, which is virtually unheard of.  The only other sub two minute times in the Kentucky Derby were run by Secretariat’s arch rival Sham, who finished 2/5 of a second behind the winner.  In 2001, Monarchos turned in the only other sub two minute Derby run winning the race in 1:59:97.

Quote:Whaddabout Charming Kitten and Lines of Battle ?

where is Mapster ? 

right here today...not yesterday of course.

that Orb is a super horse bwoy let me tell you.  he has a lesser pedigree for wet tracks yet he won.  it was clear they could not beta hm on dry tracks but he was very suspect to me on wet tracks.  he wasn't.

when it turned up wet I adjusted my handicapping yet I did not know.  I could not trust Orb in the wet and I did not like the other horses as winners so in the end I pointed out to my buddy that Vyjack the #20 had a sound win in the slow previously and even from the 20 post he should be dangerous today.  and at the odds of 26 to 1 he was worth a shot

my buddy cried that #20 was simply too wide but I pointed out to him that there were 5 closer to his inside before he met Verrazano at 14..and close to Verrazano's inside which would see both of them into the lead early..there were no fast horses around them to impede them or stop them from getting close to the rail among the leaders from early

2 things happened..Vyjack's odds dropped from 31+ to which he had ascended suddenly to 18 to 1  which exposed that big money agreed with me...and boom as I pointed Vyjack was at the head of the pack with just one other horse.

then all of a sudden he collapsed.  I could not believe it.  the freaking horse that had been sick after the Wood Memorial, was still sick and the trainer Rudi Rodriguez lied to us all.  the kiss- mih-arse horse was still sick but he sent him in the race anyway.

and not only to send him out with his health suspect but to ask the Jockey to be aggressive on the horse as well from the 20 post.

these are the things that should be investigated by the Churchill stewards.

but had Vyjack been well  Orb would have had a hard time catching him in those conditions