Derby Day
It is the day of the oldest sporting event, the greatest few minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby!
I love this day! I was up at 7:00 putting ribs on the smoker and reading the Briefing Book on the Courier Journal, one of the remaining fine newspapers in the USofA. I must add a disclaimer. I have never been to the horse races, nor have I bet on a horse race. I have ridden horses before (see Where's Willi at Back in the Day) and I have done chores on an Arabian horse farm. As for wagering I've shot craps with my dad on the living room floor and worked a week of chores paying my debts -saved by my mom and I've done my citizenship duty of pulling the one arm bandit to support the kids in school. But horse racing is in my blood from when I was a kid.
Picture this: An eight year old boy sitting on the front porch playing with betting cards -win, place, and show and pretending to call a horse race. All of this while waiting for his dad to pull into the driveway returning from Oaklawn Racetrack.
So I follow the Triple Crown races on the television because I inherited the sport -so to speak. The Kentucky Derby is the king of them all. I plan my day around it and match my meal to it. So today it is smoked, dry rubbed ribs. I pick out a big classy cigar and fire that baby up before the race. I sit anxiously by waiting for the trumpet call. Then just before the bell I raise a shot glass of whiskey and salute my dear old dad and cheer for my horse.
My picks are: Dunkirk - he is a gray, he's a Todd Pletcher horse. Friesan Fire - won the Arkansas Derby, a Larry Jones from Hopkinsville Kentucky horse. And my long shot is General Quarters -a horse that may be good on mud, a one man show by a former Louisville biology teacher and high school principal. Wished I could retire like that!
What are your picks?
I'll meet you at the sound of the bell, Dad.....
I love this day! I was up at 7:00 putting ribs on the smoker and reading the Briefing Book on the Courier Journal, one of the remaining fine newspapers in the USofA. I must add a disclaimer. I have never been to the horse races, nor have I bet on a horse race. I have ridden horses before (see Where's Willi at Back in the Day) and I have done chores on an Arabian horse farm. As for wagering I've shot craps with my dad on the living room floor and worked a week of chores paying my debts -saved by my mom and I've done my citizenship duty of pulling the one arm bandit to support the kids in school. But horse racing is in my blood from when I was a kid.
Picture this: An eight year old boy sitting on the front porch playing with betting cards -win, place, and show and pretending to call a horse race. All of this while waiting for his dad to pull into the driveway returning from Oaklawn Racetrack.
So I follow the Triple Crown races on the television because I inherited the sport -so to speak. The Kentucky Derby is the king of them all. I plan my day around it and match my meal to it. So today it is smoked, dry rubbed ribs. I pick out a big classy cigar and fire that baby up before the race. I sit anxiously by waiting for the trumpet call. Then just before the bell I raise a shot glass of whiskey and salute my dear old dad and cheer for my horse.
My picks are: Dunkirk - he is a gray, he's a Todd Pletcher horse. Friesan Fire - won the Arkansas Derby, a Larry Jones from Hopkinsville Kentucky horse. And my long shot is General Quarters -a horse that may be good on mud, a one man show by a former Louisville biology teacher and high school principal. Wished I could retire like that!
What are your picks?
I'll meet you at the sound of the bell, Dad.....
posted by willi at 8:54 AM
2 Comments:
Great post! Welcome back! I'm with you on General Quarters...
Two years ago, I did alright on a couple of Derby bets. Mainly, because my sister-in-law was here for the weekend. She is from Louisville. Last year, I thought I had it figured. But, no. This year I just watched. Some fun. I did however, think a long shot might do alright. But not that one. On to the next race.
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