The Kentucky Derby, the "most exciting 2 minutes" in sports, is right around the corner (May 3rd, 2008)... Horse Racing happens to be my very favorite sport and I was wondering if there are any other fans of the Sport Of Kings on this site?
Not really a big fan of horse racing, but when I'm in Vegas, I do enjoy betting on the horses. Easy way to get some free drinks have some gambling fun, but not spend a lot of money.
The Triple crown is the only time I watch Horse Racing. Who's the favorite this year. I don't usually pay attention until the week of the derby.
I definitely follow the Triple Crown; Preakness day and the week leading up to it are a big part of the culture in Baltimore. I don't really start reading up on the contenders until the news coverage starts ahead of the Derby, but a quick check shows that War Pass at 5-0 is a current favorite. The current betting favorite is Pyro, who lost to War Pass 3 times as a 2-year-old, but has had some impressive victories at the longer lengths as a 3-year-old, coming from last place to win in one race and following it up with a three-length win from traffic in his next. I tend to like closers and horses who show good tactical speed. He's trained by Steve Assmussen, who won the Preakness with Curlin in 2007 (showed in the Derby, placed in Belmont, won the Breeder's Cup and named 2007 horse of the year as well) after Barbaro's horrible breakdown. I'll also be keeping an eye on Visionare, trained by Michael Matz, who trained Barbaro. He apparently likes the slop, and that's often a factor in the Derby and the Preakness. D. Wayne Lucas seems to be having an off year, with only one potential Derby entrant in his stable. The next big test races will be the Santa Anita Derby, the Blue Grass Stakes and the Tampa Bay Derby. Many of the potential contenders will get their final tests in those races. Anyway, you can't call a favorite til the preps are over and you know who will be aboard the various horses for the actual race. Anyway, here's a list of the current favorites: Link
Thank you for the responses! man-o-man, with War Pass tossing in a real clunker this past weekend, the whole picture changes and the preps over the next few weeks become all the more important... DERBY FEVER is beginning to mount! I see that you are from the bay area, Tomalak301. I had the pleasure of visiting Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows last year. It's a shame that the real estate developers won their fight to close BM... all that horse racing history down the tubes in favor of condos. It's just sad. Never been to Pimlico... but one of these days I'd like to witness the Preakness Stakes in person. I've got a buddy from Baltimore who goes and he agrees with you, flamingliberal... it's a BIG part of the local culture. mrcoaster, the race & sports books in Las Vegas are a great place to play and some of the newer venues are quite elegant (Wynn's is sumpin' special). In a city filled with non-stop action, it's nice to relax and play the races in the luxury and comfort provided by the fancy Las Vegas horse parlors. As I mentioned, horse racing is my favorite sport. I was the smallest kid in my 7th grade class and my dream was to stay small and 'grow-up' to be a jockey... then, my teenage growth spurt occurred and I hoped to grow tall enough to become Wilt Chamberlain and play B-Ball with my Los Angeles Lakers... alas, I only grew big enough to become an actor. lol. Talkin' Horses is a passion of mine, so with the residuals I received from my performance as B'Rat Ud in ENTERPRISE, I started a website dedicated to my favorite sport: UpInClass Racing Forum (USA) @ www.upinclass.com . Check it out when you have a moment or two... Good Folks talkin' Horses! Best of all... it's absolutely FREE to join in and participate... all horseplayers, handicappers and horse racing fans are welcome to be part of the group.
Wow I'm talking a local race track on the BBS. Who would have thought that would happen. Anyway, agreed. It is crazy what is happening with Bay Meadows because I've been there and it's a great track. Even will all the housing trouble, condos are going to make money for the city and not a race track? I disagree with that reasoning, even now more than ever. I've never been to Golden Gate Fields but drive past it quite often. Still, with BM, I really wish that history wouldn't be lost. All the history of the Tanforan Race Track was lost when they put in a shopping mall.
Big preps for the Kentucky Derby this weekend... Illinois Derby, Wood Memorial, and the Santa Anita Derby. All kinds of great information about these races can be found @ http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/preps (I'll be at the SA Derby if anyone wants to meet up. I love it at the race track! )
I'll occasionally check the feed from Prairie, Churchill, or Arlington, especially if the dogs are in a grade D, E, or M.
Thank you for chiming in, Captain Roethig! SPRING IS HERE... SPRING IS HERE, as Keeneland opens for racing this Friday!!! BTW, they run a great online contest (FREE TO PLAY). Give it a shot... you might win the $3000 Grand Prize! http://apps.keeneland.com/onlinecontest/
Dell, I love the Derby and the Triple Crown in general. I always watch Let It Ride the night before. I hit up the local OTB and usually lay down $30-$40 on it. Then I have some friends over and watch it on the 50" plasma in full surround. Make you feel like you're there. I skip the mint juleps though!
I don't follow it religiously, but I do try to get out to the track two or three times a year when the horses are running. Simulcasting and OTB just don't do it for me, I like to look out the window and see the race.
Yes Dell, as a girl growing up in Colorado I was always a horse nut. I don't follow it religiously but I always follow the Triple Crown and lately I've been watching races here in Florida. A couple of weeks ago Big Brown won the Florida Derby. I'm rooting for him. I've been waiting a significant portion of my life to see the likes of Secretariat again. I was a young girl when I watched Big Red blast through the Triple Crown. Every time a race comes on my family (I'm sure) inwardly cringes because I invariably regale them with how great Secretariat was. A couple of years ago they replayed his races. There are very few things more exciting than reliving those moments in my childhood.
I'm going to revive this thread even though it's against board rules... mainly because I can't imagine there are any more fans of the sport on this board than there were back in 2008 and it's one of my 3-4 passions in life. So, if the mods deem this an issue, then please delete my bump. I'm sure this thread will once again die quickly since even racing-specific fora are at death's door these days. Aaaaand, "the world's richest horse race" is this Saturday. It's a gimmicky idea, but this is a dying sport. We needs gimmicks at this point and it featured the two best horses in training last year and this year will showcase Gun Runner, who is a virtual shoe in for the year end racing award for 2017: https://www.pegasusworldcup.com/