The Derby is less than 5 weeks away. Are there any other horse nuts here besides me? And yes, before you tell me, racing is a brutal and often inhumane sport. Anyhow, and Triple Crown followers here? Do you think it could happen this year?
A friend of mine works in hospitality and goes down to work the derby every year. Racing aside, she's met some interesting people, and always comes back with great stories.
@Thumperchick I'm envious. She probably makes a good amount, sees the Derby, and doesn't have to shell out a fortune to do it. Even parking for the Derby runs around $70!
@Thumperchick I spoke with @Pavlov via Skype today for a bit. We both agree that he should have never assumed your friend was a whore. For that, I am truly sorry. I have made it very clear to him that he should ASK if someone's friend might be whore first. It is the polite thing to do. Then he should ask for the number. I'm so sorry he got that backwards.
My grandparents are huge into horse racing and have been my entire life. Ever since they retired they've worked every summer at the Del Mar racetrack.
I really enjoyed going to the track, having 5 or 6 beers and a couple of hot dogs and making small bets, but I would do that maybe twice a summer. I have to make it out to Lone Star Park this season.
The one part of horse racing history that I find infinitely fascinating is Secretariat. I could watch this video over and over and get chills every time:
"He is moving like a TREMENDOUS MACHINE!", what amazing color commentary.
Both of my grandparents remember exactly where they were when they watched this live. Even with all of the medical and technological advancements that I'm sure are a part of modern horse racing, as the commentator states, Secretariat's world record may remain forever.
@JonT OMG! You are so right! I was working at a bar in Orlando when this happened. Though I only saw it live on TV, I still saw it. One of the most memorable events of my life. Bet I've watched that video a couple hundred times!
@JonT My maternal grandparents were huge fans of thoroughbred racing, and would take me to the track from the time I could walk. I was in junior high school in 1973, and I remember watching each of Secretariat's Triple Crown wins. It was breathtaking watching him start dead last and seemingly effortlessly blow by the entire field. Secretariat was a descendant of Eclipse, and apparently inherited the x-factor. I seem to remember hearing that his heart was more than two and a half times the size of an average horse's. Whatever the reason for his spectacular speed, watching him run was thrilling.
Was watching a Wide World of spots Anniversary DVD and the had Almost Triple Crown winner Charismatic. He placed third at the Final Race, but cam you blame him HE BROKE HIS LEG!
The True tragedy of this story though is the Jockey he was making a return to racing after fighting a drug addiction and Died the next year of a overdose
@OldCatLady Never read National velvet, love the movie with Micky Rooney, I cried when Micky Rooney died he was awesome with animals in movies. I was lucky enough to have the early Thoroughbred books too
@OldCatLady@Foxborn I never grew out of horse maddness. I haven't touched a horse in almost 20 years and I miss it everyday. "The Black Stallion" is one of the best hrose movies ever. At least the first half. So beautiful.
@Teripie I'm a smigin worse I really do beleive in unicorns and horses are a close cousin. plus there is something relaxing about the smell and feel of horses
My MIL owns an incredible inn in Versailles ("Ver-sAles"... because... Kentucky), so this is her busy season. I think the whole family expects me to learn to love the races (and Kentucky's horse farms). I'm not there yet, but I did experience a weird "Ooh! Derby what?" excitement when I saw this thread. Brainwashing is an interesting process...
I really don't think there is a clear favorite in the derby this year. I've watched the prep races and nothing jumps out at me. Prices could be really good.
I did watch that race, had him and Bolo in an exacta. I was not aware he lost a shoe. He was class of the field but I wasn't impressed with the rest of the field in that race. Winning after loosing a shoe does make it more impressive.
@producepimp Here's a link to Dortmund's profile. It also has replays of all his races. He's undefeated. I don't know if it's becasue he's a monster, or if he hasn't ran into any real talent yet. But after watching all his races, he impresses the hell out of me.
@Teripie So is it an omen that his father is Big Brown who was also plagued with loosing a shoe? LOL Who knows, that's what makes it fun. I did love me some Big Brown. I was sold on him when I watched him win the Florida Derby in 08.
@producepimp Me too. I still have Derby, Preakness, and Belmont win tickets on him. Almosy every year I'll pick a horse I really like then get an agent from Ebay to buy me tickets and programs from the Triple Crown tracks.
@Teripie 2008 was a magical year for me. I won a trip to Vegas from a pub here in Columbus Ohio. So me and my brother went the weekend of the Breeders Cup. So we drove from Vegas to Santa Anita to go see the races. For awhile it looked like Big Brown was going to race Curlin in the Classic and I was so pumped up. Then Brown pulled out and if I remember correctly, Curlin came in 3rd. Still a trip of a life time.
I'm a big horse racing fan. I love the Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is the second most important sporting event of the year to me (most important is The Masters, so, I'll be more mentally available on Monday).
I also love going to the track and being a part of horse racing. I like to gamble, so horse racing is extra fun from that side, but just to see the amazing animals, and the people who live and breathe the sport, is absolutely amazing. Love it all.
Even got my wife into it. She now loves the Derby.
@ChadP Back in the 80’s, in Denver, I had a friend who had a quarter horse filly at Centennial Park. I went with her a few times to watch the early morning workouts, and just hang around the stables. It’s an awesome thing to be on that side of the track, the sun just rising, jockeys and horses working out, then have breakfast in the employee cafeteria at the stables. I swear, it was surreal, like the movies, right down to the mist laying across the track! It’s so cool where an owner’s pass will get ya at a track.
@Teripie That's some amazing stuff. Our local track (Lone Star Park) does a breakfast in the stables occasionally that is supposed to be really neat. As I get older, horses are still magical to me. Especially when they hit in the right order and cover my rent. :)
@OldCatLady and the Fury TV show is pretty darn good found a DVD with some episodes one time. think the Lassie TV show but with a horse and only the one troubled kid can ride him. I remember an episode where the kid goes camping or something and gets injured or some bad storm, something is about to happen and they can't find the kid and whoever is with him so, the horse Fury is all worked up and they let him out, only he won't let anyone ride him so they follow him on horse in jeep and a helicopter.
@OldCatLady I looked I shouldn't have but I looked Many movies on there that I have seen. when I was little I want to be a Centaur. why yes I was rather pitiful as a child
Here's what American Pharoah did today at the Arkansas Derby. He stays undefeated, running a race that looks more like just another workout for him. Gave me goose bumps.
@Teripie Impressive win for sure. There's just something about the Arkansas Derby that makes it feel like a lesser Derby prep race. And it looks like Baffert started him out in Cali and then shipped him to be Arkansas. Wonder if he did that to protect him from tougher competition in Cali. Looked like the class of the field for sure. Again, prices are going to be real good this year at the Derby I think.
The Derby is one week from today. Anyone planning a Derby party? I've been thinking about it. The way we do it is gather the whole family, kids, grandkids, boyfriends, ex-wives, and any interesting passing stranger. The morning of the Derby I make a run to the local dog track and buy a win ticket on every horse in the field. When everyone gets here, for $2 you can draw a ticket out of a bucket. When there's real money on the line, everyone becomes a horse race fan.
@Teripie We cook, drink bourbon, and let people "buy a horse" for $5. Top 3 horses pay. This year, we'll probably just hang out, eat whole chickens, enjoy Juleps, fly drones at churches, and then enjoy the race.
@Teripie A friend and her husband go every year. They get box seats, she buys a hat, the whole deal. Why can't I find a man who wants to do that? The guys around here dream of going to monster truck rallies, or they have bonfires way out in the woods, and I don't want to know what else they do.
I wouldn't mind going if somebody else was footing the bill but I'm not interested enough to spend my money on it. If it's any consolation, I wouldn't spend my money to go to the Super Bowl, World Series, etc. either.
I bought a Churchill Downs win on American Pharoah. I do that every year via Ebay. I have a lot of derby winner's tickets but could only find Orb's yesterday when I went looking for them. Guess I ought to find them and put them, and the accompanying programs into some kind of collage.
This was one of the best Derbys I have ever seen. I am so glad some non-deserving longshot did not win. Like last year, a Triple Crown winner is a possibility. They say the Belmont is the spoiler race. But apart from last year, I think the 20 field, Kentucky Derby is the spoiler.
After reading and listening to what other trainers have to say about him, I think American Pharoah is one of the best shots at the Triple Crown that we have seen in a long time. I would compare him to Barbaro.
A friend of mine works in hospitality and goes down to work the derby every year. Racing aside, she's met some interesting people, and always comes back with great stories.
@Thumperchick I'm envious. She probably makes a good amount, sees the Derby, and doesn't have to shell out a fortune to do it. Even parking for the Derby runs around $70!
@Thumperchick Hmmm . . . "hospitality" . . . usually code for stripper or Escort. (Can I have her number?)
@Pavlov No, it's actually an industry term for food service - from kitchen to dining room. But thanks for calling my friend a whore.
@Thumperchick
I could always turn her out . . .
@Pavlov I have a strong feeling that she'd end up turning you out, but you are welcome to give it a shot.
@Thumperchick
@Thumperchick I'll take care of this the very next time I speak with him.
@Pavlov
@Thumperchick I spoke with @Pavlov via Skype today for a bit. We both agree that he should have never assumed your friend was a whore. For that, I am truly sorry. I have made it very clear to him that he should ASK if someone's friend might be whore first. It is the polite thing to do. Then he should ask for the number. I'm so sorry he got that backwards.
@MrsPavlov This reminds me a lot of this scene from UHF:
I'm sure Meh will be selling horse nuts for dogs sooner or later.
My grandparents are huge into horse racing and have been my entire life. Ever since they retired they've worked every summer at the Del Mar racetrack.
I really enjoyed going to the track, having 5 or 6 beers and a couple of hot dogs and making small bets, but I would do that maybe twice a summer. I have to make it out to Lone Star Park this season.
The one part of horse racing history that I find infinitely fascinating is Secretariat. I could watch this video over and over and get chills every time:
"He is moving like a TREMENDOUS MACHINE!", what amazing color commentary.
Both of my grandparents remember exactly where they were when they watched this live. Even with all of the medical and technological advancements that I'm sure are a part of modern horse racing, as the commentator states, Secretariat's world record may remain forever.
@JonT OMG! You are so right! I was working at a bar in Orlando when this happened. Though I only saw it live on TV, I still saw it. One of the most memorable events of my life. Bet I've watched that video a couple hundred times!
@JonT My maternal grandparents were huge fans of thoroughbred racing, and would take me to the track from the time I could walk. I was in junior high school in 1973, and I remember watching each of Secretariat's Triple Crown wins. It was breathtaking watching him start dead last and seemingly effortlessly blow by the entire field. Secretariat was a descendant of Eclipse, and apparently inherited the x-factor. I seem to remember hearing that his heart was more than two and a half times the size of an average horse's. Whatever the reason for his spectacular speed, watching him run was thrilling.
Was watching a Wide World of spots Anniversary DVD and the had Almost Triple Crown winner Charismatic. He placed third at the Final Race, but cam you blame him HE BROKE HIS LEG!
The True tragedy of this story though is the Jockey he was making a return to racing after fighting a drug addiction and Died the next year of a overdose
Barbaro was another sad case, breaking his leg in the Preakness. His derby victory made him appear to be a sure thing Triple Crown winner.
I was in Louisville a couple weeks ago, does that make me a fan?
@luvche21 Sure, why not?
@Teripie I really like the Capital One commercian with Charles Barkley saying 'THE VILLE....' does that make me a fan?
for reference:
One of my favorite books when I was a kid was King of the Wind. Do I need to say more?
@Foxborn I wore out my copy. Loved everything marguerite Henry worte. The illustrations blew me away.
@Teripie Like any sensible pre-teen girl, I was horse mad. National Velvet, Marguerite Henry, Walter Farley- I wore out my copies, too.
@OldCatLady Never read National velvet, love the movie with Micky Rooney, I cried when Micky Rooney died he was awesome with animals in movies. I was lucky enough to have the early Thoroughbred books too
@OldCatLady @Foxborn I never grew out of horse maddness. I haven't touched a horse in almost 20 years and I miss it everyday. "The Black Stallion" is one of the best hrose movies ever. At least the first half. So beautiful.
@Teripie I'm a smigin worse I really do beleive in unicorns and horses are a close cousin. plus there is something relaxing about the smell and feel of horses
My MIL owns an incredible inn in Versailles ("Ver-sAles"... because... Kentucky), so this is her busy season. I think the whole family expects me to learn to love the races (and Kentucky's horse farms). I'm not there yet, but I did experience a weird "Ooh! Derby what?" excitement when I saw this thread. Brainwashing is an interesting process...
I really don't think there is a clear favorite in the derby this year. I've watched the prep races and nothing jumps out at me. Prices could be really good.
@producepimp Have you seen Dortmund run? He won the Santa Anita Derby even after losing a shoe coming out of the gate.
I did watch that race, had him and Bolo in an exacta. I was not aware he lost a shoe. He was class of the field but I wasn't impressed with the rest of the field in that race. Winning after loosing a shoe does make it more impressive.
@producepimp Here's a link to Dortmund's profile. It also has replays of all his races. He's undefeated. I don't know if it's becasue he's a monster, or if he hasn't ran into any real talent yet. But after watching all his races, he impresses the hell out of me.
@producepimp http://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/dortmund Better late than never.
@Teripie So is it an omen that his father is Big Brown who was also plagued with loosing a shoe? LOL Who knows, that's what makes it fun. I did love me some Big Brown. I was sold on him when I watched him win the Florida Derby in 08.
@producepimp Me too. I still have Derby, Preakness, and Belmont win tickets on him. Almosy every year I'll pick a horse I really like then get an agent from Ebay to buy me tickets and programs from the Triple Crown tracks.
@Teripie 2008 was a magical year for me. I won a trip to Vegas from a pub here in Columbus Ohio. So me and my brother went the weekend of the Breeders Cup. So we drove from Vegas to Santa Anita to go see the races. For awhile it looked like Big Brown was going to race Curlin in the Classic and I was so pumped up. Then Brown pulled out and if I remember correctly, Curlin came in 3rd. Still a trip of a life time.
I'm a big horse racing fan. I love the Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is the second most important sporting event of the year to me (most important is The Masters, so, I'll be more mentally available on Monday).
I also love going to the track and being a part of horse racing. I like to gamble, so horse racing is extra fun from that side, but just to see the amazing animals, and the people who live and breathe the sport, is absolutely amazing. Love it all.
Even got my wife into it. She now loves the Derby.
@ChadP Back in the 80’s, in Denver, I had a friend who had a quarter horse filly at Centennial Park. I went with her a few times to watch the early morning workouts, and just hang around the stables. It’s an awesome thing to be on that side of the track, the sun just rising, jockeys and horses working out, then have breakfast in the employee cafeteria at the stables. I swear, it was surreal, like the movies, right down to the mist laying across the track! It’s so cool where an owner’s pass will get ya at a track.
@Teripie That's some amazing stuff. Our local track (Lone Star Park) does a breakfast in the stables occasionally that is supposed to be really neat. As I get older, horses are still magical to me. Especially when they hit in the right order and cover my rent. :)
Best horse movies: go! Oldest is the 1895 short 'The Derby' at
@OldCatLady For memory help, or a way to derail your focus, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_about_horses
@OldCatLady Last night I watched an old 1934 movie about WWII and the calvery horses. It's, "Keep 'em Rolling." Was the story of a soldier who goes out of his way to save his horse. Wasn't to bad. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025342/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
@OldCatLady The list omits "Gypsy Colt." It's a corny "Lassie Come Home" except it's a horse instead of a collie.
@Teripie Edit the Wiki! We need to get this right! Do you remember what channel had 'Keep 'Em Rolling'? I can't find it on Roku or Amazon.
@OldCatLady It was on Turner Classic Movies a few days ago. I had it DVR'd. I watched it last night then erased it.
@OldCatLady Easy "Black Beauty" 1994 Love the ending but I cry at several spots
@OldCatLady and the Fury TV show is pretty darn good found a DVD with some episodes one time. think the Lassie TV show but with a horse and only the one troubled kid can ride him. I remember an episode where the kid goes camping or something and gets injured or some bad storm, something is about to happen and they can't find the kid and whoever is with him so, the horse Fury is all worked up and they let him out, only he won't let anyone ride him so they follow him on horse in jeep and a helicopter.
@Foxborn I'd forgotten 'Fury'! I loved that show so much, and I wanted to live at the Broken Wheel Ranch. Found a better list, which includes TV shows: http://everythinghorseandpony.blogspot.com/p/the-best-list-of-horse-movies-tv-shows.html
@OldCatLady I looked I shouldn't have but I looked Many movies on there that I have seen. when I was little I want to be a Centaur. why yes I was rather pitiful as a child
Here's what American Pharoah did today at the Arkansas Derby. He stays undefeated, running a race that looks more like just another workout for him. Gave me goose bumps.
@Teripie Impressive win for sure. There's just something about the Arkansas Derby that makes it feel like a lesser Derby prep race. And it looks like Baffert started him out in Cali and then shipped him to be Arkansas. Wonder if he did that to protect him from tougher competition in Cali. Looked like the class of the field for sure. Again, prices are going to be real good this year at the Derby I think.
@producepimp
@producepimp In the mud .
@producepimp
Artist's depiction of the starting line of this year's race:
@Starblind and the finish line
Not that I'm OCD or anything, @Teripie, but I just added 'Gypsy Colt' to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_about_horses
The Derby is one week from today. Anyone planning a Derby party? I've been thinking about it. The way we do it is gather the whole family, kids, grandkids, boyfriends, ex-wives, and any interesting passing stranger.
The morning of the Derby I make a run to the local dog track and buy a win ticket on every horse in the field. When everyone gets here, for $2 you can draw a ticket out of a bucket. When there's real money on the line, everyone becomes a horse race fan.
@Teripie We cook, drink bourbon, and let people "buy a horse" for $5. Top 3 horses pay. This year, we'll probably just hang out, eat whole chickens, enjoy Juleps, fly drones at churches, and then enjoy the race.
@Teripie A friend and her husband go every year. They get box seats, she buys a hat, the whole deal. Why can't I find a man who wants to do that? The guys around here dream of going to monster truck rallies, or they have bonfires way out in the woods, and I don't want to know what else they do.
@OldCatLady Wow! I'd do that in a heart beat - if I had lots and lots of money. Any of the Triple Crown races are crazy expensive to attend.
@OldCatLady sounds like I should finally start up that horseracing-based dating site I've been working on for years.
@Teripie He's a doctor, she's a librarian, and they have no kids.
I wouldn't mind going if somebody else was footing the bill but I'm not interested enough to spend my money on it. If it's any consolation, I wouldn't spend my money to go to the Super Bowl, World Series, etc. either.
So who's everyone got? I'm going to box Dortmund and Frosted in an exacta. Good luck to everyone and let's get lucky!
I bought a Churchill Downs win on American Pharoah. I do that every year via Ebay. I have a lot of derby winner's tickets but could only find Orb's yesterday when I went looking for them.
Guess I ought to find them and put them, and the accompanying programs into some kind of collage.
Son bought me this poster. Finally got the frame for it yesterday. It's 27x40.
My mint is going crazy here; anybody need juleps? Otherwise I'll have to use it all.
It's here! Today's the day!!! I'm so excited I may burst! (And that wouldn't be pretty.)
American Pharoah!
Dortmund, because Big Brown. Frosted, because Godolphin. Last call for all the fresh mint you can use-
This was one of the best Derbys I have ever seen. I am so glad some non-deserving longshot did not win. Like last year, a Triple Crown winner is a possibility. They say the Belmont is the spoiler race. But apart from last year, I think the 20 field, Kentucky Derby is the spoiler.
After reading and listening to what other trainers have to say about him, I think American Pharoah is one of the best shots at the Triple Crown that we have seen in a long time. I would compare him to Barbaro.
Bump
Preakness!!!! Tomorrow!!!!!
I probably should just let this tread be but the cruel mistress that is youtube suggested this Secretariat Video. Yep I cried. Your turn