Yee-haw, it’s time to watch the most exciting two minutes in sports:  the 145th Kentucky Derby, brought to you by sponsors  whose goods you cannot afford, but would definitely buy if you could.. and happily wear a Longines watch as you drink Woodford Reserve bourbon from a pure silver cup, cheering on Your horse from millionaires row at Churchill Downs.

Just as good, I’ll be wearing my Timex as I drink Old Crow from a Disney cup, cheering on my pick from a comfortable chair in the Family Room…    (to be fair there are a lot of sponsors, and you could, for instance, afford a snack or many from the Yum! family of products)

It’s a Baffert kinda Derby this year.  The top three favorites are All Three the horses he’s entered.  The only other favorite, Omaha Beach, was scratched on Thursday, so odds have been changing up, but nobody looks better than Improbable, Roadster, and Game Winner.  There’s a certain amount of “that’s not fair” and “oh, he can’t just sweep the Derby”, but yes, he could.  Tacitus has benefited most from the favorite’s loss, going from 10-1 down to 5-1; his sire was Tapit and that was a horse full of surprises, so …

On the other hand, it could be the day for a long-shot, two of whom look good to me:  Jon Court, a local legend and super guy, is the oldest jockey riding today, on Long Range Toddy, at 49-1;  Cutting Humor is a Todd Pletcher horse with another old dude, Mike Smith, riding in at 24-1.

It’s another gloomy, raining day in Louisville, dammit…

• Rain will fall throughout large portions of the day at Churchill Downs for the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby.
• Experts are predicting sloppy track conditions, as there could be between a half and three quarters of an inch of rain in the hours leading up to the Derby.

Seems like we’ve had a streak of bad-weather-derby-days in the last several years… You can read those tea-leaves and decide which horses run better in mud, but I’m not going there.

That’s why they call it a Horse Race — anybody can win…  Learn all about the contenders Here

(Remember, you don’t have to bet to enjoy a horse race)

(You don’t have to drink to enjoy a horse race, either, but I do, using my own mint, simple syrup, and Makers Mark to make Mint Juleps)

I bet the horses online at TwinSpires these days.  Yesterday’s Oaks netted me $25 betting the long-shots to show and I’m inclined to use the same strategy for today’s race card.  I’m afraid to bet against a Baffert horse, though…something my daughter taught me.

Olivia will be Singing in  the Evansville Music Academy Spring Recital at 2:30.  After we enjoy her performance, we’ll head back home and catch the action.  May the Horse be with you!

Peace