Tag Archives: Mike Smith

Keeping an eye on the roses

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I don’t like to watch the front of a race. I never do. Tomorrow, when everyone is watching the leaders round the Churchill turn, that’s when I’ll be looking to see who might be making their move from the back.

I don’t have a personal favorite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. I like to simply wish for a safe race for all and a good race to watch.

I like when a closer takes the win. It’s hard not to. That feeling of an underdog coming from behind; defying the odds to take the title; its horse racing’s biggest draw.

My style of race watching especially paid off in the 2009 Derby. I was watching the horses looking for a hole (a way to move up on the inside past the other horses), and I saw jockey Calvin Borel’s genius ride as he shot up a twig of space between horses for the win. I was watching the Derby with a few friends, and I remember yelling in spite of myself and pointing to the only gelding on the inside, telling them to “watch this one!”  

It was a risky move for sure, and one not many jockeys would have had the guts to make. I have to say, it is one of the reasons I like Borel and always have. Borel won the 2010 Derby on Super Saver and this year, he will be on the No. 3 horse, Twice the Appeal.

Here’s a link to the video of the 2009 Derby and Mine That Bird’s breathtaking run:

http://youtu.be/AjY-rrAoTl8

I don’t offer a lot of suggestions when it comes to betting in this blog, but I do recommend that come Saturday, your best bet is keeping an eye off the pack.

Derby draw tonight

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Tonight’s draw in Kentucky made most of the trainers in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby fairly happy. According to reports, most walked away with the post, or close to the post, that they wanted. At any rate, it’s finally here.

Barring any late scratches, here is a look at the horses in this year’s Derby and their post position:

  • No. 1: Archarcharch
    No. 2: Brilliant Speed
    No. 3: Twice The Appeal
    No. 4: Stay Thirsty
    No. 5: Decisive Moment
    No. 6: Comma To The Top
    No. 7: Pants On Fire
    No. 8: Dialed In
    No. 9: Derby Kitten
    No. 10: Twinspired
    No. 11: Master Of Hounds
    No. 12: Santiva
    No. 13: Mucho Macho Man
    No. 14: Shackleford
    No. 15: Midnight Interlude
    No. 16: Animal Kingdom
    No. 17: Soldat
    No. 18: Uncle Mo
    No. 19: Nehro
    No. 20: Watch Me Go

The Derby post time is at 5:24 p.m. Central Standard time,

No Ordinary Girl

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By 5 p.m. today, I plan to have my dress on, stilettos strapped and some ridiculously ugly hat on … and I’ll likely have no place to go.

I will, however, be ready for horse racing  history to be made.

Zenyatta, the first and only filly or mare (female horses) to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup will be running her last race before retirement. (Yes that means a horse won more in 2 minutes than most pro-ballers make in a year.) 

Not only her last race will happen on Saturday, but her last win if all goes correctly. Her record currently stands at 19-0.

So, if you’re not a fan of horses or horse racing why should you care?
Well, you really don’t have to. But why does anyone care about any sport, anyway?

For one, competitions are fun to watch. We root for someone to win (more often than not the underdog) and it makes us feel good when they do. But in Zenyatta’s race, as a girl, I particularly root for her to win.

See, she has routinely beaten not only the other horses in every race she’s won but she’s beaten the boys. Even in the Kentucky Derby ­– the most well-known of all horse races although not the richest – only a handful of girls have won.

Zenyatta is the story of a fellow girl (albeit one with four legs) who has gone up against the boys and beaten the pants off ‘em every time, even when the odds are stacked against her.

Physically and mentally, the male (studs or geldings) horses tend to tower over the fillies in racing. But, Zenyatta’s record isn’t the only thing that stands out about her.
At 17-hands, Zenyatta’s grace and beauty is incomparable. She towers over her competition and her sheer size rivals that of Secretariat.

Speaking of Secretariat and getting back to why this Saturday’s race is important: Zenyatta is somewhat the Secretariat of my generation. Even the most non-involved person with horse racing knows who Secretariat is and is aware (if not only subtly) of the reverberations that went out around the world the day he won the third leg of the Triple Crown. Think, of the cry, “He’s a tremendous maaaccchhinnneee…..” or the Time Magazine cover of the big beautiful “Red.”

Well, if, er…I mean whenZenyatta wins her second back-to-back Breeder’s Cup and sets a career record of 20-0, she will likely do it in true Zenyatta style: Coming from the back to pull out a win in the nick of time, and although she likely has the speed and endurance left to do so, not pulling out too far ahead. She doesn’t like to hurt “the other horses’ feelings,” as her owners suspect. 

So when her nose hits that wire first, it will likely reverberate around the world once again. A moment in time that will live on for the next  how-many-years to be relived in books, magazine covers and the like until even those who never knew what a Zenyatta was—does.

It might not be a banner wave for the underdog (she is favored to win), but it will be a coup for the girls and it is something I would much rather watch live than hear about it after the fact. 

And so, I will be there too, in true horse racing style, donning  my best dress, girliest threads and highest heels (because horse racing is not a “cowboy” thing)  with a slightly disgusting mint julep in my hand.

 Now, I just need to find a place in Fargo that knows how to make mint juleps….