2008 Kentucky Derby

That's the spirit.

 

How much of Pyro's struggles in the Bluegrass could have been because he ran on Polytrack?

 

I've heard that some long-time regular Derby attendance papers won't be making the trip this year, due to travel budget cuts.
Anyone else hear the same?

 

The dog track down here was already accepting Derby futures bets a couple of Saturdays ago. Any parimutual facility should be able to hook you up.

 

There's a horse race during the Derby? I always just thought it was an excuse to drink bourbon.

 

I used to work the Derby and Oaks when I was in high school. Can't say I miss that aspect of it. Working from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. both days wasn't fun.

As far as seeing all the drunk people and various celebs, and getting to watch the race in person, I miss that part of it.

 

Has anyone from a smaller paper ever tried to get credentials to the Derby?

I did about 10 years ago and was treated poorly. I called about credentials; said I was ASE of and out of state but regional paper; outlined that I wanted to do a story on the Derby experience, not just the race itself; made it a point to say I wasn't asking for a press box seat or even parking; just let me on the grounds.

Guy asked about circulation. I told him 18K. He said he couldn't give me Derby credentials but I could come up all week through Oaks day on Friday (which, I guess means I wasn't treated poorly, in retrospect).

I reiterated that I wasn't asking for a press box seat. I could do my story if they'd just let me in the door and maybe access to the barns to interview people. Dude says "Sorry, we just can't have an 18K circulation paper HERE on Derby day." I kinda took offense to that and said, "You know what? If I want to come to your horse race, I'll buy a fucking ticket."

 

They play rough . . . rougher then they used to, and it was never easy.

 

Agreed on both counts.

Working it sucks, especially since early May is as unpredictable weather-wise as any other time in Kentucky (of course, in Louisville, it's always unpredictable). It'd be sunny and 80 one year and raining and 50 the next.

What'd you do there?

 

I wouldn't go to the Derby unless I had a press credential or a reserved seat. Mixing it up with the masses gets old really fast.

Concerning Pyro's last race, I can't put all the problems on the Polytrack, not when you get beat by 11.5 lengths. The pace in all three of his races this year have been slow. There's usually someone in the Derby who ensures a good pace for the first half mile or six furlongs and we'll see if this year's field has that horse.

It'll be interesting to see how the betting public factors in that last race. You might get this horse at 5-to-1, which is awfully good for the leading money winner in the field.

 

1 Cool Coal Man (Julien Leparoux) 20-1
2 Tale of Ekati (Cornelio Velasquez) 15-1
3 Anak Nakal (Rafael Bejarano) 30-1
4 Court Vision (Garrett Gomez) 20-1
5 f-Eight Belles (Gabriel Saez) 20-1
6 Z Fortune (Robby Albarado) 15-1
7 Big Truck (Eibar Coa) 50-1
8 Visionaire (Jose Lezcano) 20-1
9 Pyro (Shaun Bridgmohan) 6-1
10 Colonel John (Corey Nakatani) 4-1
11 Z Humor (Rene Douglas) 30-1
12 Smooth Air (Manoel Cruz) 20-1
13 Bob Black Jack (Richard Migliore) 20-1
14 Monba (Ramon Dominguez) 15-1
15 Adriano (Edgar Prado) 30-1
16 Denis of Cork (Calvin Borel) 20-1
17 Cowboy Cal (John Velazquez) 20-1
18 Recapturetheglory (E.T. Baird) 20-1
19 Gayego (Mike Smith) 15-1
20 Big Brown (Kent Desormeaux) 3-1
f-filly