Kentucky Derby 137

I guess we can be thankful they don't use Roman numerals.

Looks like a full field of 20 with Uncle Mo, Toby's Corner or Dialed In having the best chances to be the favorite. Five-day weather forecast calls for a Saturday high of 72 with a 40 percent chance of rain.

Draw for post positions is Wednesday.

One change is that Tom Durkin has taken himself off the Triple Crown assignments as the network race caller. Recent stories say the anxiety of making a mistake in the biggest races of the year was too much for him. He'll continue calling races for the New York Racing Association.

Good luck at the windows to one and all.

 

Wait a second, Durkin's gone? Sonofabitch!

 

Thanks; good stuff. Here's Durkin calling a race won by an 88-to-1 shot; can't find the very entertaining race call of Doremifasolatido.

 

Toby's Corner out. Lame.

 

I'll miss Durkin. He was top drawer.

And I'll likely not be putting any money on a horse that prepped on polytracks.

 

This one is awesome.

I love Durkin. Won't be the same.

 

I wonder if the Mine That Bird call spooked him a bit two years ago. He got no small amount of shit for sort of blowing that one.

 

Larry Collmus gets the call to replace Durkin, and it's a good move:

I'm breaking my Derby maiden this year, leaving Wednesday AM. Very pumped, even though you're going to need a dartboard to find the tri.

Losing Toby's Corner is a bummer, also R Heat Lightning from the Oaks was a big blow.

 

I did a story on one of Mucho Macho Man's owners this week.

The story of the horse (nearly died as a foal, was only purchased for $80K), trainer (had a heart transplant), jockey (original jockey was badly hurt the day before MMM won the Risen Star Stakes), etc. is pretty amazing.

Love writing about horse racing ... in the rare chances I get to do it anymore.

 

Meh.

 

I was fortunate enough to be on-track when Arrrrrrr captured the second of his back-to-back wins with Durkin on the horns.
Always brings a smile.

 

I was there for that Slambino race at the Spa and know a guy who caught half of the $2,500 exacta. Not a bad return for a $1 five-horse box ($20).

One of my all-time favorite Durkin calls was the 1994 Travers, won by, naturally, Holy Bull.

I'm sorry to see he won't be doing the TC, because he is simply the greatest, but from the sound of it, he's better off.