Sunday

Dear Derby Diary,

The Bluegrass Derby: A to Z

The Bluegrass Derby and Oaks is much more than horses, hats and mint juleps. It’s an institution in Sim culture, dubbed ‘The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports’ for good reason. After all, where else do celebrities, heads of state and collegiate debauchery mingle at a single event? So what makes the Bluegrass Derby and Oaks so special? Let us count the ways, from A to Z.

AFC Stables gets that Oaks win with a remarkable run by Sabbath Point. Way to go!

Bourbon is one of Kentucky’s biggest exports. You can’t go anywhere in this town during Derby week without bumping into a Mint Julep. At the track yesterday they served 140,000. I had a few of that number.

Credit breedings at ½ price for the past month may lead to any number of strange sires making the trip to next year’s Bluegrass Derby!

DocTahg was pretty darn excited about his horse winning the Derby, calling it his “Biggest Win Yet!”.

Every single one of you that this week thought just one time…”Boy, I wish I had an entry in the Bluegrass Derby” I know I did.

Favorites just don’t win the Derby! Once again, since 1999, only ANTICOSTI and TOWER STORM have rewarded the backing of the masses with a winning move. There is lots of great competition.

Glasses of Mint Julep’s abound but that biggest glass of all this year with 206 GALLONS of Mint Juleps in it truly amazed me. I’ve had headaches from bourbon that seemed that big but never from one glass!

Horses. It’s all about the horses. Thousands of newly born Thoroughbreds were registered in 2005 in the Sim. Two years later, only one will be remembered for all-time for his win in the Derby.

Instead of consulting my Ouija Board for future breedings, perhaps I should study the way the owners got their horses into the Derby this year…

Jockey B.F.Abman once again showed his prowess with two top five finishes in the big races. In addition he also had five other top five finishes on the card in Kentucky including a win on FULL MEASURE in the 8th.

KISSIN STREETCRY will be the next colt to try to win the Triple Jewel after his win in the Bluegrass Derby. Based on his performance yesterday, it just might happen.

Lenny finished in the top three but not in the winners circle in the Derby for the second year in a row. That is quite an accomplishment and quite a disappointment all at the same time.

MalekFarms has himself an Oaks winner. There was only one trainer happier on the day and that was Sherwood wining the Derby.

Next year I’m going to have an entry in one of the two big races! I wonder how many other trainers are telling themselves the same very same thing?!?

Oaks Race, held immediately prior to the Derby, has become almost as big as the Derby itself. Let’s face it, you not only get the notoriety of winning this race but you get to keep the breeding rights to the filly forever!

Papers may be finding it tougher than ever to sell but the Black Type Bugler is bigger than ever thanks to Snowchief and Roys and their ability to constantly keep it going and keep it fresh. They work way to hard at this stuff and we all reap the benefits! Thanks ladies!

Queen Elizabeth II was here last year but decided not to come back again. There were rumors that she is just getting over the hangover from last years Mint Juleps!

Roxyken came up with a novel way to pick the Derby by using 20 sided Dice from a board game! Alas, that method proved just as successful as my handicapping with zero winners in the two big races!

Sabbath Point proved that you don’t need a rain dance to be the best young filly in the game. Everyone figured this was just another mudder until the race yesterday proved her greatness.

Triple Jewel? That is what we will all be thinking for the next three weeks. Can KISSIN STREETCRY do it? Stay Tuned!

Uunusual is the norm her during Derby Week. Where else can you watch a rat race, a bed race and a Soap Box Derby all in the same day?

Virtual tour. That is what you got this week in the Derby Week Diaries. I have only been to Louisville and Churchill Downs one time in my life and that was years ago and not during Derby Week. It is amazing what you can do through the internet!

Wagering correctly on the Exacta in this year’s Bluegrass Derby could have won you $473.60. That would help pay your bill for quite a few of those expensive Mint Juleps!

X-rated would be many folks label owner Quikvetts entry into the Derby, PORN STAR and his entourage that follows them around. He sure seems to have a good time though!

Youth prevails at this big party week. It is pretty hard to go to all of those parties for “research” for my articles and then get up at 5 am to get down to the track in time for the morning workouts!

ZapsPrides “Sim Sires of Stakes Winners” will show SEEKING THE GOLD and STREET CRY as the winning sires for the the Oaks and Derby. I wonder if there will be a run on those two in coming weeks?

It’s been a blast, see y’all next year. Many thanks to my readers!

Good luck to all runners!

Email your comments to pazjazz.btb@gmail.comI love to hear from you!