Today is Derby Day in Louisville - is anyone making a prediction for the Kentucky Derby?

[FakeNoose]

I used to attend the Derby regularly but that was many years ago. I've sort of lost touch. Here's one guy's predictions:



Link: https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Kentucky_Derby_odds_update_applying_fair_odds_to_settled_market_123

Maybe I'll have a mint julep while the horses are running.

[Lunabell]

1. I just hope and pray no horses are injured or die.

[niyad]

3. EXACTLY!!!

[Marcus IM]

10. Animal abuse is sociopathic.

And horse racing is animal abuse.

[Lunabell]

15. They got rid of the inhumane dog racing.

Horse racing should be next.

[Attilatheblond]

33. Here in the Southwest, we see how much more abuse there is that most people are unaware of.

Too many race horses bred, so too many are disposable when they don't show promise early in life. The 'extras' and those who get injured to the point they won't win big pots of money often get sent here (AZ) then shuffled to illegal races here and south of the border. They are abused beyond your worst nightmares, made to run despite crippling pain and injuries.

Daughter did volunteer work for several years at a horse rescue. So many sad tales of horses run until they couldn't walk, turned out in the desert to fend for themselves, starving unless some rescue people and animal control find them and save what ones they can.

Over and over, too many race horses just put out to die alone in the desert. Some of the lucky ones get caught, treated, cared for and sometimes even adopted to be pets. Too often, that is NOT the end result. Too many, weak, injured, left out in the desert to get attacked and killed by coyotes and/or packs of dogs who have also been just left out on the desert.

I have seen photos that would make you sob for a week. I cry again, just remembering. My daughter was holding the head of a once beautiful racehorse as the vets and rescue people worked to save him. Once he was stable, they checked for the tattoo most racers get. He was a brother of the beloved Barbaro, but he didn't chalk up wins in the first two races he was run in, so he was 'sent down' to lesser tracks and eventually left in the desert to starve. Money was raised and care given. He tried, he really did. He had heart and lived for a while, getting the best care volunteers could get him, the love he always deserved for just being a sweet creature. When he finally told his caregivers he was done, so many hearts were broken as he was given freedom from his fight.

And he is not the only one, not by a long shot. It is obscene what happens to the 'extra' race horses who get bred by rich assholes in hopes of getting rich selling them to richer assholes who want glory but never earn it themselves.

Thus it is with too many of the playthings of the ultra rich and bored. They brag about their acquisitions and just abandon the ones who don't bring them the 'glory'. Horse racing is violent and inhumane. And most people don't even know the half of it.

[demmiblue]

17. +1

[Takket]

21. i was going to be much more graphic in expressing my disgust for this event, but your answer says it better.

[Lunabell]

22. I try to be civil.

I'm not sure everone knows how cruel horse racing is. And deadly, at times. Horses are such beautiful creatures and I love seeing them freely galloping in a field. I'm not even saying don't ride them. I'm just not sure there's a way to humanely race horses.

I had a horse when I was a teenager. One day I was depressed and crying. She put her head on my shoulder, cuddled me and when I looked at her face after sobbing into her neck, she had tears in her eyes. You can't tell me that she did not feel my sadness.

[niyad]

4. Thank you for the reminder to check out the hats later.

[SocialDemocrat61]

5. The winning horse will be

3 years old.

[Goodheart]

6. Horse racing is such a conundrum for me

Given the whips I really shouldn't like it as much as I do. In fact, I should condemn it until they outlaw the whips.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. whips are the least of the problems tbh

[Goodheart]

7. Well, here's my prediction:

None of these horses will break Secretariat's 51 year old winning time record.

And here's something I already know: none of these horses are as beautiful as was the Big Red Tremendous Machine.

[FakeNoose]

20. I was at the Derby and saw Secretariat win

It was quite exciting and memorable.

[Goodheart]

25. OK, I'm f*cking jealous.

[FakeNoose]

26. I think the year before that Canonero II won

I saw that one too. I'm pretty sure it was 1971. Secretariat was either 1 or 2 years after that.

[Goodheart]

28. Secretariat was 1973. I remember it so well.

[Johonny]

8. Muth takes the field in the Preakness

Fierceness best horse to date but in a horrible post.

[Emile]

9. For the trifecta

1. Fierceness
2. Sierra Leone
3. Forever Young

[FakeNoose]

19. Picking the favorites

I usually do that too, especially because I don't study horses.

[Marthe48]

11. No prediction

This post is the first list I've seen of the horses and riders. Won't watch the race till it's over, and only if I hear there were no accidents :/

I have about 60 Kentucky Derby julep glasses. I donated 12 to the local Dem HQ. They were participating in the local First Friday event last night, which has a derby theme. I thought the glasses might help with fund raising.

[Ladyhawke1]

12. I asked the horses and they said........

......they are trying not to let the dumb jockey and their foolish owners get them shot.

[SheilaAnn]

13. Steve Kornacki with his stats and numbers.

[Nixie]

34. Yes, I was going to post about that. I thought I was on the wrong

channel, but it was really him at the Derby with his chalkboard performance.

[Kingofalldems]

16. Rooting for Dornoch --Jayson Werth one of the owners.

I would put my money on Sierra Leone though.

[twogunsid]

30. He's gonna need some racing luck when they turn for home...

...but, yes, Sierra Leone is the best horse in the race.

[Nixie]

37. Same here! Dornoch for a lot of intangibles, plus a cool name

and owner. But Sierra Leone seems to be rising in the betting and hype.

[DemocraticPatriot]

18. Trump won't win it.

[usonian]

23. Put it all on Lucky Dan- half a million dollars to win

uhh, maybe to place.


WAIT! Here's the call.

[Bayard]

24. I was in the Derby infield the year the filly, Genuine Risk, won

It was amazing. I won money on her, because the friend I was with had a dream that the filly would win.

We had camped out at the gates the night before, (file under young and stupid). The infield is one big crazy party I definitely did NOT care for (I caught some guy trying to pick-pocket me.) But, it was an experience to remember. FYI--Derby Pie is far superior to a mint julep.

No predictions for today. I get a better idea when I watch them headed for the post.

[FakeNoose]

27. I can't believe how many people are packed into the infield now

In the years that I was there in Louisville only about 5,000 or so could go in the infield.
Now they have more like 20 or 25 thousand in there. Way too crowded for me.

[Bayard]

39. And most never see a horse!

[happybird]

29. Liking Honor Marie and Forever Young

Last edited Sat May 4, 2024, 06:26 PM - Edit history (1)

but haven't made my final choices yet...

Edit: adding Catching Freedom to my top 3. He was the first one who stood out and he just caught my eye again.

[lobointexas]

31. I think I'll go with...

Catching Freedom and Just A Touch for my exacta pick.

[CanonRay]

32. West Saratoga

I like Grays

[happybird]

36. A great story, too

$11,000 horse. I love greys and underdogs.

[k55f5r]

35. Tom Waits said it best -

Fast women
Slow horses
Unreliable sources

[NoRethugFriends]

38. I predict, no, am sure, that horses were abused today in this cruel "sport".