Betty's Critters - & History Views

 Wild On Ice had earned 50 points and was in 15th place in points earned for the Kentucky Derby.  The bay gelding, a Texas-bred Thoroughbred, was the son of Tapizar and the mare Slamitagain.  He went out on the track at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning, April 27, and had what was supposed to be his "final serious work" at a distance of 5 furlongs before the Derby.  He ran his 5/8th mile in 1:01 2/5, but as he galloped out in the backstretch, his jockey (who was working him) suddenly stopped him.  He was examined at the Churchill Downs Equine Medical Center, then vanned to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington.  He had fractured his left hock, and had to be euthanized. Wild On Ice exercising on April 24   It was announced that Blazing Sevens, who was in 17th place in points standing, a bay son of Good Magic, will not be racing in the 149th edition of the Derby, either.  No specific reasons were given for his withdrawal.   So, as of...

This year's Kentucky Derby will be run Saturday, May 6, at Churchill Downs outside of Louisville, Kentucky, with a start time set at 6:45 p.m. (EDT) - or at 4:45 MDT.  A field of 20 3-year-old Thoroughbred colts will contend the  one and one-quarter mile race over the main dirt track for the 149th time.  All colts will carry 126 pounds, including their jockeys.    The traditional qualifying factor for a horse to compete in the Kentucky Derby was, for many years, the grand total of their earnings in graded Stakes races.  In recent years, Churchill Downs refined the classic earnings method to a points system, based on traditional prep races leading up to the first Saturday in May.    Beginning in 2013, the Kentucky Derby prep races were officially bundled together under the title of "The Road to the Kentucky Derby."  Now there are four sub-groups under the main umbrella, and the top five finishers are awarded a set number of points, depending o...