Betty's Critters - & History Views

The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby was an amazing race.  I've watched it 10 times now, and I'm still amazed.  Watching it live, I saw the winner weaving through the field, and while the track announcer was concentrating on calling the duel between Epicenter and Zandon, I watched as Rich Strike was ridden to the last opening, squeezed through, and then he hit the after-burners.  He was in the lead before the announcer ever spoke his name.  It was a tremendously patient ride.  I loved every second of it.  - Then I had to run out of the house to get to work...  -  Once I returned home, I've watched it 9 more times.    Rich Strike was the 21st horse in the postings for the 2022 Kentucky Derby - he was a "stand by" entry in case one of the first 20 entries had to scratch due to illness or lameness.  D. Wayne Lukas had to scratch Ethereal Road yesterday, and - suddenly - Rich Strike was a Derby contender.  Yesterday morning, his...

 The last time trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the Kentucky Oaks was 32 years ago.  He won in grand fashion today, bringing back memories of huge wins in hundreds of Stakes races.  D. Wayne Lukas is now 86 years old, and some people think this year may be his final hurrah in big stakes racing.  But his lightly raced chestnut filly, Secret Oath, a home-bred from family owned and operated Briland Farms, returned the Lukas family to the winners circle, along with the owners and breeders, Rob and Stacy Mitchell. D. Wayne Lukas and family in the Kentucky Oaks winners circle today.    It was an open secret that Echo Zulu, the favorite, was going to the front and try to lead the way all around the track.  But Yuugiri's trainer believed his filly could meet and break Echo Zulu and win on the front end, too.  Those two fillies ran a sizzling first quarter and half-mile and then started backing up.  Secret Oath was 5-wide on the final turn, powered her way ...

 Friday, 6 May will see the 148th running of the Kentucky Oaks, the premiere 3-year-old filly race of the nation.  This year's edition will feature a full field of 14, and one alternate has also been named.  The Oaks is run on the Churchill Downs track at Louisville, Kentucky, as is the Kentucky Derby, the following day.  This year the guaranteed purse is $1,250,000; the race length is 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs); and the girls will each carry 121 pounds.  The post time is listed as 5:51 EDT, or 3:51 MDT.      Beguine is listed as the alternate starter, in case of a scratch due to injury or illness.  All of the fillies, except two, were bred in Kentucky; Venti Valentine was bred in New York, and Desert Dawn was bred in Arizona.  All of the fillies are bay or dark bay, except three chestnuts (including Beguine, the alternate).  And trainer D. Wayne Lukas has an entry in this race, Secret Oath, breaking from post position 1....

 It's that time of the year - Saturday, 7 May is the first Saturday in May, and the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby will be held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.  This year the 1 and 1/4 mile (10 furlongs) race will have a guaranteed purse of $3 million.  All entries will carry 126 pounds.  Post time is scheduled for 6:57 EDT, or 4:57 MDT (my time).    There will be a full field of 20 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, based upon the Kentucky Derby point-qualifying system.  Two colts are not running due to leg and hoof problems - Morello was the first to drop out, and Un Ojo was the second.   There are two colts essentially on "stand-by" mode, in case one or two already declared starters have to scratch due to illness or injury.  Those two colts are Rich Strike and Rattle N Roll.    You know, if you've read my blog before, that I look at things oddly...  All entries this year are colts.  Seventeen of the twenty ...

 I can go to sleep happy tonight - a granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Sunday Silence (both bred in Japan) won their races today at Del Mar.  They were the first wins for any horse bred in Japan in a Breeders' Cup race.  (I still love Sunday Silence!)    Nine Breeders' Cup races were run today with $21 million in purses.  Yesterday was set aside for the 2-year-olds; today was for horses aged 3 years and up - and for some, it was their swan song before retirement for breeding purposes.  Only three of the races had full fields, an the Fillies and Mares Sprint race had the smallest field in the history of the Breeders' Cup races, with only five entries.     I'll be describing each race - name of the race, guaranteed purse, distance, the number of entries, the complete order of finish, with how much purse money that horse won - and then I'll list the betting payouts, each based on a  $2 bet .  If you wish to know the sexes and we...

 Express Train, the 4-year-old son of Union Rags, was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Classic this morning.  He was placed on the veterinary "injured" list on Thursday, due a a hock injury; but it was hoped he would recover quickly and be able to race today.  The vet staff would not approve him to race today, and he is scratched.  That leaves 8 entries in the Classic.

 The juvenile entries in the Breeders' Cup races put on quite a show today - exciting, and near the end, disturbing.   There was a "marine haze" hanging over the Del Mar Racetrack, with temperatures in the low 60s (F) and a light breeze.  The main track was fast, the turf was firm.   There were five Breeders' Cup races for 2-year-olds today, with guaranteed purses of $7 million. The three turf races were guaranteed at $1 million each, while the two races on the main track were guaranteed at $2 million each.    I'll be describing each race - name of the race, guaranteed purse, distance, the number of entries, the complete order of finish, with how much purse money that horse won - and then I'll list the betting payouts, each based on a $2 bet .  If you wish to know the sexes and weight carried by each entry, you'll have to look at pervious blogs that give that information - there's one for the juvenile races today, and one for the 9 races tomorrow...