Kentucky Derby Blog

There were 2 Kentucky Derby preps ran last weekend – Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park and Robert B.Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Swale Stakes
Eaton’s Gift beat Surrealdeal by half a length in the Swale Stakes, a Grade 2 $150,000 handicap for 3-year-olds, at Gulfstream Park. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Eaton’s Gift ran 61/2 furlongs in 1 minute, 15.63 seconds. Wincat finished third in a field of seven. Eaton’s Gift paid $9.60, $5, $3.40. Surrealdeal returned $24.80 and $6.20, and Wincat paid $2.80 to show.

Robert Lewis Stakes
Crown of Thorns beat Coast Guard by 21/2 lengths in the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Crown of Thorns ran 11/16 miles in 1:40.76 and paid $5.40, $3.40 and $2.60 in the Kentucky Derby prep for 3-year-olds. Coast Guard returned $4 and $2.80, and Reflect Times paid $2.80 to show.

Swale Stakes, Robert Lewis Stakes

The remains of Barbaro, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby but then had a leg injury that eventually claimed his life, will be buried at Churchill Downs.

Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who owned Barbaro, marked the first anniversary of the horse’s death with an announcement Tuesday that Barbaro’s ashes would be buried outside Churchill Downs’ Gate One. A statue of Barbaro is to be erected at the site.

Barbaro will be the first Kentucky Derby winner to be buried on the grounds at Churchill Downs. Four previous winners — Sunny’s Halo, Carry Back, Swaps and Broker’s Tip — are interred at the Kentucky Derby Museum, which is adjacent to the track.

Being placed outside the gate means fans will be able to visit the memorial without having to go inside the museum or the track itself. It will be accessible at all times.

Barbaro

- Women in the Derby
There have been 12 women trainers who trained a horse for the Derby. The last coming in 2004 with Kristin Mulhall and Jennifer Pederson. There have only been five women jockeys to ever ride a horse in the Derby: Diane Crump, Patti Cooksey, Andrea Seefeldt, Julie Krone, and Rosemary Homeister.

- Fastest Horse
Only two horses have ever won the Kentucky Derby in a time faster than two minutes-
Secretariat (1:59.2 in 1973) and Monarchos (1:59.97 in 2001)

- Winner Fillies
Only three fillies have ever won the Kentucky Derby- Regret (1915), Genuine Risk
(1980), and Winning Colors (1988).

- The Oldest Continually Held Sports Event
The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continually held sports event in the United States (1875); the second oldest is the Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show (1876.) During World War II, there was some discussion of cancelling the race due to travel restrictions, but it never happened. The 1945 Derby was almost cancelled due to a ban on horse racing, but VE Day came in time to save the race. It was held in June that year instead of May.

- The Biggest Payout
The biggest paying winner in the history was 1913 a colt named Donerail. Going off at 91-1, Donerail provided a $184.90 payoff for a $2 bet. He did not only win he also set a new track record at the time.

Kentucky Derby Fun Facts

There are 2008 Kentucky Derby future odds posted in Bodoglife.com
Check out the winning odds of your Kentucky Derby selections
Anak Nakal 25/1
Atoned 30/1
Blackberry Road 35/1
Cafe Tortoni 30/1
Cannonball 25/1
Check It Twice 35/1
Cherokee Triangle 35/1
Colonel John 20/1
Country Star 35/1
Court Vision 20/1
Cowboy Cal 13/1
Dixie Chatter 30/1
Eagle Strike 35/1
El Gato Malo 10/1
Etched 30/1
Georgie Boy 25/1
Globetrotter 30/1
Gold Coyote 30/1
Into Mischief 12/1
Kodiak Kowboy 20/1
Leonides 30/1
Majestic Warrior30/1
Massive Drama 30/1
Monba 30/1
Nownownow 20/1
Pyro 10/1
Tale of Ekati 35/1
War Pass 25/1
Z Humor 35/1

2008 Kentucky Derby Odds