The Kentucky Derby is a great story for the horse world and it is a good one.  Riding the rails is usually on discover Channel or movies about people hopping the freight trains. Well this was freight train and he was riding the rail.  Had a Calvin seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it was all down the inside rail of Churchill Downs. WOW! It was so fast that it was like one person said “he MINE THAT BIRD.” A bay gelding was far behind the pack the first time he went by the huge grandstands as he was in front of the pack the last time and that is the one that is worth a million dollars.

We needed a good horse story for once and this is it. Two old Country boys out of New Mexico, a trainer on crutches and a homespun Jockey and that makes it a heck of a story. With Sheiks and mega millionaires and so many fancy hats,  it just seems right that it’s just a couple of good old boys who brought them to their knees with a little bay horse. They didn’t have any respect from anyone. Not only was 1st place … a big shock, but I think Musket Man as the 3rd place horse was also a mind blower.  In the Daily Racing Form comments.  For Musket it said “ill fitted for the Derby distance” and on Mine That Bird it said “it’s difficult to envision a scenario where he plays a major part in the outcome of this race.” Another was best chance to be last and he was for about 3/4 of a mile but the last 1/4 of the race was solid smoke.

It was a good Derby for stories.  There are several that can be woven into human-interest stories. With a 75 year-old retired school principal, a few other first-timers and some horses from million dollar prices and a little rain to go with it all. These two horses got no respect because of who they were, not because of what they did.  Both made enough money to get to the Kentucky Derby and both did well in some places, just not in the right places I guess.  Mine That Bird was 2 year-old from Canada and won 4 races at Woodbine. Musket Man won the Tampa and Illinois Derby and MTB had a jockey Calvin Borel, who won a couple of years ago on a horse called Street Sense, but had no ride. Well like Chip, the trainer of Mine That Bird, said “maybe they will quit talking about him driving the winner here in a beat up pick-up truck from New Mexico.” It sounds good though. Hats off to those good OLD COUNTRY BOYS and MINE THAT BIRD.  Hope they win the Triple Crown…

See ya.

Steve Crowder