Texas Assault

Well, less than a month until the Kentucky Derby, and no, I have not forgotten it or traded horses for Harry. I haven't written about it, because I have no idea what to say. So I thought I'd talk about why I don't know what to say, just to say I said something, 'kay?

Okay!

When Assault, born and bred in Texas won the Kentucky Derby in 1946, he had raced 23 times prior to the Derby. He was also clubfooted and limped when he walked, had terrible kidney problems, issues with bleeding and just to add insult to injury - he was sterile. He went on to win the Preakness and the Belmont, making him the 7th Triple Crown winner in history.

So now it's time for the quiz. Which of the above listed traits makes Assault normal instead of abnormal? Was it the club foot? Born in Texas? Sterile?

What do you think?

Alright - here's the answer: 23

The fact that Assault had raced 23 times in his life prior to the Kentucky Derby (I remind everyone that the Derby has only ever been for 3 year olds) is what makes him normal in the history of the Derby.

Except today.

Well, ok, except for the past decade.

Owners and trainers are racing their horses fewer and fewer times. Whatever their reasoning is for this, the effect is that I have no clue about any of the horses running in this year's Derby. The current favorite for the Derby has raced 3 times - in his life. Only 2 times this year! I mean, he's beautiful, but how is anyone suppose to know what that means?

And it just continues - lots of the Derby horses are going to race this year having only run twice as three year olds, and while most of these other horses ran 3 or 4 times as two year olds - still! What am I suppose to say?

I don't know any of these horses - I've only ever seen them run for a total of 4 minutes! And that was with 2 months in between the first 2 minutes and the second 2 minutes!

So, okay...

For those who care...

Nobiz Like Showbiz is trained by the same trainer as Funny Cide, who won a couple of years back. This is a trainer you would respect - he basically never says anything, just watches his horses - that kind of guy. And Nobiz is a good looking horse...

Curlin is the beautiful, unbeaten, runaway winner of the Arkansas Derby - he's also the one who has only raced 3 times in his life - and his the favorite. All I can say is he looks great - all 3 minutes I saw him...

Street Sense looks like a really tough, really talented horse - having raced 7 times, he feels solid and like a real Kentucky Derby winner.

Hard Spun is another tough little horse, but he's going in to the Derby off a huge lay-off. I think the last time he raced was the beginning of March, which would mean a two month rest going in to the Derby - not really the ideal for a race that requires so much...

Great Hunter is a possibility, though who knows if he'll even make it to the Derby, as the evil 5/3rd Bank - yes you read that right - is trying to claim partial ownership in him because of some piece of paper work that wasn't filled out correctly. They're evil bastards as everyone in Grand Rapids knows.

Any Given Saturday always shows up, running 2nd and 3rd more often than 1st.

Cobalt Blue is cool, just because of his name. He looked good winning, but his last race was losing, so...

And that's it - I mean, I can't even think of anything to say about the other horses.

So...I guess we wait.

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 4/17/2007 02:55:00 PM