On Any Given First Saturday In May . . . . .

. . . . a Fifty-To-One shot might win The Kentucky Derby. Today, that happened. Mine That Bird, with Calvin Borel aboard, won the 135th Running of the Kentucky Derby, by riding the rails on a muddy track, before 154,000 or so fans, winning the race in a little under 2:03, a slow race. A $2 winning ticket paid $103.20. (The above picture is a copyright of the Assocaited Press).

For most of the year, most Louisvillians know or care little about horseracing. Every year though, about this time on this Saturday, a new memory is etched into our collective memories, and this year the memory's name is Mine That Bird.

Yesterday, the same jockey won what was one the best horse races ever ran, winning the 135th Running of the Kentucky Oaks on the filly Rachel Alexandra. Around 105,000 fans saw Borel lead the favorite on a 20-length victory a few thousandths of a second off the record time. (The picture below is by Michael Clevenger of the Courier-Journal).

This is a good ending to this year's Kentucky Derby Festival.

Congratulations Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra, and Calvin Borel.