*** OK Lounge, who do you like in The Derby??? ***

[SKKY]

I'm sticking with the Navy theme and betting on General Quarters. He's 9-1 right now.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Hold Me Back

I have no basis for this selection. Just like the name, I guess.

[TZ]

2. I'm rooting for Friesan Fire

[flvegan]

3. I just hope nobody gets hurt.

[LeftyMom]

5. +1

[BarenakedLady]

18. That's always my first thought as well.

:thumbsup:

[TZ]

4. well..

I don't think anyone would have predicted that..2nd biggest Derby upset ever..:wow:

[SKKY]

21. I know, huh? And won convincingly at that...

[Texasgal]

6. I find horse racing disgusting.

I know, I shouldn't have clicked on your thread to say that...sorry.

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Mine That Bird was a great upset win

http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/news;_ylt=Apn6nyoUZivmjdzwhRV17SgX47kF?slug=ap-kentuckyderby&prov=ap&type=lgns


I am looking forward to a very bittersweet Preakness. Last word was that Pimlico will be razed for development -- possibly later this year. It won't (in my mind) be the Triple Crown after that happens.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

9. the Triple Crown does not involves Pimlico. It is the Belmont.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing

In the U.S., the term "Triple Crown" usually refers to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year. The three races are:

Kentucky Derby, run over 1 and 1/4 miles (2.01 km) dirt track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky;
Preakness Stakes, run over 1 and 3/16 miles (1.91 km) dirt track at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland;
Belmont Stakes, run over 1 and 1/2 miles (2.41 km), the longest dirt track in thoroughbred racing, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

[TZ]

11. The Preakness is the SECOND LEG of the triple crown

which is run at Pimlico. Belmont is the third leg. Your post is incorrect.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. I stand corrected.

thank you.

[OmahaBlueDog]

15. I grew up in Maryland; when I was a boy, there were 5 active thoroughbred tracks

Marlboro (which ended up being part of a scandal involving then-Governor Marvin Mandel), Bowie, Timonium, Pimlico, and Laurel.

As far as I know, only Laurel and Pimlico run now (they may still run Timonium during the State Fair -- TZ probably knows that). It's personally sad, because I saw a lot of what used to be prime horse training/raising land get eaten up by subdivisions.

The Preakness is the shortest of the three races. It is only 1/16 of a mile shorter than the Derby, but has a much faster feel to it. The Belmont, by contrast, is 1 1/2 miles, and has the feel of a marathon.

I've always felt like the powers-that-be in racing would love to see the second leg of the triple crown run somewhere else. New Jersey tried to stage a rival racing series to the Triple Crown by offering a big cash prize to the horse that could win the Derby and two races in Jersey. Spend-A-Buck notably took up this challenge in 1985. Some of the European/Dubai owned ponies end up skipping the Preakness and Belmont, and go back across the pond to race in the Epsom Derby

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. My life has revolved more around Saddlebreds

I love all things horses however.

I can understand wanting to spread the races around ... the logistics of it all involved.

It is sad to see the farmland go to Surburbia, isn't it.

[TZ]

23. They still do things in Timonium

In fact I believe one of the Derby horses..General Quarters was bought in Timonium

[TZ]

10. Umm thats absolutely false about Pimlico.

The state of Maryland is in the process of basically seizing both Pimlico and the Preakness to keep the race from leaving in case the company that owns it tries to sell it off during Bankrupcy protection.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aEBOsSeLp9e0

[OmahaBlueDog]

14. Obviously, I hadn't heard that

so thank you for the excellent news.

That said, what is the State going to do with the track?

[TZ]

22. Basically keep running races

I would like to see slots go there but they are supposed to go to Laurel instead.

[femmocrat]

8. I was rooting for General Quarters.

But Mine That Bird is just as exciting a Cinderella story! Loved it! :)

[Midlodemocrat]

13. The horse that wins.

Sorry. I am a band wagon jumper.

[madinmaryland]

19. Don't let the folks over in the sporks forum hear that!

[madinmaryland]

16. Dime Bag was an incredible horse!!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

17. damn near a

quarter horse :silly: