JC / Railbird

Kentucky Derby

Derby Drinks

Everyone knows the Kentucky Derby means mint juleps, but the Preakness and the Belmont have signature drinks as well. (Shreveport Times)
If you must make juleps, here’s a recipe (Houston Chronicle), and another from the Derby post (includes a recipe for a fruity variant).

Posted in Racing on May 4, 2005 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on Derby Drinks

Andrew Beyer: Handicapper, Comedian

dabomb_2: Q: I see a lot of people talking about Andromeda’s Hero. What are his chances?
ANDY_BEYER: You’re the only person talking about Andromeda’s Hero. He has no chance whatsoever.
illini82: Q: Why are the California horses getting no respect?
ANDY_BEYER: Because they stink.
The full DRF chat transcript.
More Derby news …

Posted in Racing on May 4, 2005 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on Andrew Beyer: Handicapper, Comedian

What’s Not to Love About Alex?

Media Life correspondent Toni Fitzgerald predicted Monday that TV ratings for the Kentucky Derby would be way down this year without a heart-tugging favorite like Smarty Jones grabbing the public’s attention.
Toni, meet Afleet Alex.
The scrappy colt — rejected by his mother, handfed by a cute little girl with a Coors Light bottle, owned by a gang of Philadelphia friends who are going to the Derby with the very first horse they bought — is poised to become America’s horse. By Saturday, I’d guess even the most casual of racing fans will know his name, if the recent media coverage he and his connections are garnering is anything to go by.
Just today, the New York Times offers Alex’s bio (complete with photo of cute little girl feeding cute little foal), and a profile of his enthusiastic young rider Jeremy Rose; Dick Jerardi, who wrote about Cash Is King Stable and trainer Tim Ritchey last week, has a touching piece on one of the owners, Jen Reeves, in the Philadelphia Daily News; New York Daily News racing columnist Sherry Ross tries to resist Alex’s charms, but she can’t help melting a little at his story too; and the Courier-Journal talks to Alex’s breeder, John Silvertand, who’s fighting colon cancer. “Afleet Alex, the Kentucky Derby hopeful he bred, is helping him hang on.” Finally, Jay Privman wonders: “Might another Philadelphia story be written this year?”
More Derby news …

Posted in Racing on May 3, 2005 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on What’s Not to Love About Alex?

The Greatest Sporting Event

Frank Murtaugh gives five reasons why the Kentucky Derby is the greatest sporting event in America: “Time is of the essence … Four-legged athletes don’t talk … [There’s] room for the little guy … Stars are born … [It’s] sport as art.” (Memphis Flyer)

Posted in Racing on May 2, 2005 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on The Greatest Sporting Event