My Favorite Kentucky Derby

[LutherCalvin]

My favorite Derby memories involve Genuine Risk, the Derby winner of 1980. I had seen replays of the Wood Memorial, one of the major preps for the Derby that year, and was impressed with the filly Genuine Risk who I thought ran a helluva race, finished third, but would have won if she had not been fouled in the stretch run. The jockey's objection was not sustained by the stewards in New York, but I thought Genuine Risk would be overlooked in the Derby and her connections out for revenge. The fact that she was a filly would ensure good odds. I was planning to bet $100 on the filly's nose in the Derby and told all my friends that this filly was the real deal. Some of my friends caught my enthusiasm and sent wagers with me to bet at Churchill Downs. One of my horse playing uncles, Floyd, and I drove to a Holiday Inn about 30 miles from Louisville to spend the night before the Derby. That night we were listening to a radio talk show devoted to the Derby. One of the "expert" guests on the show was the track announcer who talked about the entries in the Derby. His comments about Genuine Risk were negative and focused on that the fact that she was a filly and no filly had won the race since Regret in 1919, fillies lacked the stamina of their male counterparts, blah, blah, blah, "if she were lucky she might get up for third." Well, his comments soured my uncle on the filly. He had been planning to bet on Genuine Risk, but now was going to look elsewhere for the winner. I decided to scale back my win bet to $50. The next day we arrived early for the Derby to take in the hoopla surrounding the big race. It is a spectacular experience with thousands of people; the largest party in America. Like the majority of the Derby goers we did not have tickets for seats. We bought general admission ($20 apiece) which allowed you into the infield where giant tents were set up for betting and concession stands dominated the landscape. The infield experience at Churchill Downs was a circus of humanity. People carried in lawn chairs, step ladders, volley ball equiptment, grills, blankets, coolers, you name it. People were wall to wall as you marched into the tunnel to the infield. There were people in front of you, to your side, and behind you. It was a great place to people watch and talk to people from all over the country. I was surprised at the number of people there who had never seen a horse race must less bet on one. That's one of the reasons that gamblers love the Triple Crown races. The betting public doesn't know what they're doing and with the large fields (the Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 entrants) the payoffs are great. And the under-card of the Derby also has some good races. As the day progressed the crowd, many of whom are becoming increasingly inebriated on the ubiquitous mint juleps (you get to keep the commemorative Kentucky Derby glass in which they come), are getting roudier. Young women, encouraged by drunken men, were stripping their blouses and flashing their mammary glands for the world to see. There were just too many people for security to be effective. I saw one guy sell a roach clip for twenty dollars that he said was made with actual tail hairs from one of the Derby horses. You had to get your bets in early to avoid being shut out as there were long lines at the betting windows. As the big race approached people moved toward the fences to get a glimpse of the horses. That's right. Just a glimpse because the crowd is so massive. Don't expect on seeing the actual running of the race if you're in the infield. I was prepared, I thought. I had brought a transistor radio to listen to the most exciting two minutes in sports. They played My Old Kentucky Home as the horses came out onto the track and some people were crying. I had bet my fifty on Genuine Risk and the odds had went up to 13-1. The horses were loaded into the starting gates and the race was off! It was so damn exciting. A crowd surrounded my uncle and me as we listened to the call of the race. The radio had worked fine through the races leading up to the Derby and I had fresh batteries in place. We could hear the cheering of fans pressed to the fences as the horses made their way around the oval. The horses were turning into the stretch. Genuine Risk, the filly, was moving up on the ouside. That's the last I heard. The crowd noise drowned out the stretch call of the race. It was a few minutes until I confirmed that the filly had indeed won the race. I was floating on adrenaline as I made my way to the ticket teller's window to cash my yellow ticket stamped with Churchill Downs on it. There was no line at the window. I collected, turned to my uncle and waved over $700 in the air. Genuine Risk had paid $28.60 to win on a two dollar bet. I cashed the tickets for my friends and realized that this was a Derby that I would never forget.

[JPinMaryland]

:jump: :lol: excellent story. I'm glad I happened to wade through this folder and find it.

[mainardi]

The back-story first... bear with me for a bit.

On Big 'Cap Day (at Santa Anita, for the unwashed) in early March of 1987, I proposed to my wife -- and YES we're still together -- and settled in for a day of racing WITHOUT MY GAMBLING BUDDIES!!! Alysheba was running in the nightcap -- a $30k allowance race -- in his comeback from a three-month layoff, and I put $65 on his nose (at 0.70 odds). Just after the post parade, I run into my buddies and let them know that I'm engaged... and after the ribbings, I announce that Alysheba HAS to win, becuase I'm (jokingly) parlaying the money into my future wife's wedding ring. She immediately tells me to cancel the ticket, and I tell her that I was just kidding.

Well, Alysheba runs a fading fourth... the next day it's announced that he had a problem with his tongue and he'll have minor surgery to correct it. Right then-and-there, I decided to return to the Derby to be there and watch him win it. I was bolstered by his strong run a few week's later, and by his victory (taken away by a DQ) in the Blue Grass.

Now, the story.

A few days before the Derby, I fly to Detroit with my best friend Dave -- who's also my roomate and a non-gambler to boot -- to stay at my Mom's until Friday afternoon. I convinced my Mom and a friend of hers to go with us, and we stayed just across the freeway from Turfway Park (a two-hour drive to Louisville).

On Derby Day, we hit the infield at about Noon, and we just partied until just after the race before the Derby was official. The year before, I went to the Derby and discovered that the wagering windows under the Grandstands are virtually ignored with about 20 minutes to post (everybody must be bet out by then).

So, with my eyes bugging out because Alysheba is about 20-1, I casually walk to the window -- with nobody in line -- and plunk down $20 (I had brought $50 to bet on him). I watch the post parade on a TV right there next to the wagering windows, and I THINK that Alysheba looks SO GOOD that I wait in line (for all of two people in front of me) and bet the rest of my money. Even Dave and my Mom put $20 each on him!!!

So, after watching him languish early, and then crank it up and pass horses SO EASILY, I started to get excited... and then he almost went down in a heap when he clipped heels with Bet Twice. I just watched the replay, and realized that he also had to avoid Bet Twice drifting into his path at the 1/16th pole... what a race!!! I was so excited -- that he didn't die AND that he won the race -- that I ALMOST forgot about our winnings. Of course, pushing the tickets through the window and collecting $470 for my $50 paid for my entire weekend.

I haven't been back to the Derby since -- really, I don't think that coughing up $40 to get mugged in the Infield mosh-pit is a wise idea anymore -- but that race will last a lifetime.

[oddswizard]

1987 was the best derby for me. My wife & I flew to Louisville & met 2 other couples. Both men
were New York handicappers who had moved to Northern California. One owned a label company and the other was the vice-president of Visa. The night before the Derby we went out to the Brown Hotel for dinner. When we arrived the tables were all reserved. Fortunately, the VP of Visa had a big expense account. He gave the maitreD a $100.00 bill for a table. That started the fun. $600.00 later they found a table for us. We had a great dinner. Handicapping the derby was the topic of the night. The Visa handicapper loved Bet Twice. I loved Alysheba.
The other handicapper took my advice: Bet Alysheba to win & box the exacta several times.
On the morning of the derby I was interviewed by a local reporter. Who do you like? he asked.
My advice is to BET TWICE ON ALYSHEBA! My label friend discovered Mint Julips and was very wobbily as the Derby started. When it was over he said who won? I told him Alysheba had won!
He then realized he had won a bundle. Then he passed out! We had to carry him to the bus to our hotel. We all made a bundle & more than paid for the entire trip. On the plane trip home we met several celebrities & that topped off one great Kentucky Derby!

[JPinMaryland]

how in the hell did you get 20-1 on ALysheba? :confused:

[mainardi]

Unbridled in 1990.

It was a nice race -- Nafzger yelling into Old Lady Genter's ear was a classic -- but I was more excited because I bet it both at Del Mar AND in the Future Book almost three months earlier. Collected 10-1 from the track (early-bird wager) and 14-1 from the book (VERY early-bird)... all while sitting at home.

[Tom]

My favorite derby - Ferdinand.
It was the perfect blend of cash and beer - too much of both. :D

Still betting Ferdinand money to this day.