Derby Doings

Last Saturday's Kentucky Derby was won by Super Saver, ridden by Calvin Borel.  Jockey Borel's winning ride was his third Kentucky Derby victory in the last four years-- an unprecedented feat, accomplished on an extreme long shot as well as favorites or near favorites. Each of these rides has been a variation on a theme: Drop the horse to the inside rail at the beginning of the race, relax him, save ground throughout the race, then surge along the rail to the finish line, as the tiring horses in front drift out towards the center of the track. 

Everyone knows what Borel is going to do. Nonetheless, in the Kentucky Derby, the other jockeys, who usually make a point of not being shown up by letting a horse through on the rail, let Borel through unimpeded. My only explanation is that the Kentucky Derby must be so important to the other jockeys that they are more concerned about getting the best out of their mounts than they are about reaffirming their territorial "rights."

We once had a pretty good horse, Statesmanship (winner of  eight races in his career, including five graded stakes), which was repeatedly ridden up the rail to victory by his jockey, Jose Santos. Eventually, in the Bernard Baruch, a graded stakes race at Saratoga, the other jockeys deliberately bottled Statesmanship up on the rail.

Fortunately, I had a bet on Super Saver, who went off at 8-1 odds. That payoff almost got me back to even on my day's wagering.