Horse Racing
Quest For The Triple Crown
By The King of the Derby

The Run for the Roses begins the quest for the Triple Crown

The Kentucky Derby runs on the first Saturday in May every year and kicks off the quest for the Triple Crown: the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. There have been 11 Triple Crown winners, with the last coming in 1978, but since 1988, there have been 13 near misses, with horses winning two legs of the Triple Crown.

This year's Kentucky Derby is expected to be an exciting one. There will most likely be 20 horses entered in the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Among the 20 entrants are the winners of the Florida Derby, Santa Anita Derby, Arkansas Derby and the Blue Grass, respectively. Those winners are Big Brown, Colonel John, Gayego and Monba.

In addition, accomplished filly Eight Belles may decide to enter. A filly has not won the Derby since Winning Colors accomplished the feat in 1988.

The Derby is a race built on tradition and history, but recently history has been challenged as new owners, trainers and race prep methods have challenging the old traditions.

No matter how many new methods, there is still no other sporting event that can duplicate the class sportsmanship and tradition of the Kentucky Derby. The event also offers the spectators and fans some of the most spectacular betting payoffs to be had for the mere wager of two dollars. There are several betting propositions including win, place and show, but the exotic wagers which require you to pick the first, second, third and even fourth place finishers provide even grater payoffs. When Barbaro won the Derby two years ago, the EXACTA paid $587 for every $2 wager - and if you were lucky enough to pick all four finishers correctly in the Superfecta, you collected $89,860 for a $2 bet.

It's no wonder that the Kentucky Derby has been called "the Greatest two minutes in sports."

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