The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the first race in a series of races for three year-old thoroughbreds across the world (Of course, since it's obviously held in Kentucky, USA, most contestants are from the US...).

Anyways, the first five winners are as follows:

• Aristides (1875)
• Vagrant (1876)
• Baden-Baden (1877)
• Day Star (1878)
• Lord Murphy (1879)

And the last five winners:

• Mine That Bird ('09)
• Super Saver ('10)
• Animal Kingdom ('11)
• I'll Have Another ('12)
• Orb ('13) 

Only three fillies have won the Derby:

• Regret (1915)
• Genuine Risk (1970)
• Winning Colors (1978)

This year, hundreds of horses struggle for the prestigious twenty spots in the starting gate on Derby day with prep-races. These are including but not limited to: The Louisiana Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Florida Derby. There are a bunch of others which I'm not going to list here.

I don't really want to go over the customs at Churchill Downs (where the race is run) on Derby Day, but I will take a moment to mention a couple of the most prominent. The Mint Julep is the traditional Derby drink (although you probably wouldn't want one of those cause they're alcoholic). Then there's the singing of My Old Kentucky Home as the horses go to the post.

And finally, all the training of three years is utilized in two intense minutes of mounding hooves and plunging horseflesh. Riders straining for a stab at making history. And in the end, there's only one winner. And the rest of the field? They've lost their chance. Never again will it be the first Saturday in May while they're three years old. Never again will they race in the Kentucky Derby.

And that about wraps up this post. Sorry about the kind of abrupt ending. I have issues with endings, okay?