Last May, Joe Ramos was recovering from a near-fatal motorcycle accident, hoping to return to the job he loves and visualizing the places that racing could take him.
For a devoted follower of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve trail, the Derby future book presents an opportunity to get tremendous value by betting your favorite 3-year-old to win on the first Saturday in May months in advance. The Preakness Future Win Wager offers a similar proposition, though the ask is not as daunting.
Striking gray 3-year-old racehorse Sandman will be one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve May 3 at Churchill Downs. That alone means Sandman will be the subject of intense media coverage leading up to the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
Winning the Kentucky Derby is the goal of any Thoroughbred jockey due to several factors. First, it’s the most famous and prestigious race in the world, and that’s enough for most riders. Second, it presents a challenge unlike any other race, requiring a jockey to navigate his horse 1 ¼ miles among a field with up to 19 opponents and in front of about 150,000 screaming fans. And, oh yeah, third: the victorious Kentucky Derby jockey will receive approximately 10% of the winner’s share of the purse, or $310,000 out of $3.1 million (from the total purse of $5 million this year).
The Churchill Downs backside comes to life a few weeks before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. While horses are stabled there nine months out of the year, some extra special ones call the backside their home in the weeks leading up to the Derby.
