The connections of Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism expressed relief after the anticipated favorite for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve drew post 8 for the $5 million classic May 3 at Churchill Down
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.
So, you’re into horse racing but don’t yet have a clue to what’s going on? No sweat, we’ve all been there! Between the dozens of tracks, the hundreds, if not thousands, of horses and a racing calendar that rarely ever sleeps, keeping track of your favorite runners can feel impossible. While every other sport, from the NFL to the NBA, feeds you updates on a silver platter, racing requires a little bit of homework.
To help with the assignment, here are five questions you may be too scared to ask about horse racing.
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).
