Run for the Roses 2019

Kentucky Derby 2019

For my annual brief departure from the literary theme of this blog, and in deference to the thousands who have come to depend on this…I’ll now give you my Kentucky Derby Picks.

Roadster (pictured here winning the Santa Anita Derby)

Two reasons: He is the son of Quality Road and the great-great grandson of Secretariat. Quality Road was one of the greatest thoroughbreds you never heard of. He missed all the Triple Crown races of his eligible year due to injury. He still put together an impressive lifetime record of 8 wins, including Grade 1 wins in the Woodward and Florida Derby, 3 places, and 1 show – that is NEVER finished worse than third, and that only once. He was a versatile horse, who could lead wire to wire, stalk the front runners and blaze past them in the end, or hang at the back of the pack and then find another gear to pass the entire field in the stretch.

And then of course, Secretariat.

There are other things I like about Roadster: very capable jockey in Florent Geroux, best trainer in the business Bob Baffert, post position #17 should be good for him to stalk the leaders, and let the sprinters tire themselves, and when he did just that in the Santa Anita Derby, he looked like he had plenty left. But still – it is his bloodlines that set him apart for me.

The probable favorite Omaha Beach has scratched for sickness, so Roadster, Game Winner, and Improbable will be the likely favorites. 

I also like Maximum Security, Vekoma, Tactitus – and if you want a long shot – with a shot – Long Range Toddy.

Finish prediction: Roadster, Maximum Security, Vekoma, Long Range Toddy. 

And finally, shameless self-promotion, something I wrote once about the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.