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In one of most thrilling Kentucky Derby's in recent memory, I'll Have Another chased down Bodemeister down the stretch to reach the winner's circle on Saturday afternoon.
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I'll Have Another raced just three times since last September, and jockey Mario Gutierrez raced his first time ever at Churchill Downs, much less the Kentucky Derby. The two beat 15-1 odds, however, to take down favorites like Bodemeister and Union Rags at the 2012 Kentucky Derby.
I'll Have Another overtook Bodemeister down the final stretch for the win. Bodemeister held 4-1 odds earlier this week, and is owned by the renowned Bob Baffert. The impressive race horse held a five-length lead coming up to the finally stretch. The impressive pedigree ultimately didn't hold out, however. I'll Have Another shocked every one with an impressive surge, and no doubt made a lot of smart betters happy. I'll Have Another paid out $32.60 with the win.
For more on the world of horse racing, head to SB Nation blog And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.
I'll Have Another is your winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby at 15-1 odds. Bodemeister came in second with 4-1 odds, and Dullahan came in third with 10-1 odds at the 138th running of the race at Churchill Downs on Saturday. I'll Have Another paid out handsomely for whoever had the foresight to take the inexperienced horse.
It was only the third race ever for I'll Have Another since September. Jockey Mario Gutierrez had never raced at Churchill Downs much less the Kentucky Derby. You can be sure bettors are very happy now. After the race, Gutierrez said he knew he was going to win all along. "He's an amazing horse. I told everybody the first time I met him that I knew he was the one."
I'll Have Another paid $32.60 for the win. If you bet the $2 Exacta, Trifecta or Superfecta and won, your payout would've been handsome. Here is what the winning numbers paid:
Exacta: 19-6 - $306
Trifecta: 19-6-5 - $1,532
Superfecta: 19-6-5-13 - $48,000
For more on the world of horse racing, head to SB Nation blog And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.
I'll Have Another won the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby over Bodemeister.
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Stuck at work on Saturday evening? Can't get to a television, restaurant or bar to watch the 2012 Kentucky Derby? Have no fear: I'm here to help. The Kentucky Derby, like most major sporting events now, can be viewed online live at NBC Sports' official website. Coverage online won't go live until 4:00 p.m. ET, 3:00 p.m. CT, though.
As you may already know, festivities at Churchill Downs are a day-long event, with activities starting off early on Saturday morning. You can catch some of the earlier races and festivities at twinspires, one of Churchill Downs' companies.
Post time for the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for 5:24 p.m. CT, so be sure to head over to NBC's official website to watch the race live online. Of course, you can watch it on your television sets as well, as NBC will cover the event live, starting at 3:00 p.m. CT.
For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, be sure to head over to And Down The Stretch They Come and join the discussion.
The odds have shifted at the 2012 Kentucky Derby. When the post positions were announced, Bodemeister was the favorite, given 4/1 odds. Since then, however, betting has affected the odds, and Bodemeister is now at 8/1. Union Rags is the new favorite, shifting from 9/2 to 6/1 odds to win this year's Kentucky Derby.
Here's a full look at the odds for the entire field, sorted by post position:
The 138th Run for The Roses will be held on Saturday.
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The 138th Kentucky Derby is one day away, so let's take a look at the most important aspect of the day: the participants.
Matt Gardner of the SB Nation horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come takes a look at some of the horses, jockeys and trainers you'll be hearing about on Saturday.
Bodemeister and Hansen are two of the favorites in the Kentucky Derby, but history isn't on there side. What does this mean?
Calvin Borel has become the most well-known jockeys after winnings three of the last five Kentuky Derbys. Does he have a chance on Take Charge Indy?
Check out the video below:
Related: Kentucky Derby 2012: Entries, Post Positions and Morning Line Odds
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Louisville and delayed races at Churchill Downs.
Churchill Downs recommends that the patrons in the infield evacuate. We are in a weather delay
— Joe Reedy (@joereedy) May 4, 2012
The storms seem to have subsided recently as the races are scheduled to get back underway. The post time for the Kentucky Oaks has been pushed back to 6:20 p.m.
So the storm has passed enough to get back to bidness.
— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) May 4, 2012
There is a possibility of storms dragging into Kentucky Derby day, but the most rain is expected in the morning before disappearing throughout the day, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Dallas. For more in-depth coverage of the 2012 Kentucky Derby, head over to SB Nation horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. Stay up to date with constant Derby coverage in this StoryStream.
Despite being dubbed as the Fastest Two Minutes In Sports, the Kentucky Derby is a day-long event, that has almost become a type of gala for the public and celebrities alike. Part of this pageantry involves women's head wear, specifically, those gigantic, crazy looking, stylish hats, which have been dubbed Kentucky Derby hats.
The Kentucky Derby's own website embraces this as well, with a page under the 'Fashion' tab to talk specifically about Derby hats.
Part Southern tradition, part spectacle, the Kentucky Derby hat parade is much of what makes "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" one of the greatest people-watching events in the world! From the fantastic to the sublime, there are no rules or limits when it comes to choosing your Derby hat.
Whether to make a statement or just keep the sun at bay, Kentucky Derby hats are part of the tradition and the pageantry that make a trip to the Derby an unforgettable experience.
If you're going to be attending this year's Kentucky Derby, and you're not sure what to wear -- don't fret, the Kentucky Derby's website once again gives you a guide on what you should wear, but bear in mind, the Derby's website also said there are "no rules or limits" when it comes to the Derby Hats, so the same should be somewhat applicable to the outfit -- just keep it reasonably classy.
In the reserved seating areas (grandstand, clubhouse, suites and corporate hospitality areas), ladies typically wear pastel-colored suits, frilly dresses or bold separates that coordinate with their Derby headwear and accessories.
While high heels are certainly part of the total Derby ensemble, experienced Derby divas also pack a pair of fashionable yet comfortable flats or flip flops to wear home.
As for guys, don't try to out think it. Khakis and a shirt, tie and navy blue blazer is perfectly fine and preferred. If you do try to over-think your outfit as a guy, well, you'll end up looking like that guy -- and nobody wants to be that guy, right? Right.
If you're just going to be hanging out on the infield, though, then it's just another day at the park. Literally.
The Kentucky Derby infield comes with its own agenda and dress code. Unbridled fun and frivolity is the focus of infield fans and with that attitude comes the need to be practical in all apparel choices. Infielders typically sport jeans or shorts, T-shirts, tanks or polo shirts, sneakers or comfortable sandals and other varieties of durable (and washable) attire.
So, there you have it. A quick, easy and basic guide to fashion for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. You can thank me later.
The odds-on favorites to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby are clearly Bodemeister with 4-1 chances and Union Rags with 9-2 odds, but don't sleep on Dullahan in the number five post position when placing your bets.
Dullahan is considered to have 8-1 chances to win the Derby, but his team is showing a lot of confidence in the Dale Romans-trained chestnut colt. Here is what Matt Gardner of And Down The Stretch They Come had to say about Dullahan's draw of the five hole:
"He's a closer. He doesn't hardly any speed. So it doesn't it matter that he's down inside because his jock is just going to to kind of take him back in the beginning, try to get good position by the rail. and then hope for a nice, clean trip around the track making a big move in the top of the stretch and hopefully closing and picking up the pieces."
For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, be sure to follow the updates in this StoryStream.
The 2012 Kentucky Derby will be run this weekend and now that the post positions have been set for the field, the clear favorite is Bodemeister to win at four-to-one odds with Union Rags a close second choice at nine-to-two odds, Gemologist is third at six-to-one odds and Dullahan rounds out the top four at eight-to-one odds.
But what do we know about these horses?
Reuters.com has complete profiles of every horse in the field which includes post position, the horse itself, the jockey and the trainer. Here's the profile on Bodemeister, the favorite:
6. BODEMEISTER; Mike Smith; Bob Baffert; A late bloomer who did not race as a two year old, Bodemeister established himself as the early favorite after winning last month's Arkansas Derby by nine and a half lengths. His trainer Baffert has already won the Derby three times and his jockey Smith once.
The race is set for Saturday at 5 ET, although there is a bevy of TV coverage before and after the actual race.
For more coverage of the Kentucky Derby, check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby Stream. For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come.
This 138th running of the annual Kentucky Derby will be held this Saturday, May 5th. With the post position announcements being released on Wednesday, Bodemeister is the early 4-1 favorite to win.
Here's a look at the latest odds, sorted by post position:
Union Rags is a close second choice at 9-2 with Gemologist third at 6-1 followed by Dullahan at 8-1 in a full field of 20 horses.
The race is set for Saturday at 5 ET, although there is a bevy of TV coverage before and after the actual race.
For more coverage of the Kentucky Derby, check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby Stream
Post positions can greatly affect the outcome of the Kentucky Derby, and the 2012 Kentucky Derby is no exception. Yesterday, post positions were announced, and odds were altered, as Bodemeister was installed as the clear favorite with 4/1 odds.
Despite that, I'll be picking Take Charge Indy to win the Kentucky Derby. Take Charge Indy has decent odds at 10/1, but he's being ridden by Calvin Borel -- who is a three-time Kentucky Derby champion. Further, Take Charge Indy's post position, at No. 3, suits Borel's riding style well.
Gemologist is one of the few horses with ties to the Dallas Fort Worth area, and at 6/1 odds, he has a pretty good chance to make some waves in this year's derby. Gemologist is the only favored horse starting on the outside, at post position 15, and he very well could be in line to make a charge. I'll take Gemologist to finish second. Gemologist is 5-0, but, I'm not sure if he can win from the outside with such strong horses on the inside.
As for the third place finisher, I'll go with Union Rags, at 9/2 odds to win. Union Rags is the second-favored horse in this year's Derby, and has a solid post position.
To sum, if I were betting on this year's Kentucky Derby, I'd take Take Charge Indy to win, Gemologist to place, and Union Rags to show.
Wednesday's post position announcement has greatly affected the odds for the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Prior to the announcement, Bodemeister and Union Rags were tied for the best odds at 9/2, and others such as Take Charge Indy were greater longshots, being previously listed at 16/1.
The post positions changed all that, however, and now Bodemeister is the clear favorite to win the 138th Run for the Roses.
Here's a look at the latest odds, sorted by post position:
Post positions were announced on Wednesday for the 2012 Kentucky Derby, and as expected, the post positions have affected the odds. Prior to the announcement, Bodemeister and Union Rags were tied with the best odds at 9/2. That, however, has changed, as Bodemeister is now the clear favorite in the 138th Kentucky Derby, and has been installed with 4/1 odds -- easily the best in the 20 horse field.
Union Rags' odds remain the same, and is at 9/2 headed into Thursday, and has the second best odds of any horse. Gemologist, meanwhile, saw his odds improve, as he is now listed at 6/1.
Union Rags and Bodemeister will come out of the gate very close to each other, as Union Rags has the fourth post position while Bodemeister has the sixth. Gemologist, meanwhile, will be starting toward the outside and coming out of the No. 15 post position.
Take Charge Indy saw his odds increase as well. Prior to the post position announcement, Take Charge Indy had 16/1 odds. Those odds have improved to 10/1, likely because of the No. 3 post position -- which is ideal for jockey Calvin Borel, who is known to ride the rail to victory.
Post positions for the 2012 Kentucky Derby have been announced, and top contenders Bodemeister and Union Rags will be racing right near each other out of the gate. Both Bodemeister and Union Rags are the favorites to win the 138th Kentucky Derby with 9/2 odds, and both should continue to have the best odds after the post positions were announced.
The post positions for this year's Kentucky Derby are as follows:
Though the 2012 Kentucky Derby field has changed over the last two days, with Mark Valeski dropping out and Optimizer taking his place, the odds haven't changed much. Bodemeister and Union Rags remain the two favorites in the 138th Run for the Roses, as both horses have 9/2 odds to win this year's Kentucky Derby.
Gemologist can be seen as a favorite as well, as he clocks in with 7/1 odds. Dullahan, at 8/1 odds, along with Creative Cause and Alpha, both at 11/1 odds, round out the favorites in this year's Kentucky Derby. Take Charge Indy, who will be jockeyed by three-time Kentucky Derby champion Calvin Borel, has had his odds moved back to 16/1.
Optimizer, who is replacing Mark Valeski, has been given 20/1 odds to win. Mark Valeski had been given similar odds at 23/1, but will not be running in this year's race.
Post positions will be announced on Wednesday, and it's unknown what effect, if any, they'll have on the odds at this time.
The field in the 2012 Kentucky Derby looks a bit different than it did yesterday. Larry Jones, who is the trainer of horse Mark Valeski, has decided not to run Mark Valeski in the race. Optimizer, who has been trained by Wayne Lukas, will take Mark Valeski's place in the deep field.
Jones cited the deep field as the reason for withdrawing Mark Valeski.
"This is a very deep field," Jones said. "We feel like we belong with them, but there's going to be a horse that runs 15th that's a very good horse. It's not like you just go out there and hope that if Union Rags gets a bad trip then we win. What with Gemologist, Bodemeister, Alpha, Take Charge Indy, somebody's going to get a good trip other than just, say, Mark Valeski."
It's unfortunate that Mark Valeski won't get a chance to run in the Kentucky Derby, but that's Jones' decision to make.
Optimizer enters the field with 60/1 odds to win the 138th Kentucky Deby. Only Hero of Order has worse odds, at 100/1.
Gemologist comes from an impressive lineage and has the natural abilities to be an imposing competitor. His sire, Tiznow is an offspring of the legendary racer, Man o' War and is still the only horse to ever win two Breeders' Cup Classics.
Gemologist's trainer is Todd Pletcher who won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver. Pletcher also trained Rags to Riches to win the Kentucky Oats in 2007 as well as to a win at the Belmount Stakes. It was the first time a filly had won the stakes in 102 years. Javier Castellano is the jockey and won the 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic with Ghostzapper and the 2006 Preakness with Bernardini. Winstar Farms LLC. is the ownership group and won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver.
Gemologist is a 7/1 favorite to win the Derby.
Here are Gemologist's most recent finishes:
April 7, Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial: Finished first; 1 1/8 miles
November 26, Kentucky Jokey Club: Finished first; 1 1/16 miles
The offspring of Scat Daddy and Follow Your Bliss, Daddy Nose Best is one of two major Derby contenders from the first crop of Scat Daddy, which has left many to believe that Daddy Nose Best will have some extended staying power due to his dam's side of the family.
Daddy Nose Best is trained by racing lifer, Steve Asmussen, who is the son of two horse trainers and brother to Cash a champion jockey. Asmussen has trained over 6000 winners and won 650 races in 2009, shattering his own record for wins in a single season. Garret Gomez will be the jockey; he won back-to-back Eclipses for Outstanding Jockey in 2007 and 2008 and has won ten Breeders' cup races. He has nine appearances in the Derby with his best finish coming in 2009 when he finished second. Cathy and Bob Zellers are the owners and have been associated with horse racing since the 1990s. They have previously run in the Derby with Fifty Stars and Private Emblem.
Daddy Nose Best has a 15/1 odds of winning the Derby.
Here are his most recent finishes:
March 25, Sunland Derby: Finished first; 1 1/8 miles
February 18, El Camino Real Derby: FInished first; 1 1/8 miles
November 5, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Finished sixth; 1 mile (turf)
September 17, Summer: FInished third, 1 mile (turf)
The offspring of Pulpit, a 1997 favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, El Padrino is a colt who was bred for greatness. Unfortunately, El Padrino's father sustained a career ending injury in the Run for the Roses (where he still finished fourth), but life wasn't all bad for Pulpit after the race as he retired to be a stud.
El Padrino is trained by Todd Fletcher who won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver. He led all trainers in monies earned in 2011 working with such stable stars as Stay Thirsty and Awesome Maria. Rafael Bejarano will be the jockey and has won riding titles at all major tracks in California and Kentucky. The ownership group is Let's Go Stable and was created in 2006 by Kevin Scatuorchio and Bryan Sullivan.
As of April 29, El Padrino is a 16/1 odds to win.
Here is how El Padrino has faired in his three most recent races:
Florida Derby, March 31: Finished fourth; 1 1/8 miles.
Risen Star, February 25: Finished first; 1 1/16 miles.
Remsen, November 26: Finished third, 1 1/8 miles.
The fastest two minutes in all of sports is coming this Saturday, May 5, when the 2012 Kentucky Derby gets underway at the illustrious Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. As always, the hype leading up to the race will revolve around which horses are favored to win the race, if they have a chance to win the first Triple Crown in decades, and of course, what the odds are on each horse.
This year's Kentucky Derby has two horses that are favored to win: Bodemeister and Union Rags. Both Bodemeister and Union Rags have been given 9/2 odds to win the Run for the Roses.
Bodemeister has a familiar trainer to the horse racing scene -- Bob Baffert. Baffert is a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, winning it in consecutive years in 1997 and 1998, and winning it again in 2002. In each of those three years, Baffert has won the Preakness as well, coming painfully close to completing the Triple Crown, but coming up just shy.
Mike Smith will be the jockey riding Bodemeister, barring a last minute change. Smith has won each of the Triple Crown races before, winning the Preakness in 1993, the Kentucky Derby in 2005 and the Belmont in 2010.
As for Bodemeister's owner, he belongs to Zayat Stables, which was formed by Egyptian Ahman Zayat. Zayat has never won the Kentucky Derby, though he did come close a few times, most recently in 2011 when Nehro finished in second place.
Union Rags, meanwhile, has been trained by Michael Matz -- who also trained 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. Unfortunately for Matz, Barbaro's career ended at the Preakness, when the young horse shattered its leg, eventually leading to its death.
Julien Leparoux will ride Union Rags on Saturday, and the Frenchman will be looking for his first-ever Triple Crown win. Leparoux is an accomplished jockey nonetheless, having won two-of-three Breeders Cup races in one year (2009).
Union Rags belongs to Phyllis Wyeth and Chadds Ford Stables. Wyeth oddly enough used to work for John F. Kennedy while he was only a Senator from Massachusetts, and continued to work for him during his presidency.
Of course, neither of the favorites won last year, as Animal Kingdom came into the Kentucky Derby with just 20/1 odds and pulled off the upset.
The 2012 Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. As is always the case when it comes to the Triple Crown races, bettors throughout the world will be putting hard earned money on the line. As with anything regarding sports betting, and particularly horse racing, the odds are anything but a sure thing -- but they do paint a picture of who should win.
The odds on each horse may change throughout the week, but here are the latest odds on each horse in the race, as of April 29.
It's time for the annual Run for the Roses as the 138th Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 5.
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literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Dallas. For more in-depth coverage of the 2012 Kentucky Derby, head over to SB Nation horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. Stay up to date with constant Derby coverage in this StoryStream.