Paid $4.80 to place

+4 overall for the day.

Hard to come up with the long shot winner in this one. Horse couldn't win a 41K Maiden at Fairgrounds and broke his maiden April 26th. Head Scratcher......

Churchill Race 10

1. Awesome Slew $20 Win/Place

May miss the next race, not 100% sure but will have KY Derby Selections for certain. Awaiting to see how the track is and if rain hits.

For those looking to bet fixed odds, check out Intertops http://tinyurl.com/hy26238

I just looked at their odds and they are way off to what the track lines are. Keep in mind they are fixed odds.

Paid $4.40 to place. Was a little further back than I liked and that was the difference of winning and coming in second in this race.

$4 more to the good guys puts us up $8 for 4 races. Considering the run line looks like this:

4-1-2-0 +$8

The rain is something that is going to keep the track muddy/sloppy.

This helps my handicapping of the race as I had two horses vying for my #1 spot. The rain has made it easier and the last race Awesome Slew had with his trip solidifies it.

Back soon.

Roxy Roxborough

#17 Irish War Cry

To save time I wrote this in 2013 and I can't write it any better than I did then. I didn't see a commercial today for the West Virginia Derby but when they did the special on NBCSN with Tom Hammond in the yellow car and reliving his favorite KY Derby moments and how he got involved, it did bring a tear to my eye and I thought about my grandfather and all the memories from years gone by. RIP Grandpa and Sunday Silence.

Enjoy this classic read......

Today is always a special day for me and I get pretty emotional. One of my grandfathers owned and raced horses when I was a very young lad. He raced them at Waterford Park which was known at the time as the graveyard of horse racing. There was always bad jokes that three legged horses went there to run. Mind you back in the 70's racing there was $1,000 Claiming type racing. Most people either don't know or don't remember Waterford Park.

Waterford Park became as we know it today as Mountaineer Park. Located in Chester, West Virginia I had the luxury of going to the race track every weekend F/SA/Su and if I had time I would go when they raced during the week. I remember when they first put in simulcasting in the motel. They basically took their ball room and turned it into a huge betting parlor with big screens on the walls like you see in Vegas. That brought people down to the track that would normally wouldn't be there. Keep in mind at that time, you didn't have TVG or HRTV and you had to go to the track or OTB to see the races. There wasn't major coverage like we have today.

At one point Mountaineer was going to close down because they weren't making money. They then put on the ballot a measure that would allow video poker/slots at the track. Since almost everyone in the area either worked or benefited from the track it passed easily. That was the start of Mountaineer becoming what it is today. Bigger prize purses, bigger stakes, better horses to the track and that meant more people to the track.

I had a tear in the eye today when I saw a commercial during the earlier race coverage for Mountaineer and the West Virginia Derby which had ALWAYS been held at Charlestown. It just reminded me of how far things have come not only for Waterford Park but somewhat for myself. Even though I have been out of work for quite a long period of time, I am thankful I still have the forum as my release. I'd love to see people more active and involved as I look at all of you as my extended family.

I know this was a bit of a sentimental look back at something in my life but what good is it if I can't share it with someone.

So yes while they are charging down to the finish line I will be rooting and screaming like hell at my television and my late grandfather will be with me once again.

The irony of all of this is that I really didn't get to know my grandfather I was around 5 or 6 years old, maybe 7 when he passed away. But I remember that larger than life man that I was in awe of that he owned and raced horses. I do remember when he passed away, my grandmother knew nothing of the horse racing business and sold the entire operation. I don't know names of horses he owned or raced but I know he had a passion for them like no other. He would be proud that I took that forward even as a young lad.

Enjoy the race everyone.

Race 12 Kentucky Derby

My top choice is #17 Irish War Cry. When I did my handicapping last night. I wrote WET next to his name and when it started to rain in the 10th race, that cemented for me this was the right selection.

When I saw the run Awesome Slew did from the back of the pack, that put things over the top that Irish War Cry would be my pick. He will run pretty much the same race unless there is a change in tactics. The only difference is, he is going to win !!!

My second choice is Gunnevera and was pretty equal to my top choice and I couldn't split hairs until it rained and the 10th race finish. I will likely bet him to win as well for insurance purposes.

Third choice is Patch. I don't like the fact he got bet down from 30-1 ML because the value is pretty much gone.

I don't have an exacta or trifecta play but if you are looking for quality long shots to potentially hit the board or fill in the Superfecta I would use the following:

Tapwrit, J Boys Echo, Battle of Midway, Girvin and Thunder Snow


This race is much more wide open than in recent years and any of the horses I have listed can win and it wouldn't surprise me if they did.

Good luck on the derby and remember it's one race, their will be another race ran 15-20 minutes somewhere else after the Derby.

The biggest mistake people make is going nuts on one race and getting crushed. Don't be that guy or gal.

Well that didn't work out to well. The only thing that came through is Battle of Midway to help fill out the Superfecta.

I didn't like the ride that Irish War Cry received, 4 wide the whole race and came up empty down the stretch. You had a bit of excitement and hope coming around the turn but a second or two later it was over.

Always Dreaming may be a special horse. I looked at his run line and thought he would bounce big time after that Florida Derby he ran. If you look at his line you'll see what I am mean.

It's going to be interested to see who moves forward to take on Always Dreaming in the Preakness. If he gets another set up as he did today it will be hard to beat him. But I am going to be looking at the bounce again.

We shall see. I hope you enjoyed the information and picks put forth in this years edition of the Kentucky Derby.