Kentucky Derby 2010

We love the Kentucky Derby! It is perhaps as big, if not bigger than the Super Bowl in our house. If we could watch the derby on a big screen...we would. But why is there no party for the Kentucky Derby? It is said, and we believe it, that the Derby is the "most exciting 2 mins. in sports." You can't get that with the Super Bowl. No there's the Pre-Pre Game Show, the Pre-Game Show, The Game (which takes forever with all of the playbacks), and the Post Game Show, and 11 o'clock highlights on the news. No, with the Derby you get quick results, and you don't need an announcer to tell you what you just saw. There's no flags on the field, no refs with microphones to call penalties, no "unneccessary roughness." In the Derby you run or go home. That's the rule.

This year's Derby was especially exciting. Every year the Derby draws a name of an ordinary person and sends them tickets to the Derby and $100,000 to place on the horse of their choice. This year's winner of the drawing stood to make $5 million if he placed his bet right. He placed it on Super Saver to win. A smart bet considering Super Saver was 7-1 and his jockey was Calvin Borel, winner of 2 previous derbies in four years. It is said that the horse liked a wet track, which was a positive considering that the Derby track was pooling with the earlier downpour.

As it turned out Calvin Borel, riding Super Saver, did just as he did in last year's Kentucky Derby. He rode the inside rail, where most horses wouldn't dare go because of wetness, and eventually found his hole where he would take first place. The lucky man who placed his $100,000 bet on Super Saver to win made $900,000 off of this year's race. Not a bad profit for not having used any of your own money.

For those of you who would like to get the Derby experience here are some stats:

The Millionaire's Row experience: approx. $6,000 person (includes mint juleps, dinner, prime seating, and hob-nobbing with other millionaires)

The Broke-Man's experience: $40 (includes standing at the rail and no seats)

Matt & Marilyn's Kentucky Derby experience: FREE (includes 2011 Kentucky Derby Pre-Race Party with knock-off Mint Juleps, Hats, prime seating in front of the TV, free food, and fake bets)