The Dust Has Settled (Part 2)

Also, Part 2 of The Dust has settled.

AS I shoved tasty-salty-grease down my throat, I moved my head back into a central place of normalcy, and began to focus on the weekend’s upcoming delight...the Derby.

I had paled my list of possible winners down to 5 and felt like I needed to make that number shrink to 3, and ultimately 1.

My pick turned out to be 21-1 Wilko. I was picking against the 0-for-Juvenile jinx and hoping the 22nd time would pay me well.

I like Afleet Alex, Noble Causeway, Sun King and Bandini to round out my top 4, covering all of my bases with one dollar bets totaling $55.

Fully knowing this Derby was going to be a crapshoot I left Bellamy Road, the morning line and post time favorite off of my tickets for 3 reasons:
1) George Steinbrenner
2) If BR could come anywhere close to his 120 Beyer from the Wood, then so be it. Nice win my friend (and on to the Preakness we would go)
3) George Steinbrenner

Taking a break from painting the kitchen cupboard in my newly purchased bungalow, the girlfriend and I moseyed to a local brew pub for a bite and some horses. We took a seat at the bar where there was a tv with the race on its screen (we actually got there about 10 minutes before post).

Just as I was making a call to my friend "Red" back east (my horse playing counterpart) so he could play the audio feed over the phone, the unsuspecting party of 3 at the table behind us requested that the waitress turn up the volume for the race. TO say that I was overjoyed is an understatement.

After all of the hype, all of the touting, it was finally here. This excitement could only be trumped by actually being at Churchill Downs on this (and every) First Saturday in May.