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Description
First Saturday in May

Early Morning

A dense fog has settled over the Louisville, Kentucky. It is as thick as a blanket, and it is so early that not even the birds have woken yet. But at Churchill downs on this Saturday, the day is well under way.
Trainers, grooms, exercise riders, jockeys, reporters and other miscellaneous people scurry over the bustling backside. The track’s backside is almost like a small community, as tight knit as a family. Gossip abounds here, and the reporters are there to stir it up, sticking their noses in everyone’s business trying to catch the best story for the front page. Trainers like D. Wayne Lukas, Todd Pletcher, Nick Zito, Graham Motion, Steve Asmussen, Barclay Tagg, Bill Mott, and others are putting on the best poker faces they can, they don’t want to count their chickens before they hatch.
Some jocks are already in the jockey’s room readying for the day’s card. Tension laces the air everywhere. Every single jockey that was riding in that day’s card and, especially the Derby, had to be on their toes. No mistake could be made on this day in racing. Inexperience would cost the bugs, while the veterans took it in stride.
Horses for the day’s card were being readied by their grooms. Bathed, legs wrapped up, and groomed to look their finest. Each groom took pride in their work; they wanted their charges to look their best and most enjoyed their job. On derby day not one flaw should mark their coat, not one fleck of dirt or streak of white lathered sweat. They had to be perfection itself.
The horses pranced and played like it was any other day but, the 20 three year olds that would hit the track for the derby would be changed forever by the outcome of this one single race. Some of the horses were nervous, sweating up a storm having to be constantly walked to keep them cool and calm. Others goofed around, not giving this prestigious day the glory and respect it deserved. Others still were calm and collected, napping beforehand to conserve their strength. Theses horses know what is coming. They have a sense that their lives would forever change after this one fateful race.
Their time had come. Years of breeding would fall into place, months of training up to this moment would play into the race, and a champion would be crowned. A new champion to be put down in the record books as the best three year old of that year. A chance for that champion to become a Triple Crown champion. A kind of champion that hasn’t been seen for 30 years since Affirmed. Many people are placing their hopes, their dreams, and their future on this one race. This one race will confirm it all.
The greatest two minutes in the Sport of Kings would come on this day. Call it what you might, the first Saturday in May, the Run for the Roses, the Derby, but it all comes down to the Kentucky Derby.

Description
First Saturday in May

Early Morning

A dense fog has settled over the Louisville, Kentucky. It is as thick as a blanket, and it is so early that not even the birds have woken yet. But at Churchill downs on this Saturday, the day is well under way.
Trainers, grooms, exercise riders, jockeys, reporters and other miscellaneous people scurry over the bustling backside. The track’s backside is almost like a small community, as tight knit as a family. Gossip abounds here, and the reporters are there to stir it up, sticking their noses in everyone’s business trying to catch the best story for the front page. Trainers like D. Wayne Lukas, Todd Pletcher, Nick Zito, Graham Motion, Steve Asmussen, Barclay Tagg, Bill Mott, and others are putting on the best poker faces they can, they don’t want to count their chickens before they hatch.
Some jocks are already in the jockey’s room readying for the day’s card. Tension laces the air everywhere. Every single jockey that was riding in that day’s card and, especially the Derby, had to be on their toes. No mistake could be made on this day in racing. Inexperience would cost the bugs, while the veterans took it in stride.
Horses for the day’s card were being readied by their grooms. Bathed, legs wrapped up, and groomed to look their finest. Each groom took pride in their work; they wanted their charges to look their best and most enjoyed their job. On derby day not one flaw should mark their coat, not one fleck of dirt or streak of white lathered sweat. They had to be perfection itself.
The horses pranced and played like it was any other day but, the 20 three year olds that would hit the track for the derby would be changed forever by the outcome of this one single race. Some of the horses were nervous, sweating up a storm having to be constantly walked to keep them cool and calm. Others goofed around, not giving this prestigious day the glory and respect it deserved. Others still were calm and collected, napping beforehand to conserve their strength. Theses horses know what is coming. They have a sense that their lives would forever change after this one fateful race.
Their time had come. Years of breeding would fall into place, months of training up to this moment would play into the race, and a champion would be crowned. A new champion to be put down in the record books as the best three year old of that year. A chance for that champion to become a Triple Crown champion. A kind of champion that hasn’t been seen for 30 years since Affirmed. Many people are placing their hopes, their dreams, and their future on this one race. This one race will confirm it all.
The greatest two minutes in the Sport of Kings would come on this day. Call it what you might, the first Saturday in May, the Run for the Roses, the Derby, but it all comes down to the Kentucky Derby.