3- It pioneered testing for steroids.Long before doping accusations would hit Major League Baseball, officials at the Kentucky Derby had their own doping headaches to deal with. For instance, in 1968, Dancer’s Image took first in the Derby, but a post-race urinalysis on the winning horse found traces of the non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone. While the drug's use was legal at other tracks, it was illegal at Churchill Downs. Dancer’s Image was disqualified into last place, making Forward Pass the winner. The decision was upheld by the highest court in Kentucky, but because Churchill Downs later approved use of the drug, the disqualification of Dancer’s Image continues to be one of the more controversial decisions in American sports
history. Currently, the official website of the Kentucky Derby lists both horses as winners.
4- The winner with the worst pre-race odds was 1913’s Donerail.Those who chose to bet on Donerail at the 39th Derby in 1913 knew full-well the stallion was a long shot -- it was pegged with staggering 91-to-1 odds -- but for those who took a chance, Donerail set a track record and let them cash in. Case in point: A straight $2 bet paid $184.90. 2005’s winner Giacomo had the second worst odds at 50-to-1, paying $102.60 on a $2 bet.
5- Nixon is the only standing U.S. president to attend a Derby.
A number of U.S. presidents have attended the running, including Truman, Johnson, Ford, Reagan, Carter, and Bush Sr., though none attended while they were actually president. Only Richard Nixon can claim as much, first attending while on the campaign trail in 1968, and then fulfilling a campaign promise when he attended again in 1969 -- a race also attended by fellow Republicans and future presidents Gerald Ford and
Ronald Reagan.
6- Its solid-gold trophy is the only such annually awarded trophy in American sports.
Since 1924, the winner of the Kentucky Derby has been awarded an impressive prize: A trophy made of 14 karat gold, standing 22 inches tall, weighing 56 ounces (without its base), and is almost fully crafted by hand -- it is unmatched in American sports. One of the only changes made to the
trophy since 1924 is the direction of the 18-karat gold horseshoe: In 1999, officials turned the horseshoe to face up, falling in line with superstitions concerning horseshoes that are turned downward.
7- It gave birth to Hunter S. Thompson's “Gonzo journalism”
Gonzo journalism is a subjective, first-person style of reporting that defies normal journalistic convention by including the reporter in the story. Pioneer Hunter S. Thompson attended the 1970 Kentucky Derby and hung out in the famous and decidedly middle-class infield. In order to meet a deadline for Scanlon’s Monthly, he reportedly gathered together sheets from his notebook and submitted them one by one, titling the piece “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved.” An editor from the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine and friend of Thompson coined the term when he called the piece itself “pure Gonzo journalism.”
8- Its thoroughbreds share one of three ancestors.
Although the term “thoroughbred” is sometimes used to connote any purebred
horse, the thoroughbred is its own breed, and every one of them can have their lineage traced back to one of three mega-studs -- Byerly Turk, Godolphin Barb and Darley Arabian -- imported from North Africa and the Middle East into England in the 17th and 18th centuries. In fact, an article in the New Scientist claims that 95% of thoroughbreds racing today can trace their Y chromosome straight back to Darley Arabian.
9- Only three horses have finished the Derby in under two minutes.
What the 4-minute mile used to be in track & field, the 2-minute 1¼ mile remains, in the Kentucky Derby, a near-impossible standard. Since the Derby switched from the 1½-mile race to the shorter 1¼ mile in 1896, the 2-minute barrier has only been broken three times. The first -- and the fastest race in Derby history -- belongs to Triple Crown-winner Virginia-bred Secretariat in 1973, whose 1:59.40 time beat out Sham, who ran the race in 1:59.80. The last time a sub-two-minute race happened was in 2001, when Monarchos ran a 1:59.97 to win.
10- No horse coming from the 17th or 19th post position has ever won the Derby.Over 133 years, the question of successful post positions was bound to come up. The Derby currently features 20 post positions, not all of which are occupied at race time. Posts 1 and 5 have produced the most winners -- 12 each -- followed closely by positions 4 and 10, each with 10 winners. Thus far, the 17th and 19th positions have been the only ones that have failed to produce a winner.
Sunday, March 30th was the 38th Anniversary of Triple Crown winner Secretariat's birthday. The Virginia Thoroughbred Association and the Virginia Museum of the Horse broke from the gate early to celebrate on Thursday, March 27th in Warrenton...
BIG WINNER...Jockey Robby Albarado celebrates after riding Curlin to victory in the $6 million Dubai World horse race during the Dubai World Cup at Nad al-Sheba race track in Dubai on 29 March, 2008.
BRISNet.com - In an auspicious beginning for the American contingent on Dubai World Cup night, Four Roses Thoroughbreds' Diamond Stripes battled back after being headed in the stretch to capture Saturday's $1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2). Diamond Stripe is a Florida-bred who was bred by Sam and Carolyn Rogers of Leesburg, VA.
At the start, it was the other American runner, Barcola (Old Trieste), who sped to the front from his far outside post, while Diamond Stripes was tucked into a perfect tracking position by Edgar Prado. Even though Barcola angled over toward the inside, he still left ample inviting room at the rail, and Prado was only too glad to maneuver Diamond Stripes to the inside of Barcola and apply pressure to the pacesetter down the backstretch. Barcola came under a ride turning for home, but Diamond Stripes continued to travel smoothly entering the stretch. Meanwhile, Rosberg (A.P. Indy) ominously cruised up to join him on the outside, and soon driving to the lead, looked the likely winner, only to tire inside the final furlong.
It's post time for the Hennegan Brothers. There award winning film THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY is opening Friday, April 18th in a limited run. See below on how you can support the film by buying a ticket or two even if you can't get to the theatre.
Recently 48 thoroughbreds were seized from a trainer in Middleburg. Of those, 16 were brought to the Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue, Inc..jpg)
Thoroughbred Network is pleased to present a Trainer’s Seminar on Saturday, April 5th from 12-2 pm.
MORNING RIDE...Jockeys and horses train in the early hours of March 26, 2008 at Nad al-Sheba club ahead of the Dubai Equestrian World Cup 2008. The Dubai World Cup, held on March 29, is the richest horse race in the world, with prize money totaling $21.25 million.
It's easy to forget that the Colonial Downs' deep and lush Bermuda grass turf course is dormant in the winter.
Congressman Ed Whitfield has long led the charge against horse slaughter for human consumption. Now, he's looking to take on a new task...Eliminating drugs from racing. 
The first of three condition books for the Colonial Downs meet is now out. The first book covers the first 15 days from June 9 to June 28, 2008.
A cross-section of prominent participants from the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry who attended the second Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit in Lexington, Ky., on March 17 and 18 have drafted action plans in seven areas to improve conditions in various facets of the Thoroughbred industry.
The summit, which was coordinated and underwritten by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and The Jockey Club, and hosted by Keeneland Association in Lexington, Ky., was held all day Monday and Tuesday morning.
The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is currently in search of caring horsemen and women to provide foster care for some of our many charges who are, for various reasons, no longer able to be ridden. If you love the companionship of Thoroughbreds and have adequate pasture and shelter, you could be in a position to participate in this program.
The handicapping experts from across the land predicted a War Pass victory. The debate was only about the expected margin of victory. The “show” bettors were salivating at the thought of an expected $2.10 show payoff. They call them “bridge jumpers” for good reason because every once in a while the impossible happens. In this case, the horse that was supposed to be unbeatable performs like that ship that was supposed to be unsinkable. Show Bettors wagered $765k on the Tampa Day Derby and incredibly, 94% was on War Pass. This is the largest percentage of “show” dollars wagered on a single horse in many, many years.
Since no serious post race injury was reported, it indicates his poor performance could be connected to the low grade fever he had earlier in the week. This was revealed by Robert LaPenta, War Pass’ owner, during a post race interview. Although Nick Zito and his team would not have run an under par War Pass, horses can’t talk and therefore can’t tell you “I’m not feeling well today.” Given the exercise regimen of a top thoroughbred, it doesn’t take much to knock them off their game. Therefore, I believe Mr. LaPenta. War Pass might have been feeling the effects of his mid-week tummy-ache on Saturday.
CURLIN...trains at Nad Al Sheba prior to the Dubai World Cup, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Monday March 24, 2008.
1- Black jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derbys.
2- It has connections to expedition leaders Lewis & Clark.
(From ESPN)
Sam Thomas jumps from Denman as he celebrates winning the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on day four of the Cheltenham festival at Cheltenham Racecourse on March 14, 2008, in Cheltenham, England. 
The Estate of Alfred Smith is selling it's stock. This bay colt by Meadow Monster, and his dam Allen's Jet. The colt was born February 27 in West Virginia.
Filly by Just a Devil , out of Trillion Cazillion. Born February 9, 2008. Cedarbrook Farm.
(Compiled from various sources)
They held those positions, with less than two lengths separating the first four, until turning for home. As Prado launched his winning move, Leonnatus Anteas backed out of it. Kiss the Kid soon fell slightly back, too, leaving Sir Whimsey and Fairbanks to battle to the finish. Sir Whimsey completed the distance in a moderate 1:56.80. 
THE BIG CAP...William de Burgh's Heatseeker and jockey Rafael Bejarano, right, outrun Go Between, ridden by Garrett Gomez, left, to win the $1,000,000 Santa Anita Handicap.
