The little bay is one of the smallest horses in this year's Derby field. He's also the third Louisiana-bred ever to start in the Run for the Roses. He has some early speed, which he'll have to use at the break on Saturday to avoid getting hemmed in on the rail.
The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1 1⁄2 miles (2.4 kilometres), the same distance as the Epsom Derby. The distance was changed in 1896 to its current 1 1⁄4 miles (2.0 kilometres). On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. Under jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides, who was trained by future Hall of Famer Ansel Williamson, won the inaugural Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Think of the Kentucky Derby as the NFL Draft, except with big hats and mint juleps. In most of his games, he has looked like a grown man among adolescents, awaiting a bigger stage on which to ply his trade and earn recognition (along with buckets of money). It is clear that he is the best player in the country and come draft night, he will be the No. 1 overall selection. The winner, as it were. He gets the blanket of roses.
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