what we can learn from Big Brown

As you surely know, Big Brown came in last at yesterday's Belmont Stakes race. The thoroughbred had won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, so everyone was talking about how there may finally be a Triple Crown winner again. Alas, it wasn't to be. Da'Tara, a 38-1 longshot, won the race.

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who earlier in the week called Big Brown’s victory in the Belmont Stakes a “forgone conclusion,” rushed back to the barn to tend to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, the lowest price Belmont Stakes favorite since Secretariat in 1973. He later told reporters that he couldn’t find anything physically wrong with the colt and was next planning to “scope” him to see if bleeding from his nostrils or throat could have interfered with his breathing.

I think there are several lessons to be learned from this:

• There is very little in life that is a "foregone conclusion," much less a horse race. Like Patrick Henry supposedly said, the only certain things are death and taxes.
• It's never wise to boast, because if you don't follow through, you look like an idiot.
• If you're going to race, you have to prepare, no matter how you've done in the past.
• There's a new new sensation every year.

Big Brown wins!

The Kentucky Derby, that is. Obviously, he's the one I was rooting for. Eight Belles, the filly, came in second, but was tragically injured and had to be euthanized.

the most exciting 2 minutes

Tomorrow is the first Saturday in May, and that means it's time for the Kentucky Derby. Most of the horses have unusual names - which seemes to be the tradition - but there is one that I especially like. I'll let you look at this list and figure out which one.

One of my goals in life is to attend the Derby, hopefully in the stands one day. We visited Louisville last summer, but we didn't go to Churchill Downs. We did visit the Brown Hotel to eat a "Hot Brown" and drink a mint julep. The drink was a tad bit sweet and I'm not sure if I'll ever order one again, but the julep has its admirers.

Update: If you wish, you can follow the live blog.