Friday, May 14, 2021

All My Years at the Kentucky Derby

I have been to the Kentucky Derby a total of 12 years. That's a lot. I started in 2007 and missed one year due to my own fault missing a flight. Each year has been filled with memories that I am truly fortunate to have and now I am putting them online so that I can remember them when I am too old to remember.


2021 Kentucky Derby 147
Winning Horse: Medina Spirit

This is another year I missed due to COVID-19. The race still went on and there were more people admitted this year, but I did not make the trip. Medina Spirit, another Bob Baffert horse, later tested positive for drugs and is now waiting results on a second drug test. The Preakness is tomorrow and we are all waiting to see if Medina Spirit will race or can race.


2020 Kentucky Derby 146
Winning Horse: Authentic

This was the year that entire world shutdown for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kentucky Derby still raced, but it was with very limited crowds and mostly just for TV viewing. 


2019 Kentucky Derby 145
Winning Horse: Country House

It as another rainy Derby. Chris Mull got us umbrella hats which we now know are not allowed. Maximum Security was disqualified when he cut in front of several other horses. That was the first time that rule had ever been enforced at the Derby. This was the first Derby for Momma, April, Missy, Kyle and Wes.
Stories and Pictures




2018 Kentucky Derby 144
Winning Horse: Justify

This Derby had torrential, record-setting rain. Justify went on to win the Triple Crown. I was there for that race, too. This was the first Derby for Chris, Tracy and Kelly.
Stories and Pictures




2017 Kentucky Derby 143
Winning Horse: Always Dreaming
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John R. Velazquez

This was great weather for a Derby. This was the first Derby for Mike, Maureen, Cayla and Jordan.
We all stayed at Bill and Jeanne's condo.



2016 Kentucky Derby 142
Winning Horse: Nyquist
Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez

This is the Derby when we entered through the kitchen and we were kicked out of a restaurant near Bill and Jeanne's condo. It was Donna's first Derby.







2015 Kentucky Derby 141
Winning Horse: American Pharoah
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Victor Espinoza

American Pharoah went on to win the Triple Crown. I was there. That was my first Triple Crown.
This was the first year that we all stayed in Bill and Jeanne's new condo.







2014 Kentucky Derby 140
Winning Horse: California Chrome
Trainer: Art Sherman
Jockey: Victor Espinoza

This was the year that Bill and Jeanne sold their big house in Indiana. We all helped them move out of that house on Sunday, the day after Derby.




2013 Kentucky Derby 139
Winning Horse: Orb
Trainer: Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey III
Jockey: Joel Rosario

This is the year that the taxi driver (before Uber) found Lisa's cell phone in his car and kept it and it was a big ordeal finding it. I think this was the first year we stayed at Travis' parent's home in Indiana across the river.




2012 Kentucky Derby 138
Winning Horse: I'll Have Another
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez

This is the year that I rented a Mercedes and Melissa and I drove up to Kentucky. It is a LONG drive from Pensacola and I've pretty much decided to always fly from now on. I did get to see the replica of the Parthenon in Nashville on the way back. That was pretty cool.








2011 Kentucky Derby 137
Winning Horse: Animal Kingdom
Trainer: H. Graham Motion
Jockey: John Velazquez

This may have been the year I missed Derby due to my fault missing a flight. I thought the flight was for Friday morning but it was really for Thursday morning and I did not check until Thursday night. There were no other flight options available.

2010 Kentucky Derby 136
Winning Horse: Super Saver
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Calvin Borel

I still have not found photos to show for this year. Maybe I missed two years, but I doubt it.



2009 Kentucky Derby 135
Winning Horse: Mine That Bird
Trainer: Bennie Woolley Jr.
Jockey: Calvin Borel

This year, Derek, Debbie, Regina went to Derby. I think it was the year Tank found a $100 winning ticket in the dirt in the infield.






2008 Kentucky Derby 134
Winning Horse: Big Brown
Trainer: Richard Dutrow, Jr.
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux






2007 Kentucky Derby 133 (My First Derby!)
Winning Horse: Street Sense
Trainer: Carl Nafzger
Jockey: Calvin Borel

I know I was at the 2007 Kentucky Derby because that was the same year that Queen Elizabeth went to the Derby. We did not meet, but I joked that she cut in front of me for the port-o-pottie in the infield. I'm pretty sure this was my first year as I did not meet Derek and Debbie until the cruise in December 2006 and they are the ones who invited me to Derby. I do have the 2007 Kentucky Derby Program Guide as well.



PLUS, I found where I marked it in my day planner for 2017. I flew up on Friday, the 4th; and was probably going to fly back on the 7th, but may have driven to Cleveland for work and then back to Pensacola on the 11th. I've stopped using day planners in recent years, but I may have to pick them back up so I can remember what happened ten years ago or more.




2006 Kentucky Derby 132
Winning Horse: Barbaro
Trainer: Michael Matz
Jockey: Edgar Prado

I'm fairly certain I did not attend the 2006 Derby as I do not think I had met Derrek and Debbie and been invited to Derby yet. I can't rule it out though that I did go. I'm still looking for pictures or proof to back it up. I did find my 2006 day planner and there was no reference to the Derby so it is looking like 2007 was my first year at the Derby.


YearWinnerJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
2018 Justify * Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farms 2:04.20
2017 Always Dreaming John R. Velazquez Todd Pletcher Brooklyn Boyz Stables 2:03.59
2016 Nyquist Mario Gutierrez Doug F. O'Neill Reddam Racing LLC 2:01:31
2015 American Pharoah * Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert Ahmed Zayat 2:03.02
2014 California Chrome Victor Espinoza Art Sherman Steve and Carolyn Coburn & Perry and Denise Martin 2:03.66
2013 Orb Joel Rosario Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey III Stuart Janney III & Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps) 2:02.89
2012 I'll Have Another Mario Gutierrez Doug O'Neill J. Paul Reddam 2:01.83
2011 Animal Kingdom John Velazquez H. Graham Motion Team Valor International 2:02.04
2010 Super Saver Calvin Borel Todd Pletcher WinStar Farm LLC. 2:04.45
2009 Mine That Bird Calvin Borel Bennie Woolley Jr. Double Eagle Ranch & Bueno Suerte Equine 2:02.66
2008 Big Brown Kent Desormeaux Richard Dutrow, Jr. IEAH Stable (Michael Iavarone) and Paul P. Pompa Jr. 2:01.82
2007 Street Sense Calvin Borel Carl Nafzger James B. Tafel 2:02.17
2006 Barbaro Edgar Prado Michael Matz Lael Stables (Roy & Gretchen Jackson) 2:01.36
Stats courtesy of KentuckyDerby.com

* Triple Crown Winners. I attended the Triple Crown races for 2015 and 2018.