This past Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs lived up to expectations on a number of different levels. The return to the traditional first Saturday in May tops the list much like the Masters at Augusta back in early April.
Although the crowd was limited, live fans in attendance for horse racing's biggest event of the year added to the sense of normalcy that has been missing from the world of sports over the past 12 months.
The competition was superb. Once again, the results of the race prove that there is no such thing as a lock when it comes to betting on sports. Essential Quality finished fourth as a 5-2 favorite. Medina Spirit found his championship form at much longer 12-1 closing odds.
The race itself lived up to its billing as the most exciting two minutes in sports. The top three colts had to work hard to finish in the money and bettors going their way were rewarded for their handicapping skills.
I myself came away a winner on Saturday after cashing in bets on Medina Spirit as my Show horse in this race. I also wagered on Hot Rod Charlie to finish in the money. While I picked Essential Quality to win in my race preview, I backed away on any actual bets come Derby Day.
The Kentucky Derby is the Crown Jewel and the first of three races in the Triple Crown series for the best three-year old Thoroughbreds in this year's class.
Next, it is on to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore for the running of the Preakness Stakes. That leg of the Triple Crown is set for Saturday, May 15 as part of an excellent live card of racing at this track.
The final leg is the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York This race is set for Saturday, June 5. Returning to a distance of 1 1/2 miles on the dirt track at Belmont, this will the toughest test if Medina Spirit can keep his Triple Crown run alive by winning the Preakness.
I will be handicapping the next two Triple Crown events as part of my weekly horse racing coverage for ScoresandStats.com as a highly popular sports betting information site.
For this week's piece, I did an in-depth recap of the 2021 Kentucky Derby as well as an early look at the betting futures for the Preakness States. Below is the link to this post:
No comments:
Post a Comment