The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition - Derby Style
It’s Kentucky Derby Eve and we’re as enthusiastic as the makers of Advil on the morning after Cinco de Mayo. (No mas tequila por favor). Like a plate of nachos, we’ve got it all for you today including Derby insight from our horse racing expert.
We’re off to the races,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Don’t forget to tag us in your Derby party photos on Instagram (@lastnightsgame) for a chance to be featured.
Kentucky Derby
- We went straight to the source to provide our readers with an insight into the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby from the mind of our three-year-old horse expert. We asked Case, who is the same age as the horses racing, to help us answer our reader questions.
- Q: What does a jockey do? A: He rides on race horses and tells them to go fast.
- Q: Who should we pick to win the derby? A: Danzing Candy, because his last name is candy.
- Q: What are you going to wear for the Kentucky Derby? A: My Arizona State University hat and a nice shirt.
- Q: What's your favorite Kentucky Derby food? A: Carrots, because that’s what horses like to eat.
- Q: How fast do the horses run around the track? A: Sooo fast! I can almost run as fast when I have my soccer shoes on. But sometimes they start off slow and then come from the outside to take the lead.
- Q: How do horses get to Kentucky? A: My favorite horse, American Pharaoh (2015 Triple Crown winner, now retired), takes Air Horse One.
Click here for our post on Five Things to Know About the Kentucky Derby. You can watch the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at 6:34 pm (EST) on NBC.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- For the three. Cleveland Cavaliers hit an NBA record 25 three-pointers against the Atlanta Hawks. Cavaliers take 2-0 series lead (best of seven series).
- More NBA playoff excitement this weekend. You can find the schedule here.
NFL (National Football League)
- Doing good. It’s nice to hear of an athlete using their celebrity for good. Minnesota Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson is donating $100,000 to his hometown of Palestine, Texas after floods destroyed homes and killed six. Beyond the initial donation, he will match donations made to the relief efforts in Palestine, TX though the Salvation Army.
NHL (National Hockey League)
- Blown away. Mr. Carrie Underwood, Mike Fisher, scored the winning goal for his Nashville Predators in the third overtime. He ended his 12-year overtime scoring drought to lead his team to a win over the San Jose Sharks and tie the playoff series 2-2.
Overtime
- National Pro Fastpitch League pitcher Monica Abbot signed the largest contract in league history. The pitcher for the Houston Scrap Yard Dawgs signed a deal for six years, $1 million. Abbott will make the standard salary of $20,000 per year, with huge incentives built into her contract for attendance numbers. The bonus is in play for a small number of games, regardless if she’s pitching or not. Attendance at these games must reach more than 100 fans to qualify.
Sideline stat
- Phoenix Coyotes hire 26-year-old GM (general manager), John Chayka. He is the youngest NHL GM by a long shot - the next closest in age is 42.
In other news of successful youth, Max Verstappen was the youngest Formula One driver in history at 17 and he will now replace Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat for the rest of the season. For the record we may have underwear older than these two superstars.
Coaches’ Corner
- Derby hat? Check. Mint julep recipe? Check. Money to bet on the ponies? Check. We’re sending you off to your Derby party with all that you need so you will look like an expert when you place your bets.
You can pick a horse to -“win” which is a first place finish; “place” which is a second place finish; or “show” which is a third place finish.
You can also pick the “trifecta,” which is a popular bet where you pick the exact order of the top three horses.
- In case you simply want to pick them by names (there are some great ones) here are the odds for each of the horses according to VegasInsider.com. Danzing Candy has 15-1 odds to win and favorite Nyquist (not to be confused with Nyquil) is at 3-1 odds.
- Want more? Here’s some additional horse racing terminology for your perusal.
Five Things to Know About the Kentucky Derby
The ponies are “Running for the Roses” on Saturday and we’re bringing you a Kentucky Derby style five things to know (mint juleps not included). Not only will you be the life of the party with your fabulous Derby hat but with your newly found Derby knowledge.
Place your bets,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five things to know about the Kentucky Derby
1. The Kentucky Derby, run at Churchill Downs Racetrack, is the first race of the Triple Crown. There are 20 horses, all three-years-old, running in the race. Nyquist is the current favorite with 3-1 odds.
2. The track is 1 ¼ miles long. The Derby is commonly referred to as the “most exciting two minutes in sports.” The winner after those quick two minutes, receives a garland of over 400 red roses, a tradition since 1932.
3. The most recent Triple Crown winner, American Pharaoh, won the title in 2015. He is now living the good life, retired on a farm in Kentucky and commanding a $200,000 stud fee.
4. Mint juleps are the official drink of the Derby and are traditionally made with Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, crushed ice, powered sugar and mint. Over 120,000 mint juleps are served at Churchill Downs.
5. We’d be remiss if we didn’t discuss the hats. The long standing tradition started with Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.'s goal to have high-class folks attend the race. The Derby quickly became as much about the fashion as the racing. The Derby hat as we know it, didn’t come around until the 1960s when fashion norms loosened up and bright, big and festive were socially acceptable. (Here are some of the best celebrity sported hats over the years).
Extra credit: We don’t claim to be the expert on everything so Friday you’ll hear from Last Night’s Game horse racing expert, three-year old Case, who will share his tips on Saturday’s race. Don’t miss is - he’s cute and full of insights.
You can watch the 146th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 7th at 6:34 pm (EST) on NBC.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
What just happened? After losing by 32 points in the first game of the series, Oklahoma City Thunder rallied to beat San Antonio Spurs 98-97 in the second game of series. The NBA admits the referees missed a few calls in final 13 seconds of this close game. If you have 13 seconds, watch this circus.
Marching to victory. The Golden State Warriors sailed into victory without their leader Steph Curry last night. The Warriors lead the series vs Trail Blazers 2-0.
Move over MJ. Star of Space Jam Two, LeBron James, and his Cleveland Cavaliers took a 1-0 series lead with a win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Big win. Last night, Miami Heat stunned big fan, Canadian rapper Drake with a win in overtime against the Toronto Raptors.
NFL (National Football League)
A beef with beef. NFL players are being warned that eating too much meat in Mexico or China could keep them off the field. No it’s not their cholesterol they’re worried about but clenbuterol, a banned performance-enhancing substance. The drug-testing program's independent administrator advised players that "consuming large quantities of meat while visiting those particular countries may result in a positive test." This warning was prompted by Houston Texans' player Duane Brown who had a positive PED (Performance Enhancing Drug) test overturned due to his meat consumption in Mexico. It would have been 10-game suspension.
Overtime
On Monday at the Met Gala, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and the Derby’s “First Lady of the Oaks” Kate Upton announced that she and Detroit Tigers' pitcher Justin Verlander are engaged. (She may need a Derby hat for her rock so it doesn’t blind people).
The Met Gala or “Oscars of the East Coast” isn’t just for the Hollywood elite. Check out these athletes who suited up to attend, including retired baseball player Derek Jeter, also engaged to a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. #trending
Sideline stat
Leicester City (pronounced Lester) has clinched the Premier League championship. The team was an underdog from the start; the odds at the beginning of the season for them to clinch the title were 5000-1. If you need further proof, the entire team salary for the year is $54 million, as opposed to the $418 million this year for rival team Manchester City.
Coaches’ Corner
What is the Triple Crown in horse racing? The Triple Crown is a set of three races that include The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes and The Belmont Stakes. Triple Crown winners are horses that have one all three races. Until 2015, there was a 37-year drought in Triple Crown winners when American Pharaoh won (he was the 12th winner in history).
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up
On this Manic Monday, we’re heeding the advice of the Chicago Cubs’ Manager, "If you think you look hot, you wear it.” Although might we advise that you leave the tuxedo t-shirt at home after reading today’s update about the race at Talladega?
It’s not your best look,
The Last Night’s Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball)
If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Chicago Cubs’ Manager Joe Maddon’s motto for road trip attire is "If you think you look hot, you wear it." That motto was taken to heart as the first place Cubs showed off their fashion sense Sunday on their way to Pittsburgh. Check out the fashion show here.
NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Rubbin, son, is racin'. Brad Keselowski won the race at Talladega yesterday. The race was marred by crashes; 35 of the 40 cars in the race were involved in some type of crash.
NBA (National basketball Association)
- Next please. The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs. The two will face each other in the next round on Tuesday.
- Total domination. In the West, San Antonio Spurs smashed the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors creamed the Portland Trailblazers in the opening of their second round series.
NFL (NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE)
- Making history. Minnesota Vikings drafted German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer in the sixth round of the draft. Boehringer started playing football after watching YouTube clips of Vikings’ star running back Adrian Peterson; now they’ll be on the same team. Boehringer is the first player drafted from Europe straight into the NFL.
- His mama thinks he’s important. On Sunday, Denver Broncos made Southern Mississippi cornerback Kalan Reed “Mr. Irrelevant.” The title is given to the last pick of the NFL draft.
- Curious how the draft panned out? You can browse all the draft picks here.
WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)
That makes for a bad day. During the Sunday’s opening match of WWE’s Payback, wrestler Enzo Amore injured his neck and suffered a concussion when we was thrown out of the ring. The pay-per-view broadcast was halted as he was given medical treatment and taken to the hospital.
Overtime
- The “Running Man Challenge” swept the nation, with dancers and non-dancers alike posting videos of themselves doing the running man to the song "My Boo” (1995). Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving showed them how it’s done. Hey if basketball doesn’t work out, those dancing skills could come in handy.
Sideline stat
- Los Angeles Dodgers snapped their six game losing streak on Sunday with a 1-0 win over the San Diego Padres. It was a D.I.Y. kind of day for starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who threw a complete game shutout (i.e. the other team didn’t score a run) and drove in the game’s only run.
Coaches’ corner
Los Angeles Lakers have hired Luke Walton, 36, as their next head coach. Walton played nine seasons for the Lakers, winning two championships. Walton served as interim head coach for the Golden State Warriors while head coach Steve Kerr recovered from back surgery. The team went 39-4 under Walton’s watch. Walton is also the son of NBA Hall of Famer, Bill Walton.