The Rundown: 5 Things To Know About The Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs is the place to be this weekend for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby.
We have this filly covered,
The Last Night’s Game
Five things about the Kentucky Derby
- The horses in the race are male and three years old. Not older, not younger. Three. Talk about child labor.
- Unlike previous years, there’s no clear-cut front runner in this year’s race. If you need an underdog to cheer for, there’s a one-eyed horse racing in this year’s Derby. He’s aptly named….Patch.
- The mint julep has been the official cocktail of the Derby since 1938. The drink is typically made with Early Times Whiskey and over 120,000 juleps are sold every year at the Derby.
- The Derby is the first race in the quest for the triple crown. Becoming a triple crown winner means that the horse won at the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes.
- We can’t talk Derby without talking fashion. The tradition of hats and colorful attire was started as a goal to attract high–class folks to the track. The tradition stuck and the hats have become bigger and bolder.
For live coverage from Churchill Downs (including how to bet on the race), make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Overtime
- The Chicago Cubs (MLB – Major League Baseball) waited 108 years for a World Series trophy and it only took a concert going crowd a few minutes to damage it. The World Series trophy did some crowd surfing at a recent charity concert and didn’t come back all in one piece. Some people can’t have nice stuff.
Sideline stat
- If you really want to sound like you know what’s happening on the race track, the race is measured in furlongs. There are eight furlongs in a mile and the Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs long. (Say that five times fast).
Coaches’ corner
- With names like Danzing Candy, Ocho Ocho Ocho and My Wife Doesn’t Know it seems like anything goes for a race horse name. There are a lot of rules to abide by when naming a derby horse but some of them are:
- The name can’t exceed 18 characters (including spaces).
- The name can’t be all numbers.
- The name may not end in any horse related terms such as filly or stallion.
For more info, check out this handy article.
The Rundown: Happy May Day
It’s May Day – the start of a new month. You have 31 days to conquer the world using sports to avoid awkward conversation.
You’re welcome,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Leaving it all on the floor. Boston Celtics’ Isiah Thomas channeled his inner hockey player, coming back to dominate the game after losing a tooth. Thomas helped his team win after returning to Boston at 4 am from attending the funeral of his sister who was killed in a car accident two weeks ago.
Wondering when your team will play in the next round of the NBA playoffs? Here you go.
NFL (National Football League)
- Dreaming of success. This draft’s Mr. Irrelevant is Chad Kelly, nephew of football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Kelly is very talented but has had some character issues that made teams uneasy. When he was finally chosen, he was asleep on the couch.
Mr. Irrelevant is the last man chosen in the draft – the 253rd pick. He’s considered irrelevant because the odds are against him to actually make the team.
F1 (Formula One)
- Everyone remembers their first time. It was a big day in Russia yesterday but this has nothing to do with politics. Driver Valtteri Bottas, who started racing in 2013, brought home his first career win in Sochi, Russia.
Overtime
- The most heartwarming pick in the draft came from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They selected James Conner of the University of Pittsburgh in the third round. Conner came back after beating cancer to excel on the field in his senior college season.
Sideline stat
- In Sunday’s Washington Nationals game Anthony Rendon had three home runs and nine RBIs by the fifth inning. (That’s a lot). The last person to do that was Jennifer Lopez’ new boyfriend Alex Rodriguez 12 years ago.
Coaches’ corner
- What is an RBI in baseball? RBI stands for “Run Batted In.” When the batter produces a hit that scores a run, the batter gets an RBI.
The Rundown: Bare Necessities
Friday, we’ve been waiting for you all week. Thanks for coming. We hope you brought coffee and wine.
Only the necessities,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS – Share The Rundown with a friend. Not simply because we make you happy in the mornings, but because there are prizes involved.
NFL (National Football League)
- Welcome to Cleveland. As expected, defensive end Myles Garrett from Texas A&M was selected by the Cleveland Browns as the first pick in the draft. Garrett held to his word and did not attend the draft ceremony. He celebrated at home with friends and family.
- Brotherly love. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted T.J. Watt (younger brother of Houston Texans’ heartthrob J.J. Watt). They join a rare group of NFL players with on-field family ties. The most notable brothers of the gridiron? Eli and Peyton Manning.
- A great night for guys named T.J. Make-A-Wish granted T.J. Onwuanibe's wish when he announced the Baltimore Ravens' draft pick last night. The 14-year-old, whose cancer is thankfully in remission, punctuated his big announcement with an excited fist pump. The video will make you smile.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Friday night lights. The NBA playoffs are still rolling with the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Tonight the Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz all have a chance to claim their spot in the next round tonight. Big night for shooting hoops.
Overtime
- Mpho' “Gift” Ngoepe became the first ever African born player to play in the major leagues (MLB – Major League Baseball). Carrying the weight of his continent on his shoulders, the Pittsburgh Pirate had a hit at his first at bat.
Sideline stat
- ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, had a rough week laying off 100 employees, including on air-talent. This is their second layoff in six months. Paying high prices for broadcast rights (we’re talking $1.4 B for their NBA TV deal) and a drop in cable subscriptions led to the layoffs. This is no longer the ESPN you grew up with. For an interesting article on their demise, click here.
Coaches’ corner
- It’s tradition at the draft to boo the commissioner when he walks on stage at the draft. Philadelphia fans did such a good job, that at times you couldn’t hear commissioner Roger Goodell. The Commish is booed because most fans just don’t like him. He’s the party pooper – the guy who enforces the rules in football. Do not try this at home.