The Horses Running in the 2013 Kentucky Derby: Part One
The Kentucky Derby is unique in that there are two sets of stars to focus upon when watching While the jockeys provide a human face to interview, the horses are the real workhorses of the event. As the time ticks down to the race on Saturday at Churchill Downs, lets get to know the competitors in the 2013 Kentucky Derby and the latest odds. Here is Part One of PolicyMic’s profile of the horses of the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
Goldencents
Goldencents goes into the Kentucky Derby a 7-1 favorite as of this post. Ridden by Kevin Krigger, if Goldencents takes first place it would make Kevin the second African American to win the Kentucky Derby in over 100 years since Jimmy Winkfeld won in 1902.
Goldencents also has a twitter feed.
Orb:
Orb is a favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, going into the race on a four race winning streak. Ridden by Joel Rosario the odds are currently 7-1 on this much watched horse.
Normandy Invasion
Normandy Invasion goes into today’s race at 8-1 odds. Ridden by Javier Castellano, the horse was named by owner Rick Porter after visiting the Normandy beaches that saw the beginning of the liberation of Europe by the Allies. Porter invited four World War II veterans as guests to the race.
Like many other horses in today’s race Normandy Invasion has a twitter feed.
Verrazano:
At 9-1 odds, Verrazano ridden by John Velazquez is a favorite. And with an unbeaten record it is easy to why. The question in everyone’s mind as the race approaches is whether he will be able to keep his perfect record.
Verrazano is also active on social media.
Itsmyluckyday
Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, Itsmyluckyday has a handful of a name to say and will be a handful at the race with 9-1 odds. Coming in as a runner up at the Florida Derby, Itsmyluckyday hopes to improve from his last standing and take first at the 2013 Kentucky Derby. Itsmyluckyday does not have a twitter unlike many of his competitors.
Mylute
A win by Mylute would make Kentucky Derby history. Mylute’s jockey, Rosie Napravnick would be the first woman in the history of Kentucky Derby to win if Mylute comes in first. Mylute currently has 13-1 odds. Mylute has forgone social media.
Overanalyze
Overanalyze goes into the race at 14-1 odds. Jockeyed by Rafael Bejarano, Overanalyze is a three-year old colt that beat the betting odds to win the Arkansas Derby in 2013. The question remains, was that a fluke or does Overanalyze have it in him to put on a repeat of that performance.
Like many of his competitors, Overanalyze has a Twitter.
Frac Daddy
Possessing perhaps one of the most odd names of this Kentucky Derby, Frac Daddy has odds of 22-1 and will be ridden by. Frac Daddy is owned by two Montana oilmen, Carter Stewart and Ken Schlenker, and is named after the controversial hydraulic fracturing, “fracking,” method of extracting natural gas. He is being ridden by Victor Lebron. Frac Daddy has no social media presence.
Java’s War
Java’s War finished a respectable second to favorite Verrazano in the Tampa Bay Derby this year. He comes off a win at the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes into the Kentucky Derby. At 26-1 he breaches the long shot category, but could surprise if he manages to repeat of his last race.
Oxbow
Oxbow comes off a disastrous performance at the Arkansas Derby with a fifth place placing. At 22-1 he is in the long shot category but has a heartwarming story behind his jockey. His jockey, Gary Stevens, is 50 years old and suffers from chronic knee pain and came out of retirement this year. A win by Oxbow would be an inspiring tale of how skill and not age matters in horse racing.
Oxbow also has a Twitter.
Join us in Part Two of our look at the 2013 Kentucky Derby horses.
