The 137th Kentucky Derby has come and gone and the winner is Animal Kingdom. The 20-1 long shot jockeyed by John Velazquez beat out favorites such as Nehro and Dialed In to be the first Kentucky Derby win for Velazquez. Velazquez was scheduled to ride Uncle Mo but the horse was scratched because of a lingering stomach problem. He took the reins of Animal Kingdom when the horses regular jockey, Robby Albarado was thrown from his horse and kicked in the face resulting in a broken nose three days prior to the running of the Derby.
Animal Kingdom and John Velazquez took to one another straight away. Animal Kingdom had never raced on a dirt track but he ran the 1 1/4 mile Derby in 2:02.04. The largest crowed in Kentucky Derby history, 168,858, watched Animal Kingdom and John Velazquez win the Roses.
A couple of frightening moments in the Derby: Archarcharch started from the inside rail and was vanned off the track with a leg fracture that will require non-life-threatening surgery. Comma to the Top also chipped his left ankle, an injury which will sideline him for a couple of months.
A heartfelt congratulations to John Velazquez and Animal Kingdom! Well done!
The final standings for the 2011 Kentucky Derby are:
1st Place: Animal Kingdom
2nd Place: Nehro
3rd Place: Mucho Macho Man
4th Place: Pacesetter Shackleford
5th Place: Master of Hounds
6th Place: Santiva
7th Place: Brilliant Speed
8th Place: Dialed In
9th Place: Pants on Fire
10th Place: Twice the Appeal
11th Place: Soldat
12th Place: Stay Thirsty
13th Place: Derby Kitten
14th Place: Decisive Moment
15th Place: Archarcharch
16th Place: Midnight Interlude
17th Place: Twinspired
18th Place: Watch Me Go
19th Place: Comma to the Top
For more information on the Kentucky Derby: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/
Showing posts with label Horses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horses. Show all posts
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The 2011 Kentucky Derby
It's that time of year again! In a little over two days, the fastest, and greatest, as they say, two minutes in sports will begin and end for another year. The celebrities have already turned out for the pre-Derby festivities and you can be certain that when Derby day arrives, they'll be out in full force.
Last year, the weather played a major role in the Derby. Near flood conditions plagued the track but the horses and jockey's got out and gave it their all to give sports and Derby fans a wild race. This year, race fans are hoping for a dry day and dry track.
Last year, I wrote a bit about the history behind the Kentucky Derby so I won't go into that again this year. Instead, I'll simply list the post positions and say I wish the Derby goers a sunny day of excitement.
So, pick your horse, place your bets, put on your massively gaudy hat, grab your Mint Julep and sit back and get ready for the 137th annual Run for the Roses!
2011 Kentucky Derby Post Positions
01 - Archarcharch, Jon Court (jockey), Jinks Fires (trainer), 10-1 (odds)
02 - Brilliant Speed, Joel Rosario (jockey), Tom Albertrani (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
03 - Twice the Appeal, Calvin Borel (jockey), Jeff Bonde (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
04 - Stay Thirsty, Ramon Dominguez (jockey), Todd Pletcher (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
05 - Decisive Moment, Kerwin Clark (jockey), Juan Arias (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
06 - Comma to the Top, Pat Valenzuela (jockey), Peter Miller (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
07 - Pants on Fire, Rosie Napravnik (jockey), Kelly Breen (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
08 - Dialed In, Julian Leparoux (jockey), Nick Zito (trainer), 4-1 (odds)
09 - Derby Kitten, Javier Castellano (jockey), Michael J. Maker (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
10 - Twinspired, Mike Smith (jockey), Mike Maker (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
11 - Master of Hounds, Garrett Gomez (jockey), Aidan O'Brien (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
12 - Santiva, Shaun Bridgmogan (jockey), Eddie Kenneally (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
13 - Mucho Macho Man, Rajiv Maragh (jockey), Kathy Ritvo (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
14 - Shakleford, Jesus Castanon (jockey), Dale Romans (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
15 - Midnight Interlude, Victor Espinoza (jockey), Bob Baffert (trainer), 10-1 (odds)
16 - Animal Kingdom, Robby Albarado (jockey), Graham Motion (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
17 - Soldat, Alan Garcia (jockey), Kiaran McLaughlin (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
18 - Uncle Moe, John Velazquez (jockey), Todd Pletcher (trainer), 9-2 (odds)
19 - Nehro, Corey Nakatani (jockey), Steve Asmussen (trainer), 6-1 (odds)
20 - Watch Me Go, Rafael Bejarano (jockey), Kathleen O'Connell (trainer), 50-1 (odds)
The Kentucky Derby runs on May 7, 2011.
Last year, the weather played a major role in the Derby. Near flood conditions plagued the track but the horses and jockey's got out and gave it their all to give sports and Derby fans a wild race. This year, race fans are hoping for a dry day and dry track.
Last year, I wrote a bit about the history behind the Kentucky Derby so I won't go into that again this year. Instead, I'll simply list the post positions and say I wish the Derby goers a sunny day of excitement.
So, pick your horse, place your bets, put on your massively gaudy hat, grab your Mint Julep and sit back and get ready for the 137th annual Run for the Roses!
2011 Kentucky Derby Post Positions
01 - Archarcharch, Jon Court (jockey), Jinks Fires (trainer), 10-1 (odds)
02 - Brilliant Speed, Joel Rosario (jockey), Tom Albertrani (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
03 - Twice the Appeal, Calvin Borel (jockey), Jeff Bonde (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
04 - Stay Thirsty, Ramon Dominguez (jockey), Todd Pletcher (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
05 - Decisive Moment, Kerwin Clark (jockey), Juan Arias (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
06 - Comma to the Top, Pat Valenzuela (jockey), Peter Miller (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
07 - Pants on Fire, Rosie Napravnik (jockey), Kelly Breen (trainer), 20-1 (odds)
08 - Dialed In, Julian Leparoux (jockey), Nick Zito (trainer), 4-1 (odds)
09 - Derby Kitten, Javier Castellano (jockey), Michael J. Maker (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
10 - Twinspired, Mike Smith (jockey), Mike Maker (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
11 - Master of Hounds, Garrett Gomez (jockey), Aidan O'Brien (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
12 - Santiva, Shaun Bridgmogan (jockey), Eddie Kenneally (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
13 - Mucho Macho Man, Rajiv Maragh (jockey), Kathy Ritvo (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
14 - Shakleford, Jesus Castanon (jockey), Dale Romans (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
15 - Midnight Interlude, Victor Espinoza (jockey), Bob Baffert (trainer), 10-1 (odds)
16 - Animal Kingdom, Robby Albarado (jockey), Graham Motion (trainer), 30-1 (odds)
17 - Soldat, Alan Garcia (jockey), Kiaran McLaughlin (trainer), 12-1 (odds)
18 - Uncle Moe, John Velazquez (jockey), Todd Pletcher (trainer), 9-2 (odds)
19 - Nehro, Corey Nakatani (jockey), Steve Asmussen (trainer), 6-1 (odds)
20 - Watch Me Go, Rafael Bejarano (jockey), Kathleen O'Connell (trainer), 50-1 (odds)
The Kentucky Derby runs on May 7, 2011.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
ASPCA-Sponsored Petition Regarding Horse Roundups
Yesterday, I posted about horse roundups being conducted by the United States government (Bureau of Land Management, BLM). I was hoping to have a link to an online petition at the time I wrote the post but I didn't. Well, I've got one now.
If you'd like to sign the ASPCA sponsored petition you can do so here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/517/697/713/.
If you'd like to sign the ASPCA sponsored petition you can do so here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/517/697/713/.
ASPCA-Sponsored Petition Regarding Horse Roundups
Yesterday, I posted about horse roundups being conducted by the United States government (Bureau of Land Management, BLM). I was hoping to have a link to an online petition at the time I wrote the post but I didn't. Well, I've got one now.
If you'd like to sign the ASPCA sponsored petition you can do so here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/517/697/713/.
If you'd like to sign the ASPCA sponsored petition you can do so here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/517/697/713/.
Horses vs. Helicopters: Roundup in the US West
In ten of the fifty United States there is a showdown going on. It's between some 40,000 wild horses and the cowboys who are trying to round them up. But this isn't the kind of showdown we've all read about or seen in movies depicting the Old West. The cowboys aren't riding horses wrangling the animals to where they want them to go. The cowboys doing this roundup are swooping down on the horses in helicopters in this high-tech showdown. For the past month, the cowboys have been working in the states of California and Nevada and have caught over 1,200 wild horses.
Just how do the roundups work? Horses are spotted from helicopters then driven toward the trap site through a funnel shaped opening into a temporary corral. Once in there, a "judas horse" is released to lead the wild horses into the trap where they must become accustomed to their new lives. ("Judas horses" are animals specially trained to lead other horses into these traps.) Sometimes the horses manage to outsmart the helicopters and can escape. Most of the time, however, they do not.
According to animal rights activists, the roundups are cruel, expensive and unnecessary. Activists cite the hard running the horses do and the distance they travel as being unnecessarily stressful on the animals, particularly the young horses.
The government disagrees, however. On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, lawyers for the Obama administration argued that leaving the herds of wild horses on public range land would do the animals more harm than good. Administration lawyers filed papers in court stating the population of horses "will have devastating impacts on the other resources in the area and on the wild horses themselves". A roundup organized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the following day, August 11, 2010.
The current roundup hasn't been without tragedy. Seven horses have died in this roundup alone. Last winter, a roundup in Nevada caused more than 100 horse deaths.
According to the government, horses that are captured are offered for adoption. If they aren't adopted, they are housed on large private ranches, most often in Kansas and Oklahoma. The cost of holding 34,500 captured horses and burros in 2009 alone was a full 70% of the programs $40.6 million budget.
About the only thing both sides of this issue can agree on is that the population of wild horses and burros is great. Once that agreement is out of the way, the disagreements start. Critics of the program say the government is catering to the livestock ranchers over the animals who inhabit the land naturally. The livestock ranchers pay the government to graze their cattle on public land while the government receives no money for the wild horses that live there.
In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed into federal law protecting the dwindling population of wild horses and made it against the law for anyone to round up horses for sport or profit.
I can't help but think that if a private individual was the one doing the helicopter roundups and running these horses to gather them for themselves (regardless of what they did with them) the administration would have them in court faster than you could say "giddyup". I guess it's okay, though, for the government themselves to do it. That's different.
Sources:
(I've included both the original NYT article and the MSNBC.com reprint because I find the reader comments included in the MSNBC article not only add to the discussion but are a very interesting gauge of public opinion on this issue.)
Horse Advocates Pull for Underdog in Roundups (New York Times Original Article)
Helicopters vs. Mustangs: Cruel, expensive and unnecessary, animal activists say (MSNBC)
Feds: Postponing CA-NV roundup will harm mustangs
Judge allows wild horse roundup in Nevada
Just how do the roundups work? Horses are spotted from helicopters then driven toward the trap site through a funnel shaped opening into a temporary corral. Once in there, a "judas horse" is released to lead the wild horses into the trap where they must become accustomed to their new lives. ("Judas horses" are animals specially trained to lead other horses into these traps.) Sometimes the horses manage to outsmart the helicopters and can escape. Most of the time, however, they do not.
According to animal rights activists, the roundups are cruel, expensive and unnecessary. Activists cite the hard running the horses do and the distance they travel as being unnecessarily stressful on the animals, particularly the young horses.
The government disagrees, however. On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, lawyers for the Obama administration argued that leaving the herds of wild horses on public range land would do the animals more harm than good. Administration lawyers filed papers in court stating the population of horses "will have devastating impacts on the other resources in the area and on the wild horses themselves". A roundup organized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the following day, August 11, 2010.
The current roundup hasn't been without tragedy. Seven horses have died in this roundup alone. Last winter, a roundup in Nevada caused more than 100 horse deaths.
According to the government, horses that are captured are offered for adoption. If they aren't adopted, they are housed on large private ranches, most often in Kansas and Oklahoma. The cost of holding 34,500 captured horses and burros in 2009 alone was a full 70% of the programs $40.6 million budget.
About the only thing both sides of this issue can agree on is that the population of wild horses and burros is great. Once that agreement is out of the way, the disagreements start. Critics of the program say the government is catering to the livestock ranchers over the animals who inhabit the land naturally. The livestock ranchers pay the government to graze their cattle on public land while the government receives no money for the wild horses that live there.
In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed into federal law protecting the dwindling population of wild horses and made it against the law for anyone to round up horses for sport or profit.
I can't help but think that if a private individual was the one doing the helicopter roundups and running these horses to gather them for themselves (regardless of what they did with them) the administration would have them in court faster than you could say "giddyup". I guess it's okay, though, for the government themselves to do it. That's different.
Sources:
(I've included both the original NYT article and the MSNBC.com reprint because I find the reader comments included in the MSNBC article not only add to the discussion but are a very interesting gauge of public opinion on this issue.)
Horse Advocates Pull for Underdog in Roundups (New York Times Original Article)
Helicopters vs. Mustangs: Cruel, expensive and unnecessary, animal activists say (MSNBC)
Feds: Postponing CA-NV roundup will harm mustangs
Judge allows wild horse roundup in Nevada
Horses vs. Helicopters: Roundup in the US West
In ten of the fifty United States there is a showdown going on. It's between some 40,000 wild horses and the cowboys who are trying to round them up. But this isn't the kind of showdown we've all read about or seen in movies depicting the Old West. The cowboys aren't riding horses wrangling the animals to where they want them to go. The cowboys doing this roundup are swooping down on the horses in helicopters in this high-tech showdown. For the past month, the cowboys have been working in the states of California and Nevada and have caught over 1,200 wild horses.
Just how do the roundups work? Horses are spotted from helicopters then driven toward the trap site through a funnel shaped opening into a temporary corral. Once in there, a "judas horse" is released to lead the wild horses into the trap where they must become accustomed to their new lives. ("Judas horses" are animals specially trained to lead other horses into these traps.) Sometimes the horses manage to outsmart the helicopters and can escape. Most of the time, however, they do not.
According to animal rights activists, the roundups are cruel, expensive and unnecessary. Activists cite the hard running the horses do and the distance they travel as being unnecessarily stressful on the animals, particularly the young horses.
The government disagrees, however. On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, lawyers for the Obama administration argued that leaving the herds of wild horses on public range land would do the animals more harm than good. Administration lawyers filed papers in court stating the population of horses "will have devastating impacts on the other resources in the area and on the wild horses themselves". A roundup organized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the following day, August 11, 2010.
The current roundup hasn't been without tragedy. Seven horses have died in this roundup alone. Last winter, a roundup in Nevada caused more than 100 horse deaths.
According to the government, horses that are captured are offered for adoption. If they aren't adopted, they are housed on large private ranches, most often in Kansas and Oklahoma. The cost of holding 34,500 captured horses and burros in 2009 alone was a full 70% of the programs $40.6 million budget.
About the only thing both sides of this issue can agree on is that the population of wild horses and burros is great. Once that agreement is out of the way, the disagreements start. Critics of the program say the government is catering to the livestock ranchers over the animals who inhabit the land naturally. The livestock ranchers pay the government to graze their cattle on public land while the government receives no money for the wild horses that live there.
In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed into federal law protecting the dwindling population of wild horses and made it against the law for anyone to round up horses for sport or profit.
I can't help but think that if a private individual was the one doing the helicopter roundups and running these horses to gather them for themselves (regardless of what they did with them) the administration would have them in court faster than you could say "giddyup". I guess it's okay, though, for the government themselves to do it. That's different.
Sources:
(I've included both the original NYT article and the MSNBC.com reprint because I find the reader comments included in the MSNBC article not only add to the discussion but are a very interesting gauge of public opinion on this issue.)
Horse Advocates Pull for Underdog in Roundups (New York Times Original Article)
Helicopters vs. Mustangs: Cruel, expensive and unnecessary, animal activists say (MSNBC)
Feds: Postponing CA-NV roundup will harm mustangs
Judge allows wild horse roundup in Nevada
Just how do the roundups work? Horses are spotted from helicopters then driven toward the trap site through a funnel shaped opening into a temporary corral. Once in there, a "judas horse" is released to lead the wild horses into the trap where they must become accustomed to their new lives. ("Judas horses" are animals specially trained to lead other horses into these traps.) Sometimes the horses manage to outsmart the helicopters and can escape. Most of the time, however, they do not.
According to animal rights activists, the roundups are cruel, expensive and unnecessary. Activists cite the hard running the horses do and the distance they travel as being unnecessarily stressful on the animals, particularly the young horses.
The government disagrees, however. On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, lawyers for the Obama administration argued that leaving the herds of wild horses on public range land would do the animals more harm than good. Administration lawyers filed papers in court stating the population of horses "will have devastating impacts on the other resources in the area and on the wild horses themselves". A roundup organized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the following day, August 11, 2010.
The current roundup hasn't been without tragedy. Seven horses have died in this roundup alone. Last winter, a roundup in Nevada caused more than 100 horse deaths.
According to the government, horses that are captured are offered for adoption. If they aren't adopted, they are housed on large private ranches, most often in Kansas and Oklahoma. The cost of holding 34,500 captured horses and burros in 2009 alone was a full 70% of the programs $40.6 million budget.
About the only thing both sides of this issue can agree on is that the population of wild horses and burros is great. Once that agreement is out of the way, the disagreements start. Critics of the program say the government is catering to the livestock ranchers over the animals who inhabit the land naturally. The livestock ranchers pay the government to graze their cattle on public land while the government receives no money for the wild horses that live there.
In 1971, the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed into federal law protecting the dwindling population of wild horses and made it against the law for anyone to round up horses for sport or profit.
I can't help but think that if a private individual was the one doing the helicopter roundups and running these horses to gather them for themselves (regardless of what they did with them) the administration would have them in court faster than you could say "giddyup". I guess it's okay, though, for the government themselves to do it. That's different.
Sources:
(I've included both the original NYT article and the MSNBC.com reprint because I find the reader comments included in the MSNBC article not only add to the discussion but are a very interesting gauge of public opinion on this issue.)
Horse Advocates Pull for Underdog in Roundups (New York Times Original Article)
Helicopters vs. Mustangs: Cruel, expensive and unnecessary, animal activists say (MSNBC)
Feds: Postponing CA-NV roundup will harm mustangs
Judge allows wild horse roundup in Nevada
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