Triple Crown winner Secretariat-1973
Back when I was a little girl, I was absolutely horse-crazy. To this day, like so many others, I enjoy watching the Triple Crown races, particularly the Kentucky Derby!
Since it’s Flashback Friday, I thought I’d share memories of the most famous thoroughbred, perhaps the most famous horse of all time, Secretariat!
Known as “Big Red” for his size, power and speed, although he wasn’t the odds-on favorite, people had pegged him as a top contender for the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat’s come-from-behind style only became more thrilling with each leg of the Triple Crown, but this footage of the 1973 Kentucky Derby illustrates the excitement of watching “Big Red” race!
Rosie Napravnik
This year’s Kentucky Derby may or may not prove to have such an equine star, but among the many male jockeys, this year’s race features a real contender for the first female jockey to ever win the Derby! In a sport that almost actively thwarts women from becoming jockeys, 25-year-old Rosie Napravnik began racing under a pseudonym, “A.R.” so no one would know she was a woman. Over the past several years, Rosie has not only had big successes as a female jockey, this year she was the fifth highest prize earner of all jockeys, male or female.
In 2011, Rosie raced in the Kentucky Derby on a horse humorously named, “Pants on Fire”, coming in ninth place, the highest any female jockey has ever placed in the Derby. Although her mount for the Kentucky Derby, Mylute is not favored to win (currently 15-1 odds) there are those who won’t count her out.
So break out the funny hats, stir up some mint juleps and kick back and watch this year’s Kentucky Derby – you just might be watching history in the making!
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