His Mother Was a Mudder, His Father Was a Mudder....

I was hoping to post my Derby picks tonight, but I'm not there yet. Fortunately, there are still 45 hours until post-time (an eternity).

Random nuggets to hold you over:

This is the deepest field I've ever seen. There are unusual race dynamics at play; a lot of the favorites come from way off the pace. I need the next 45 hours to second guess myself even more. The forecast in Louisville is calling for more rain. Everyone needs to be on the lookout for a good mudder.

Bound for the Oaks tomorrow. I'll check out the track conditions and continue to scrutinize the Derby field. I also have to make good on a yearly Oaks contract with my friend, mint julep. Said another way: the chances of posting any Derby picks tomorrow are slim. Expect them Saturday morning.

Here are my notes from the post-position draw:

The Sedgefield clan may not see much TV time on Saturday, but they made a splash at the Draw by sending up two 18 year-old southern belles to choose the #1 post. Very nice, very nice.

Hard Spun’s trainer, Larry Jones showed up in a cowboy hat and then proceeded to scare me shitless. When asked whether Hard Spun’s 5f workout on Monday was too fast, Jones responded with, “I think it was fine. I asked a couple other trainers and they thought it was alright.” OTHER TRAINERS!!!!

ESPN announcer Jeannine Edwards was sneaky hot in person.

Steve Asmussen, trainer for Curlin & Zanjero, earns bonus points and some good karma for going out of his way to sign autographs after the telecast, specifically targeting a young man in a wheelchair.

Kenny Mayne ripped off more one-liners than a Jim Mora press conference.

Finally, to my chagrin, 4 Street Live was a good venue for the proceedings. Located in the heart of downtown, people were able to drift by after work. Five for Fighting was also waiting to take the stage after the ESPN crew dispersed. In short, there was plenty of room for a big crowd and multiple means of entertainment.

Nice call Louisville.