Time to break out the mint juleps, for its Derby time this Saturday. And so here is some useful information below about the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby, or, if you will, "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports".
Race time is 6pm EST. NBC will be broadcasting. Churchill Downs, which hosts the Derby, has lots of helpful information about the race on its website. If you want to sound informed at your Derby party, keep in mind that the Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown (Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes are the other legs).
What else? Oh, you are probably wondering who is running.
Here is a list of the 20-strong field.
1 West Side Bernie
2 Musket Man
3 Mr. Hot Stuff
4 Advice
5 Hold Me Back
6 Friesan Fire
7 Papa Clem
8 Mine That Bird
9 Join in the Dance
10 Regal Ransom
11 Chocolate Candy
12 General Quarters
13 I Want Revenge
14 Atomic Rain
15 Dunkirk
16 Pioneerof the Nile
17 Summer Bird
18 Nowhere to Hide
19 Desert Party
20 Flying Private
This year's favorite is I Want Revenge, with 3-1 odds. See the odds for the whole field here.
Interesting betting fact, courtesy of Bloomberg's Vince Golle: "A bet two months ago on Kentucky Derby favorite I Want Revenge would return a 1,375 percent gain at current odds. "
Should you want to know more about the horses running (and why wouldn't you), the Louisville Courier-Journal has a fantastic and comprehensive survey of the field. In fact, the paper's website has a number of great features to keep any Derby fan entertained until tomorrow evening rolls around.
As for the look of this year's field, Reuters' Steve Ginsburg says it has "a solid yet unspectacular crop of three-year-olds."
Want some help picking a winner? The Wall Street Journal has done the analysis and found that betting on the right horse might be easier than you think: "Bet on the horse that ran the fastest before the Derby. Or if that's too complicated, just bet on the favorite." Read the full breakdown of why this is here.
The Derby is known for a certain amount of glamour and decadence, but this year racing fans are feeling the recession pinch and are cutting back, the Washington Times writes. For example:
A free breakfast offered under tents on Derby morning has been cut, with this year's diners eating on picnic tables and paying for their meals.
Derby corporate sponsorships are off, and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association dinner was canceled this year.
But have no fear, you can still make it a party. And there's no better place to start than with a recipe for a fine mint julep.