The winner takes the spoils
Finally, I’ve watched a race from start to finish, and it was fun.
All a question of timing, really. We were home from a short afternoon in the neighbourhood, and as I flipped through the channels, the “call to the post” was sounding. The field was ready. Drivers all dressed for success. A rainy afternoon, promising slippy moments during the actual race. A crowd of 155,000 in the stands. Some betting; there are those who would bet on snails, if nothing else was available. One fellow actually put $100,000 in a single wager.
The starting line, with a minimum of jockeying for position. Pole place had been decided earlier, and the field was arrayed, awaiting the signal. And they’re off!
For once, an ecological race. No hydrocarbons wasted here. Pure bio fuel. Compared to some races, the drivers were extremely limited: one horse-power, that’s it, that’s all. Today, we’re back to the original concept. The running of the 136th Kentucky Derby. A man, a horse, a pile of money.
The whole thing was over in just 124 seconds. Once around and point your nose. The mud didn’t even seem to play out as a factor. Calvin Borel was a passenger on Super Saver, riding to victory for the third time in four years. What were the odds? Well, about 7-1, which meant that the bet I mentioned turned into $700,000 for the gentleman who couldn’t stop smiling.
I particularly enjoyed the post-race interview with the delirious jockey: both the journalist and the winner still on horseback, with the microphone passed back and forth. You don’t see much of that over in the NASCAR world.
