Every year, there are many human interest stories behind the horses and connections involved with the Kentucky Derby. Instead of summing up the final Pre-Derby workouts (Big Brown had a blow-out 3f work in :35.33 yesterday, Smooth Air went 3f in :37.99 seconds), I thought that I would round up some of the stories behind the entrants this year:
Colonel John is named after Lt. Col. John Geider, a soldier who helped Bill and Susan Casner (part owners of WinStar Farm who have Colonel John and Court Vision in tomorrow’s Derby) after they lost their daughter Kerri in a terrorist bombing in Indonesia in 2002. You will be able to spot the initials “KC” on the shoulders of Corey Nakatani’s silks, which are in there tribute to the casner’s daughter. (drf.com)
Cowboy Cal is named after Cal McNair, the son of Robert and Janice McNair (Stonerside Stable, and owners of Cowboy Cal). “Cowboy Cal” is a nickname given to Cal by John Long, a childhood friend, more than 30 years ago. Long underwent treatment for cancer at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston, but died at age 3. The McNairs will be donating any Derby earnings by their homebred colt to the cancer center. (drf.com)
Gayego’s owners left Brazil in 1970s after Carlos Juelle was forced into labor camp for two years by Fidel Castro after applying for an exit visa from Brazil, and physician Jose Prieto, who cared for soldiers fighting against Castro, was sentenced to death by firing squad and only survived because of lobbying by an in-law who was a high-ranking official in the Castro government. After being imprisoned for five years, he was allowed to leave Cuba in 1973. They met in Southern California and have purchased one moderately priced yearling at the Keeneland yearling sale every year since 1991. Juelle and Prieto bought Gayego in 2006 for $32,000. (drf.com)
I know that these are just a few of the many human interest stories there and I will try to locate a few more tonight, but right now I am off to Arlington Park to catch the Kentucky Oaks (and maybe throw down a wager on Bsharpsonata over Proud Spell and a few others).