The Cat-ucky Derby?

Forget the Run for the Roses. This year's Kentucky Derby should be called the Run for the Kittens -- that is if Fear the Kitten joins his half-brother, Charming Kitten, a handsome chestnut colt out of Kitten's Joy, in the field of 20.

[Fear the Kitten had been slotted in as the 20th horse in the field but was bumped by Giant Finish yesterday. However, Fear the Kitten could still make a run for the catnip if another horse is scratched. If I was a trainer of one of those other 20 horses, I would be afraid -- or a-fear-ed.] 

While the odds-makers do not seem to fear either Kitten (Verrazano, Orb, and Goldencents are currently the favorites), I would love to see a Kitten win the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

I can just hear the call now....

And in the stretch it's Goldencents and Verrazano with Fear the/Charming Kitten on the outside... it's Goldencents and Verrazano... and here comes Fear the/Charming Kitten... it's Fear the/Charming Kitten in the lead... heading for home it's Fear the/Charming Kitten and Goldencents charging hard... it's Goldencents and Fear the/Charming Kitten at the wire... and it's... I don't believe it! Fear the/Charming Kitten wins by a whisker!

May the best Kitten -- I mean horse -- win!

[Even without the Kittens, this year's Kentucky Derby may be one for the history books, featuring a female jockey, Rosie Napravnik, riding Mylute, and a black jockey, Kevin Krigger of St. Croix, riding Goldencents. It's been over 100 years since a black (or African-American) jockey won the Derby -- and if Napravnik and Mylute beat out the rest of the field, it will be the first time a woman has won.]

[You can see/read about all the horses scheduled to run in this year's Kentucky Derby here.]