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.]

My old Kentucky (Derby) post or What were the odds of that happening?

Actually 50 - 1. Those were the odds on horse No. 8, Mine That Bird, in yesterday's 135th running of the Kentucky Derby. The horse, ridden by jockey Calvin "Bo-Rail" Borel, came from behind, along the inner rail, to win the Derby by 6 3/4 lengths, the second biggest upset in Derby history.

In case you missed it (which, at just over 2 minutes, was easy to do), here's a clip of the amazing race:

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Btw, had you placed a $2 bet on the three-year-old colt, whose name is being to changed to Mine That Gold, you would have won $103.20. And had you placed $2 on the 2009 Kentucky Derby Trifecta of 8-16-2, you would have been paid $41,500.60. That same $2 on the Superfecta of 8-16-2-7? A whopping $557,006.40.

Hmmm... Maybe I should horse around more often.

UPDATED: If you like horse racing, or just horses, or just a really great inspirational story, read Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Forget the movie. Just read the book. One of the best I've ever read, and that's saying a lot, especially as I am not a horsewoman (though I've been known to get a little hoarse from screaming at sporting events).