Run For The Roses

May 4, 2007

Guest blogging by Tom Michael

Tomorrow morning my pal Camp is driving 200 miles in order to watch the prizefight between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather. For me, though, this Saturday is Derby Day, featuring that shortest of sporting events: horseracing.

Horseracing holds a special place for me; my grandfather and then my father had a box at Arlington Park, and quite a few family tales flow from it. Here’s an odd confession: driving my 16-month-old daughter into town the other day, I had an overwhelming sensation to take her to the track. For other fathers I’m sure it’s the first baseball game or first time on ice skates.

No predictions here. Last week I had dinner with one of the owners of Churchill Downs, but forgot to ask him to handicap this year’s race.

Next year, however, my Louisville friend Whitney promised me a slice of Derby Pie, which is heavy with chocolate, pecans and apparently trademarks.

Anton Zuiker ☄