A recap of the race and all the events involved with the actual race it's self. I was trackside, on the rail for the 134th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. 1) Big Brown and Eight Belles. Pictures.

A fun day full of excitement and a whole lot of turf races. I love a good turf race and like to see "turf" sires run well on dirt. Specifically Giant Gizmo. The first race was a huge win. An exacta that paid fifteen bucks on a one dollar boxed bet...so really six bucks. The Oaks was amazing to watch on the rail. The ladies just glided on the track like ice skaters. Elegant from beginning to end.

Eight Belles is America's Next Top Model. Well, maybe not, but Nigel was on the back side of the track wandering around as we shot videos on lots of fun discussions. Look for the content in the Derby special of And They're Off! This post is brief commentary on some of todays events behind the track at Churchill Downs.

Read my Derby predictions and picks. $14,000 Superfecta! I am not good at handicapping and need all the help I can get. You need to answer some questions about the Derby...

I am heading to the Kentucky Derby. This will not be my first trip to Churchill downs since I saw The Police world tour at the track, but it will be my first trip to the Derby, and I will be running around...a lot. Also an update to my Perfect Soul Watch, including chart.

According to a press release, Animal Planet is launching several new series including one entitled "Jockeys." The series is reality TV, with a "real world meets the equine industry" feel. How do you think this will affect the horse industry and is this something you will want to watch? What types of scenarios from the viewpoint of a jockey would interest you?

There are so many creative and fun names out there. What are some of your favorite names that currently exist? What are some fun names you might want to create or see? Any good stories behind a horse that you named?

On a rather cold day this winter, Ashford opened its broad black iron gates for people to come in and visit their stallions first hand. The gates were a tad slow, but it built anticipation as we drove down their stretched driveway, giant beautiful trees lining the sides and draping over us, to their secondary gate that enters the stable area.

The battle for the fastest time to potentially bring the most money at the auction was amazing! The horses were anxious to get moving as they approached the stretch, rounding the final turn. It was funny to watch the horses act up when they were ready to go. I had not really observed such excitement from horses in that way. I loved when they began their breeze down the stretch.

Big Brown better be built to beat the best. This weekend I have seven horses racing from my virtual stable at www.roadtotheroses.com. It is the last chance for a few of my horses to make a convincing move for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands! Show me the money (so they qualify).

Pick a stallion prospect who will have a crop of 2YOs coming up. Following these horses also allows you to create a bond and develop with the horse, if that is something that interests you. You will start to see how successful the sire will be through the success of his offspring. A fun experience has been following the developing 2YOs of newer stallions.

A great question was asked by the reader The Old Gray Mare, who wanted some clarification on the triangle method. I mentioned the triangle method in my previous post "Ouch at Oak Tree." Confirmation: Equilateral triangle method.

I was invited to hang out and saw my visit as an opportunity to learn about the breeding process for Thoroughbred horses. Now I get the basics of breeding, as sex isn't really too hard to understand, but I mean all the other intricacies involved. Clearly I did not know what I was getting into.

I wanted to go see the horses of Lane's End and who can pass up free food? The stallions were great, and this was my first open house. The experience was thrilling; to look at stallions up close, showing off their stuff. I had two great co-workers who were teaching me the ropes.

So I took her on a date. We talked a whole lot about the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown, because I honestly had a lot of questions and she generally had good answers.