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By Patrick Patten First, a blog is always about helping people and a “n00b” is slang for newbie, or rookie. You’re welcome. So, you’re also new to the Kentucky Derby, and you’re looking to make your first pick and not look too foolish. Have no fear; I’m here to help you. Don’t pick the favorite; it’s a total rookie mistake. The favorite has ...

Courtesy of The New York Times Dean Keppler, author of Betting the Kentucky Derby: How to Wager and Win on America’s Biggest Horse Race from DRF Press, discussed his approach to betting the Derby earlier this week. Now with the post positions set, he gives us his picks:1) PYRO2) ADRIANO3) Z FORTUNEFor his reasoning and more on how to bet ...

Win, lose or post position draw, this should be the final year that Kentucky Derby eligibility is determined by earnings, graded or otherwise.The system has outlived its utility and no longer makes sense. Twenty Derby starters is the modern rule, not the exception. And it matters not whether that this year’s draw involving the filly Eight Belles ...

By Peter Blair, NYTimes.comIf you watched the Kentucky Derby post position draw Wednesday on ESPN2, perhaps you caught a glimpse of the internationally famous sports artist LeRoy Neiman — how could you miss his mustache? — scribbling away in the crowd. Neiman’s artwork will be an important part of Derby day. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of ...

The Rail invites readers to submit questions for Joe Drape, The New York Times’s Eclipse Award-winning horse racing writer. To submit a question, add a comment below. Joe will be checking in from Churchill Downs throughout the day Thursday to talk about the Derby field, the draw, workouts and anything else readers want to know about. Have a ...

By Alan Mann, NYTimes.com The fact that Big Brown will break from post 20 doesn’t change my perception of his chances in the Derby. Richard Dutrow Jr. is putting his colt out there for all to see. No excuses now; he can’t get pinched between horses coming out of the gate, and chances are quite good that he won’t get touched at all with the ...

From Railbird - Graham Motion, a great guy but not exactly a human quote machine, has one good line this week for reporters about Adriano and he's sticking to it: ''I must be the only trainer in the world with an A.P. Indy that can't run on dirt.''... Speaking of one-liners, Henny Youngman used to have a good one about racing. ''I once bet on a ...

By Joe Drape, NYTimes.com LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Barclay Tagg was in his full-blown cantankerous but with a smile mode this morning at his barn, sparring with anyone who was trying to be nice to him. Both Nick Zito and D. Wayne Lukas have been touting Tagg’s horse Big Truck as Derby contender. Big Truck, the Tampa Derby winner, finished 11th in the ...

By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY LOUISVILLE — Cuban-born Thoroughbred owners Carlos Juelle and Jose Prieto are living the American dream. They left behind heartache and hardship in their native land — including a death sentence against Prieto for anti-communist activities — to find opportunities beyond their wildest imagination. One of those comes ...

By David Geier David “Buc” Geier helps run a tavern in the horse racing hinterland of Kansas City, Mo. I had planned on sparring with my favorite sportswriter, Joe Drape, on our annual disagreement on the East Coast slant to the Derby. Every year, I contend, the media always holds the horses from the Eastern block in an inflated regard. There ...