Race Day, Oh My!

It's the first Saturday in May.

  Derby Day!

145th, in fact.

Start watching for some wonderful stories and the race on NBC early afternoon.  

YAY!

I may have to bet on the horse above. 

Bay with four white stockings and a blaze. 

For some reason, I like that color combo. 

War of WILL

Since we have three "WILL's" in this family (Bill, Willie and Liam). 

When there's one Will, there's a way.

Imagine what three WILL's can do.

Plus, the first party favor I pulled out for our Kentucky Derby party was a helmet with No. 8. 

For information on him and the other horses in today's Run for the Roses, visit the link below. 

https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2019-2019-kentucky-derby-cheat-sheet

One of the features of our Derby party here at the Lovestead is to share a little information about the Derby winner the year of our respective births. 

So, I'll do my studying and prepping by sharing mine from 1947:

Jet Pilot

Jockey Ed Guerin

Jet Pilot was sired by 1930 Epsom Derby winner, Blenheim, out of the mare Black, wave a daughter of the French-bread sire Sir Gallahad III.

Blenheim and Sir Gallahad were both brought to stand at stud in the U.S. by groups of American horsemen, both of which led by Arthur B. Hancock of Claiborne Farm.  

Black Waves dam Black Curl was a half-sister to Myrtlewood, the female-line ancestor of Seattle Slew (Triple Crown winner the year Willie was born) and Mr. Prospector.

Jet Pilot was purchased for $41,000 at the Keeneland Yearling Sale by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden and raced under her Maine Chance Farm colors of blue and white.

In 1946, Jet Pilot survived a fire at a Chicago racetrack, which killed 20 other Maine Chance horses. 

Racing at age 2, Jet Pilot took second in the 1946 Arlington Futurity and third in that year’s Futurity Stakes and Champagne Stakes.  He won the important Tremont Stakes and Pimlico Futurity.

One of the winter-book favorites for the 1947 Kentucky Derby, Jet Pilot broke from post position 13 and immediately took the lead, never relinquishing it. 

In the Preakness Stakes (second Triple Crown race), Jet Pilot finished fourth behind Calumet Farms Faultless.  

After the Preakness, Jet pilot contested the Withers Stakes at Belmont Park, where finished fourth and suffered a bowed tendon, which meant retirement from racing.

I think I'll wear blue and white today, in honor of my Kentucky Derby winner.

And, for readers, check out who won the year you were born.  

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And, if the Kentucky Derby weren't enough for race lovers, we're going to have a race happening right past our home later this morning. 

We started seeing the signs, indicating a bike race, yesterday.

Thanks to social media, I've learned more about the race, which, I believe, may be the first of its kind out here in the country. 

The object:  mainly gravel roads for bikers, and, by golly, we've got one of those out in front of the place. 

You can learn a little more about this race by clicking the link below. 

If you're familiar with the owner of Perceval Press, you may realize that a rather famous person is helping support the race. 

Should be a fun Saturday from start to finish (both day and lines).

Mother Nature has dished us out a beauty and even better for tomorrow when a few thousand Bloomie's get together for the 42nd Annual Bloomsday Run in Spokane. 

May the Fourth be with all who race this weekend. 

https://syringacyclery.com/