Derby Day & 1st Blog Post Day

This is definitely a work in progress but I'm going to try to join the rest of the world with a blog of our own.

Today is Kentucky Derby Day! As I think back in my life, I can only remember one Derby that I didn't actually watch as it was happening (I was at a horse show with Babe when the filly, Genuine Risk won the Derby. See picture to the left of me and Babe). Anyone with me the first Saturday in May will recall mad dashes to find a tv, leaving events such as picnics and baseball games early and the overall priority I place on watching this event live. I met Secretariat when I was 15 and actually have a lock of his mane. I was hooked before meeting him but definitely became obsessed after that. (I was engaged to Neal when they had to put Secretariat to sleep. I called him on the phone and told him that if he laughed at why I was crying then I wouldn't marry him. Guess he played that one right because here we are 19 years later.)

Fast forward to my boys catching on to the excitement. Ever since they could talk (which was pretty much immediately for Colton), I have let them pick who they want to win in the Derby. (I told Neal today that I hoped I was installing a love of horses and not gambling but I'll take my chances).

Colton has an amazing knack for picking winners in a lot of sports. Scary knack actually. He may be the only person that picked Giacomo to win at 50-1 odds back in 2005. Colton was only 2 at the time. We wish we had listened and bet on that horse.

This morning we all made our picks. Since there are 20 horses I let them pick a longshot and also just their favorite. Colton picked Pioneer of the Nile and Muscat Man, Cayden picked Chocolate Candy (shocker there) and Dunkirk. I picked Friesan Fire (because he goes back to Secretariat) and Neal picked the favorite, I Want Revenge. He scratched so Neal went with Hot Stuff.

This was not just random picks. We actually watched video's of previous races and looked up pedigrees and trainers. This is SERIOUS stuff in the Olvey household.

Last year Colton cried when his horse lost. We're working on that and hopefully Neal won't cry today because I think he is going down!