Wheel of Fortune Kentucky Derby

And they're off! by Justin Henry. Creative Commons license 2.0.

For 2017, I've decided to do a husband and wife prediction game. You know, really we are just making this stuff up. Well, I'm not entirely. But I gave him a glance of horses running, their names and odds he made his choices. This isn't us. We aren't even spending the day together in fact. But it's a snarky self-deprecating photo. The mood this year is laughter. Laughter at all costs is the only thing to get us across the finish line.

 


Data Headed to Pasture?
I do actually use data, but it's around bloodlines. As each year passes my data weakens. The famous sires and dams I know by name, in some cases, are now the great grandparents of these horses. Some are beyond and the bloodlines at a glance aren't enough. I'm also lazy I suppose.

Rachel the Greek for 2017
Derby Day fires up my sense of family and my odd commitment to myself to continually test whether I am worthy of my self proclaimed Rachel the Greek title, after Jimmy the Greek. As a child I remember him swooping in some years to weigh in on the Derby. Really I just want to choose horses in the money for the sake of doing so.

Do you think it's an improvement? I crudely put my face over Jimmy's.

Road to the Kentucky Derby Points System Belongs in the Manure Pile
This year, I have to shout loudly (again) that the Derby is becoming predictable. Before you scroll ANY further read this piece from Andrew Beaton at Five Thirty Eight! I've been bitching about this for at least 3 years. We all love learning why. Thank you! #iwanttraditionalderbiesback

Enough alfalfa- here are the oats! 
Oh God, here come the flavors

The husband says:

Win:  Irish War Cry
Place:  McCracken
Show:  Lookin' at Lee

I say...well, it's complicated because, as usual, there is the heart story of who I want to win. So I thought I'd spin each flavor of this adventure (to kill time so I don't have to commit to my predictions till just a few hours before) as types of Facebook emoji. #dayjobinyourhay

In the spirit of good stories, Patch wins (the heart prediction) by 15 lengths!! Okay 8 lengths [because reality]. He's a story for the plight of the disabled and disadvantaged. You KNOW this horse will have better health care than anyone in 2018!

• In the heart story prediction, I have no place and show candidates because the internet hasn't surfaced them to me, nor have I bothered to search. See above where I said I'm lazy (into other things now).

Then there is the gut story. This is the "Wow" prediction where I just sit down and just choose three. I don't have to mind the odds, the pedigrees or any of that other crap. I just stare at their names and voila I'm in the money!

Win:  Irap
Place:  Lookin at Lee (extra weight here since the hubs pulled this one out of the blue too!)
Show:  Thunder Snow

Sad is a really hard prediction. Because sadness is so close to anger. Do you know what I mean? To me a sad story is one where the favorites just take over and there's no element of upset or surprise. It's programmed and corporate. Maybe I'll skip anger since it only creates bad things in the long run (stretch run?). Also note that the sad picks create something none of us really want:  BORING!

Win:  Classic Empire
Place:  McCracken
Show:  Irish War Cry

Laughter's prediction is pretty much the point of this post. Everyone who betted the favorites tears up their tickets and the universe pulls something totally different out of its tuchas:

Win:  Hence
Place:  Patch
Show:  J Boys Echo

So what's the final combination? Who do I like for the final, committed prediction? What will happen in just over 3 hours?

Win:  Always Dreaming
Place: Irap
Show: Lookin at Lee but where's my Battle of Midway!

Husband or Wife? Greek No More?
For an added bonus- who will have chosen more horses in the money- the husband or the wife? You can comment below.

• Left to Andrew Beaton's findings, it's almost undoubtedly husband with his favoring of the favorites. 

Oh one last thing:  Who thinks Irish War Cry looks like Joseph Kennedy? Is it just me?

  vs.