who was your first derby longshot winner?

[merasmag]

i'll go first
charismatic

[PonyGirlJCM]

I'll Have Another is the one I remember...... loved the story of how he was named

[tc]

Donerail 

[cherokeescot]

Never had one 😱

[lure]

Don't remember how much of a long shot but Sea Hero was my first decent score in the Derby. I just looked it up. Paid 27 to win and I had the exacta for 5 bucks.

[cindyloujazz]

Seahero was my 1st longshot in '93, 2 years later, Thunder Gulch. Loved that horse.

[jacckk8]

Dust Commander.. 1970.. I was there with a bunch of guys. We were young and knew nothing about horses …beer fest for us. We didn’t have money for Mint Juleps.. lol.. Good memory from many moons ago. Many!!!

[shoes]

Jack- you're my hero, you got there 5 years before me (Foolish Pleasure). As previously mentioned, like hoop, I was all about Gato del sol. I also count Lil e Tee, and Animal Kingdom (although my late mother gets most of the credit for that one).

[jacckk8]

Love it Shoes! I’ve been there for BC events but never back for a Derby. Great memory .. love your story too!

[writethatdown]

Wasn’t a long shot, but my first Derby winner was Smarty Jones. I was going to school in Delaware at the time and some friends said they were going to Delaware Park for the derby. I laid down a $2 exacta wager Smarty Jones over Lionheart and won $65 as I recall it. Thought to myself “this is easy.” Talk about beginners luck!

[shoes]

Re my reference to my mom above, most of you have probably heard this story, but because it is such a special memory, I'm going to share it again. We used to have a forum member named Mark Coomes who had written for the Louisville courier-journal at one time, but was doing freelance stuff later. He asked for permission to share my story. This is the email I sent him:

My personal story which means the most to me- although people get the biggest kick out of the Barbaro story- is the Animal Kingdom year, 2011.

I had been going to the Oaks and Derby since 1975, having only missed twice up till that time (1976 and 1978). I made the decision in 2011 to watch the Derby back in Michigan with my mother who was 90 and in bad health. She had been moved from an assisted living unit to the on site health center. My sister arranged to reserve a lounge with a TV in the unit for the afternoon. My wife and I brought food in and we had our own Derby Party at the facility.

Every year I had gone to the Derby, my sister, father, and Mom sent $5 or $10 with me to bet on their horse of choice. Both my father and sister had 3 or 4 winners over that time. Mom had been shut out- 0 for 34 or 35. As we're watching the pre-Derby stuff on the TV I asked Mom whom she wanted to bet on? First I had to convince her that I could indeed bet on the race without being there. Then she said Oh- I haven't followed it this year. I pulled out the Friday newspaper that had the list of horses and a 2 or 3 sentence description of each and slowly read them to her. At one point, she said wait- what was that last one you just read? You guessed it, it was Animal Kingdom. She said that's it, that's the one.

My mom who was really not doing well and had been pretty listless for weeks, perked up just a bit as we watched the post parade, and when she saw "her horse", Animal Kingdom, she said- "that's a good looking one." I had been to all of those Derbys, eight Breeder's cups and many other races over the years but I have NEVER been so excited as I was when we watched Animal Kingdom thunder down the stretch. Mom was beaming, she finally had her first Derby winner and it was a longshot! I fortunately had enough cash to pay her (although she told me to wait) because I wanted her to hold the money in her hand.

That night after she had been taken back to her room and I leaned down to kiss her goodnight, she whispered to me: "this was one of the best days of my life."

Mom (Marian Johnson, a retired school teacher, and a great lady, died about 11 weeks later, on July 24, 2011). I cannot adequately put into words how special that Derby was to me.

[cherokeescot]

Wonderful story ❤️

My mum in Scotland was still betting on the Grand National ( the nearest thing we had to the Kentucky Derby ) until she passed aged 99.

[lure]

Apr 29, 2024 19:47:50 GMT -5 shoes said:

Re my reference to my mom above, most of you have probably heard this story, but because it is such a special memory, I'm going to share it again. We used to have a forum member named Mark Coomes who had written for the Louisville courier-journal at one time, but was doing freelance stuff later. He asked for permission to share my story. This is the email I sent him:

My personal story which means the most to me- although people get the biggest kick out of the Barbaro story- is the Animal Kingdom year, 2011.

I had been going to the Oaks and Derby since 1975, having only missed twice up till that time (1976 and 1978). I made the decision in 2011 to watch the Derby back in Michigan with my mother who was 90 and in bad health. She had been moved from an assisted living unit to the on site health center. My sister arranged to reserve a lounge with a TV in the unit for the afternoon. My wife and I brought food in and we had our own Derby Party at the facility.

Every year I had gone to the Derby, my sister, father, and Mom sent $5 or $10 with me to bet on their horse of choice. Both my father and sister had 3 or 4 winners over that time. Mom had been shut out- 0 for 34 or 35. As we're watching the pre-Derby stuff on the TV I asked Mom whom she wanted to bet on? First I had to convince her that I could indeed bet on the race without being there. Then she said Oh- I haven't followed it this year. I pulled out the Friday newspaper that had the list of horses and a 2 or 3 sentence description of each and slowly read them to her. At one point, she said wait- what was that last one you just read? You guessed it, it was Animal Kingdom. She said that's it, that's the one.

My mom who was really not doing well and had been pretty listless for weeks, perked up just a bit as we watched the post parade, and when she saw "her horse", Animal Kingdom, she said- "that's a good looking one." I had been to all of those Derbys, eight Breeder's cups and many other races over the years but I have NEVER been so excited as I was when we watched Animal Kingdom thunder down the stretch. Mom was beaming, she finally had her first Derby winner and it was a longshot! I fortunately had enough cash to pay her (although she told me to wait) because I wanted her to hold the money in her hand.

That night after she had been taken back to her room and I leaned down to kiss her goodnight, she whispered to me: "this was one of the best days of my life."

Mom (Marian Johnson, a retired school teacher, and a great lady, died about 11 weeks later, on July 24, 2011). I cannot adequately put into words how special that Derby was to me.

I have been lurking and not posting much on this board for the past 10 years or so. This post was the first one that made me cry. My grandma loved watching the KD on TV back in the day and would take me to the dog track on occasion and bet for me. You will never forget those great memories Shoes, thank you for the post. Lure

[merasmag]

I'm glad your mom
won in the end.
a beautiful story and derby
to remember
i was never so happy as a horseplayer as
when i called my mother after leaving the otb with
5k on a b-e susan day and
and getting congratulated
instead of chastised

[bitowisdom]

Ferdinand was a wonderful catch. At Saratoga Harness for the Derby Festivities and had a great day.

[bitowisdom]

Actually, my first long-shot in The Derby was Genuine Risk. She was a dandy. Had 20 across the board, and the Book was not happy. LOL

[5wide]

Apr 29, 2024 19:47:50 GMT -5 shoes said:

Re my reference to my mom above, most of you have probably heard this story, but because it is such a special memory, I'm going to share it again. We used to have a forum member named Mark Coomes who had written for the Louisville courier-journal at one time, but was doing freelance stuff later. He asked for permission to share my story. This is the email I sent him:

My personal story which means the most to me- although people get the biggest kick out of the Barbaro story- is the Animal Kingdom year, 2011.

I had been going to the Oaks and Derby since 1975, having only missed twice up till that time (1976 and 1978). I made the decision in 2011 to watch the Derby back in Michigan with my mother who was 90 and in bad health. She had been moved from an assisted living unit to the on site health center. My sister arranged to reserve a lounge with a TV in the unit for the afternoon. My wife and I brought food in and we had our own Derby Party at the facility.

Every year I had gone to the Derby, my sister, father, and Mom sent $5 or $10 with me to bet on their horse of choice. Both my father and sister had 3 or 4 winners over that time. Mom had been shut out- 0 for 34 or 35. As we're watching the pre-Derby stuff on the TV I asked Mom whom she wanted to bet on? First I had to convince her that I could indeed bet on the race without being there. Then she said Oh- I haven't followed it this year. I pulled out the Friday newspaper that had the list of horses and a 2 or 3 sentence description of each and slowly read them to her. At one point, she said wait- what was that last one you just read? You guessed it, it was Animal Kingdom. She said that's it, that's the one.

My mom who was really not doing well and had been pretty listless for weeks, perked up just a bit as we watched the post parade, and when she saw "her horse", Animal Kingdom, she said- "that's a good looking one." I had been to all of those Derbys, eight Breeder's cups and many other races over the years but I have NEVER been so excited as I was when we watched Animal Kingdom thunder down the stretch. Mom was beaming, she finally had her first Derby winner and it was a longshot! I fortunately had enough cash to pay her (although she told me to wait) because I wanted her to hold the money in her hand.

That night after she had been taken back to her room and I leaned down to kiss her goodnight, she whispered to me: "this was one of the best days of my life."

Mom (Marian Johnson, a retired school teacher, and a great lady, died about 11 weeks later, on July 24, 2011). I cannot adequately put into words how special that Derby was to me.

So hot in here my eyes are sweating. What a fantastic memory !

[soundsofsaratoga]

1995 Thunder Gulch paid 52 to win.

[diablo313]

shoes - thanks for that wonderful story, apparently I needed a good eye flush, made me think of my Mom (passed in her mid 80s just before COVID)... she had a soft spot for the odd wager herself ;-)

[diablo313]

I'm such a shrewd capper my biggest LS winner was Justify ;-)
Hit my only Superfecta - and lost money ;-)

[oriolesteve]

Ferdinand with Shoemaker, although Go For Gin was my biggest Derby $$ win.
Steve

[oriolesteve]

Great story shoes. Where is Mark Coomes? I used to message him occasionally about the Derby
Steve

[oriolesteve]

Shoes. Was just looking at a horse in tomorrow’s 4th. School Dance. Think he has a shot shipping in from California. I looked at the sire and lo and behold it’s Animal Kingdom! I gotta bet it now after reading your story!
Steve

[thebobtailnag]

Canonero II 1971 around $20

[thebobtailnag]

My mum in Scotland was still betting on the Grand National ( the nearest thing we had to the Kentucky Derby ) until she passed aged 99.

99? God blesser her. 17 more and I'll be seeing her.

[shoes]

May 2, 2024 22:19:11 GMT -5 oriolesteve said:

Shoes. Was just looking at a horse in tomorrow’s 4th. School Dance. Think he has a shot shipping in from California. I looked at the sire and lo and behold it’s Animal Kingdom! I gotta bet it now after reading your story!
Steve

Steve, I do like School Dance and have him circled.  

[vagrant]

I was grateful to Shoes for letting me use his mom's story. It made for a perfect ending to that two-part column about good & bad Derby beats. 

Incidentally, Animal Kingdom was my first real longshot Derby hit. That was 2011, 32 years after attending my first Derby in '79. Lots of missed longshots in there.

Funny Cide wasn't bad. Seems like he was around 13-1. Go for Gin was just 9-1 but I clobbered him. 

[oriolesteve]

Hey vagrant. Nice hearing from you. Go For Gin might have been only 9-1 but besides hammering the win, I had the exacta with Strodes Creek and the tri with Blumin Affair. One of my biggest scores ever. Up there with Lemon Drop Kid’s Belmont.
Steve

[vagrant]

As I recall, Steve, you woke up the wife & kid celebrating that score. Rightly so.

[oriolesteve]

Wow Vagrant! I’m impressed! You remembered my Go For Gin story.
Steve