Horse Play

Today is the Kentucky Derby, often referred to as the fastest two minutes in sports. The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel in the Triple Crown, kicking off an exciting six-week period for horse racing fans.

In fact, for many it's probably the only six weeks of the year they follow the sport. That's certainly true for me. I look forward to the three Triple Crown events each year, mostly in hopes that one magical horse will get on a run and actually win all three. In the past few years we've had several capture the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to fall apart at the Belmont Stakes, the longest and toughest of the races.

Of course, the profile of the Triple Crown was no doubt raised last fall when the film "Secretariat" was released. The film chronicles the greatest of all Triple Crown winners — Secretariat — who still holds most of the records for the three races. Watching the film was a thrill, and also made me reflect on the fact that it's been more than 30 years since a horse has managed to finish first in all three races.

Part of that stems from the fact that the Triple Crown is a serious test of endurance — three major races, all of varying lengths, packed into a tight window. But nonetheless, each May horse racing fans around the country flock to the track (or TV screen) in the hopes of witnessing history.

Today, that quest begins again.