I'm a Winner!!!

Did anyone watch the Preakness yesterday? Wow... what an exciting race!

Living with my parents, I've really been introduced into the world of horse racing.

To say my parents are "fans" would be an understatement. They LOVE the sport of quarter-horse racing!

When I talk with my friends, we talk about sports... NFL... college football... college basketball... etc. My parents? They talk horses, jockeys, and owners! They have been to various tracks and events, including the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. That would be like me going to the Super Bowl or the BCS National Championship!

And they tune in to horses - Verizon FIOS has 2 horse racing channels that they watch, and ESPN often runs special selection shows that they follow.

So the reason I was staying by myself yesterday was because they were going to Louisiana Downs to watch several races in person, as well as to bet on the Preakness.

Well, at the Preakness, the favorite was a philly by the name of Rachel Alexandra. She was the only girl horse running against 12 boys (colts). In 85 years a philly has never won the Preakness.

I gave my parents $20 for 3 different bets. One of the bets was a pairing I had of the winner being Rachel Alexandra and the 2nd place going to Mine That Bird, the winner of the Kentucky Derby.

Calvin Borel road both of those horses during the Derby weekend - with Rachel Alexandra winning the Kentucky Oaks (filly race) and then pulling the upset of all upsets the next day with Mine That Bird (50-1 longshot!). Borel felt that the philly was the "best horse he had ever ridden," so he decided to ride her in the Preakness.

It was a thrilling race - with MTB starting out in last place. However, Rachel Alexandra had the 13th slot and moved into first place throughout the race.

"Bird" turned it on halfway through the race and caught up to the philly. Had the race been a little longer, he would have won. However, she prevailed... and I won $40!

Yippee!

And my parents had a great time on their vacation...