Is This The Year For a White Horse To Win the Derby?

When was the last time a white horse won the Derby?  Is this the year?  HANSEN, the 3 year old undefeated colt who has already earned $1.3 million seems to be the darling of all the press today, as the Grade I Bluegrass Stakes runs at Keeneland later this afternoon.  Since he's in town, and since I would love to see a white horse win, let's take a look at HANSEN.


His owner, Kendall Hansen believes "He's the horse of a lifetime."  This was after the HANSEN won by thirteen lengths on the Bluegrass Cat Kentucky Cup Juvenile, a 1 mile race last Fall.  "It's a dream. I'm about ready to cry."


This white or almost-white colt by popular sire TAPIT  grabbed his first win at Turfway Park by twelve lengths.  This, lambchops, is the horse to beat.  

the face of a WINNER!  

Kendall Hansen is a doctor who specializes in pain management, in Northern Kentucky.  Hansen's mama, Stormy Sunday, also won her career start at Tufway 7 years ago, had a nice record of 2 wins and and a few more 3rd place finishes.  Eventually, Dr. Hansen gave her away to be used a pleasure horse, but now that her mighty white son has had such an impressive career, the good doc decided to rethink all that and get her back in the pasture and breeding shed -- which he did, buying her back for $10,000.  


I like this horse because he won in an impressive fashion over long races, and he's the son of Wood Memorial winner TAPIT, touted as "the hottest sire on the planet" by Gainesway Farm.  Also, I love him because he and his owner are from Northern Kentucky (like me)  and spent a lot of time at Turfway Park, which was visible from childhood home's front porch.  Also, he's a rags to riches story, and everybody loves a good small town guy makes it big kinda tale.  

Lisa Osland and I love our mint juleps!

No, HANSEN is not truly a white horse -- not many Thoroughbreds are -- he's a gray/roan feller, but he's a nice omen of good fortune.  I hope he wins the Bluegrass Stakes today at Keeneland, it's a gorgeous day for racing here in the Bluegrass; weather's nice and in the 70s.  I can't wait to watch it on television, with my own version of a mint julep in my julep cup, and see who prevails at this historic race on a the great stories Keeneland.   I'm going to the Derby again this year with Z and her crew.   I trigger the camera at the starting gate, and run all over Churchill with my buddies Amy Owens and Lisa Osland.  We laugh, we take photos, we sneak to see the Garland of Roses room (where there are usually remainders of the Oaks' garland of Lilies (gorgeous)!  After five years of performing ancillary tasks for the photographers, we know when to bet, when to help, and when to keep silence...but most importantly, when to get out of the way.  It's an uptight atmosphere with lots of high dollar horses all around.  I don't want to make 'em nervous -- and I also don't wanna end up with a hoof in me arse :)

See y'all at the Derby!
Kimmy