The Kentucky Derby sure spawns interesting side stories and creates lots of commotion for something called "the fastest two minutes in sports."
Of course the winner's time for the classic mile-and-a-quarter distance may be a few seconds more or less.
An over/under on that is just one of the rainbow of wagering propositions racebooks from Antigua to Australia have fashioned for Saturday's annual Run for the Roses.
The late, great Triple Crown champion Secretariat in 1972 and Monarchos in 2001 were the only Derby winners to click in under two minutes.
The filly Genuine Risk in 1980 and Pleasant Colony the following year were the last to pull it off in two minutes flat.
Smarty Jones took a whole 2:04 to win in 2004, but War Emblem and Funny Cide did it in exactly 2:01 in '02 and '03.
Smart horseplayers know prop prices and wording vary among stores, along with futures, matchups and straight odds at non pari-mutuel parlors, making Derby Day comparison shopping mandatory.
Bodog.com, for example, asks if the champ's clock will read OVER or UNDER 2:01.36, the late Barbaro's winning time last year.
Thegreek.com's time total is 2:02.
The two offshore books offer some of 2007's most intiguing and extensive lists of propositions.
Plus there's no telling what will happen down the line as a result of what occurs at this year's Derby.
What happens in Louisville doesn't necessarily stay in Louisville.
Anna Nicole Smith met her baby's daddy at a Derby party several years ago.
She later gave birth to a daughter and punters the world over speculated on who the lucky father might be.
Derby dude Larry Birkhead won that sweepstakes.
Larry and Dannielynn are back in Bluegrass Country at this moment.
The Queen of England, an equine enthusiast, also will be trackside this year, though betting is she won't be a railbird.
Well, that might be stretching things, as her entourage automatically would frown on such fraternizing.
You can, however, wager on other props that pertain to Her Majesty, even what color hat she'll wear.
Bodog has blue as a 5/2 favorite, pink and brown as 8/1 outsiders.
Purple is 3/1, Red 7/2, Yellow-Gold 9/2 and White-Silver 5/1.
The island book also asks if the hat will be decorated with a feather or feathers.
"Yes" is a minus $3.00 favorite, "No" a plus $2.00 pooch (or corgi!).
As if picking a winner from a field of 20 isn't tough enough, bettors at Thegreek.com also can choose which horse among several won't win and which starter will finish last.
Thegreek has eight colts posted as the horse most likely not to win.
Extremes early Friday were Street Sense at minus $6.25 and Great Hunter at minus $32.50.
Sedgefield, who will break from the No. 1 slot, was a plus $3.25 favorite to finish last while Street Sense and Curlin were plus $45.50.
Bodog players had two mutuel payoff props to play.
The first asked if the payoff would be higher than Barbaro's $12.20.
"Yes" was minus $2.60, "No" plus $2.00.
The other had an $18.50 total.
Cost both ways was minus $1.15.
Looking for a shot at winning big? Join Bodog’s Triple Crown Contest going down from now right up until the horses hit the gates at the Belmont Stakes on June 9th.
All you have to do is place a $20 minimum handle in the Bodog Racebook* on each of the Triple Crown races for chances to win:
Grand Prize: Trip to the 2007 Breeders Cup
Second Prize: One of two cash prizes valued at $1,000 each
Third Prize: One of three cash prize valued at $500 each
Good Luck and see you at the Races!
