Horse Racing Tag

I now follow a horse on Twitter and Facebook. But this isn’t just any horse, he is the great Little Silver Charm. I met him for the first time on the farm where he is spending his “retirement years”, Old Friends, an equine retirement center home located in Georgetown, Kentucky, just outside of Lexington.

Old Friends is home to many past Derby winners and race horses, but the real star is Little Silver Charm or 'Charmie' as he's known to his thousands of followers and fans (follow him on Twitter or his Facebook page). He was a rescue show pony who today considers himself an entertainer.

He’s a blonde, loves kids, carrots, and plays soccer in YouTube videos.  He often talks about his crush, a horse named Zenyatta, and he seems to enjoy posing for quite a few pictures that are auctioned off to benefit Old Friends. He even has his own miniature replica toy available on Ebay.

It seems like just last week we were anxiously waiting for the Belmont Stakes in hopes that I'll Have Another could complete the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978.  As fate would have it the Triple Crown was not meant to be and I'll Have Another was pulled from the race with an injury.  Now we embark on a new journey.  Tomorrow will mark the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY.  Louisville has already had the pleasure of crowning a national champion in college basketballand just 1 month later the city finds itself amidst intense excitement once again.

The Kentucky Derby has long been one of the most exciting events in sports and this year will be no different.  The field appears to be wide open with a the usual group favorites.  I have provided our readers with odds and post position for each of the Derby contestants.

Earlier this year the horse racing world missed out an opportunity for a Triple Crown winner in a most unfortunate manner.  The outcome was clearly the best and healthiest choice for the horse but no one likes to see a chance at history hindered by an injury.  The run for the Triple Crown might be over but there is still exciting racing left in 2012.

In just a couple of months the 29th annual running of the Breeders Cup will get underway on November 2nd.  The Breeders Cup is currently and has historically been the richest North American horse race.  Last year the total amount of winnings came to 25.5 million and that has been the total purse since the additions of 3 races in 2008.

Well March is already on the way out and with April only a few days away Sports Traveler is gearing up the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby.  The Kentucky Derby is clearly a major sporting event in this country and has historically been one of the more culturally important events whether sport or otherwise.

Despite the event's cultural and historical importance, there are still a lot of people out there that don't care to know much about the Kentucky Derby.  Many of these people just think horse racing is outdated and have little to no interest in who wins the Kentucky Derby.  I think that some of the gap in interest can be blamed on a lack of identity.

We are now in the middle of August and our attention in the sports world is either on a pennant race in baseball or the start of good 'ol fashioned tackle football.  Soon the leaves will change color and the cool nights of fall will become more frequent.  Many sports fans across the country are anxiously awaiting the arrival of football but if excitement is what you seek then don't forget about the year-end championship of North American horse racing.

Over the last 10 years, we have witnessed many astonishing feats in the sports world.  Roger Federer won 16 Grand Slam Finals (and still counting) to surpass Pete Sampras for most in history, 6 no-hitters thrown during one season, Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals in Beijing, and Brett Favre retiring 957 times.

However, during this time, we have not witnessed the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.  Actually, this feat last occurred back in 1978 when Affirmed won all three races. 

Over 164,000 people were at Churchill Downs on Saturday to see Animal Kingdom rally to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby. This was the largest crowd ever to see the Kentucky Derby.

2012 Kentucky Derby Tickets are Now Available!

2012 Kentucky Derby Tickets are available at all areas of Churchill Downs. Choose from seats in the first, second, or third floor grandstand or clubhouse. Options are also available for Millionaire's Row, Sky Terrace, Gold Room, Interior Premium, and Turf Club.

All tickets can be purchased securely online or by calling our office. All orders are 100% guaranteed.

View 2012 Kentucky Derby Tickets

The 138th Running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 5, 2012. There is no other event in the world that offers more exciting moments than the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

2012 Kentucky Derby Packages are Now Available with Low Deposits!

2012 Kentucky Derby Packages are available for first time guests and experienced attendees. Enjoy the Derby with these great inclusions:

- Hotel accommodations in the Louisville area
- Guaranteed Tickets to the 2012 Kentucky Derby
- Transportation to Churchill Downs on race day
- Selected Meals
- Options on Kentucky Oaks Tickets, Welcome Receptions, & Ticket Upgrades

Sports Traveler is also offering Horse Farm Tours to the 2012 Kentucky Derby. These packages provide you with a behind the scenes look at various horse farms in the Lexington area during the week of Derby.

Kentucky Derby Horse Farm Tour Packages offer many great amenities including:

- Deluxe Accommodations in the Lexington area
- Guaranteed Tickets to the Kentucky Oaks & Derby

While the Kentucky Derby (and Oaks) is the crown jewel of Louisville, the party starts wellbefore the races. Several exciting events dot the calendar in the weeks leading up to the most exciting 2 minutes in sports.

The first thing to do before landing in Louisville is learn how to pronounce the name of the city...unless you enjoy getting the evil eye from the locals. It's correctly pronounced "LOO-uh-ville"...not "LOO-iss-ville" or "LOOY-ville."  Can't pronounce the pronunciations? Click here for the audio pronunciation.

On Friday, April 29th, the Great Balloon Rush-Hour Race is set for a hopeful 7 a.m. start, weather permitting of course. During the rally, balloon pilots chase a "hare" balloon and attempt to drop bags of Kentucky Bluegrass seed as close to a target on the ground as possible. Take a look here for several other hot air balloon-related events, including "The Glimmer" which takes place at night.

A few days before the Derby on Wednesday, May 4th a race of a different

With a capacity of 150,000 people, there are many seating options at Churchill Downs. Many people have a difficult time trying to decide on where to sit. Guess what, I don't blame you. For most people, attending the Kentucky Derby has been a dream and when it comes to where to sit, of course you want the best possible section.

Before you go ahead and purchase your Kentucky Derby seats, let me help make the decision much easier for you!

1. Clubhouse vs. Grandstand Seating: This seems to be the most popular question with people making their first trip to the Derby. The Grandstand offers standard bleacher seating with no backs, however, the Clubhouse offers seating with chair backs. Keep in mind that the Clubhouse seating is A LOT more comfortable than the Grandstand. The Clubhouse also offers better amenities including more food & drink options, plus easier access to the betting tables and restrooms.

   Clubhouse seating is located closer to the finish line in sections 111-118, 212, 218, 220,