Daily Kentucky Derby Report
Photos and Text by Emily Hufford, Additional Photos by Amelia Baldree

Today I was not going to go to Churchill Downs. There were no major Derby contenders walking (and most of them weren't even going to be on the track), and I had to go to Trackside, Churchill's training center, anyway. I woke up at 7 am to a rain storm, so I quietly reset my alarm and fell back asleep, hoping maybe I could just stay in bed. At 8:22, Amelia woke me up and demanded that we go to Churchill Downs like we promised. So off we went!

 

This is the sight that greeted us, the Twin Spires against a stormy backdrop, and although the rain had stopped, the track looked a mess. You could hear the suction slurps as the horses jogged over it, tails tied and flanks steaming. I was particularly upset to hear that we'd just missed Don't Get Mad, who was part of the reason we were at Churchill anyway. We set off in search of Ron Ellis.

On Monday, Kids to the Cup will open a 7 day auction on eBay and sell off the halters of the top 22 Derby contenders. Our job has been to get the halters on the horses for at least a morning and make sure the trainer signs the letter of authenticity. We found Ron Ellis right away - he was helping to give Don't Get Mad a bath. Success!

The Churchill Downs Surface

Don't Get Mad (above) with trainer Ron Ellis (right)

The only other Derby news that I can report today is that today I had the job of catching Greeley's Galaxy and putting the halter on him for auction because he's a tempermental, wilfull colt and 83-year-old trainer Warren Stute wasn't keen on catching the big horse himself. I was a little afraid because 1. this is a Kentucky Derby horse and 2. his teeth were flashing every which way, but I did get the halter on him, although he was not cooperative at all for photos. If anything, Greeley's Galaxy is not tired from his strange workout yesterday, and Stute said he's always a tough horse in the shedrow to be around.

Tomorrow the other Nick Zito horses are scheduled to work, Don't Get Mad will run in the Derby Trial, and some of the California Contenders will arrive this weekend. Stay tuned for more!

Me with Don't Get Mad, who is wearing a halter that will be auctioned off for Kids to the Cup.