simmons kentucky derby bet
Standing in the winner's circle in front of the Ellis Park crowd of 6,611, John Witte stammered as he struggled to take it all in.
"Overwhelming, this is unbelievable," he said, still shaking from excitement. "This was our Kentucky Derby."
BENJAMIN REED / Courier & Press Classic Tiara trips up out of the gates during the 7th race at Ellis Park Saturday. Unplugged, ridden by Corey Lanerie (CQ), won the $100,000 race. Unplugged started the day with 3-1 odds.That Unplugged, a horse claimed by Witte and James Delaney for just $20,000 on Memorial Day weekend, could come from behind to take the $100,000 Toyota Tiara by a nose-hair was the essence of the Claiming Crown, which in its ninth year came to Ellis for the first time.
These weren't all horses bred from equine royalty, but for one day at Ellis, owners who made good gambles on overachievers could be rewarded with the largest purse in the track's history.
STORY TOOLS E-mail story Comments iPod friendly Printer friendly RELATED STORIES Founder would be proud of track Maker trains three winners on thrilling day More Local Sports Football provided his ticket to Japan IU to play Arkansas in NCAA tourney on Friday at Raleigh Purdue women are tourney tough And local racing fans were able to see it all. "I've been coming here for 25 years," said Steve Crum of Eddyville, Ky., "and this is by far the best I've ever seen the track."
It wasn't the largest crowd of the season for Ellis — opening day drew more than 7,100 — but it was about 2,500 more than the average Saturday. Owner Ron Geary estimated that the weather, with an ozone alert and a head index that rose above 100 degrees, stopped at least 1,000, if not 2,000, people from making it to the track.
"It's very brave of everyone to come out," Geary said. "Everyone who came out in spite of the weather is having a ball."
The sun bore down brutally through a dense sky, and only a few dozen brave souls dared go beyond the shade provided by the grandstand. But it didn't stop the day from being one of the season's best draws.
"It's unusual when I get here 40 minutes early, and I have to park all the way by the barn," said Nancy Schultz, an Evansville resident who's a regular on Saturdays.
The $600,000 purse was more than three times the record purse in Ellis Park history, and as a result it brought perhaps the best field of horses the track has ever seen.
And the races didn't disappoint.
Unplugged's close finish was one of a few photo finishes, and in the $75,000 Kentucky HBPA Glass Slipper, Adore You won despite 49-1 odds.
The appeal of the day brought racing enthusiasts from outside the Tri-State, too. Todd Bunge, part of a quartet of fans from the St. Louis area who made the trip to Ellis for this specific day, said, "This is better than any day we could get locally."
There was plenty of interest outside the region, too. The day drew in a $4.6 million all-source handle, which is the amount of money bet at the approximately 1,100 sites that simulcast the races.
That's about $800,000 more than any previous Claiming Crown — contested in Minnesota and Philadelphia — took in. The Claiming Crown moves back to Canterbury Park in Minnesota in 2008, but 2009 and 2010 are still up for grabs, and Ellis Park needed to put on a good show.
"It's very important for us because the Claiming Crown has never been hosted by a Kentucky track," Geary said, "And we wanted to show them that the more centralized location is good for the Claiming Crown.
"We think we've done a good job of promoting the Claiming Crown around the country."
http://www.enterbet.com
with rose petals Saturday for celebrities arriving for the Kentucky Derby. ... Gene Simmons, formerly of the rock band Kiss, had money down on a horse, but it
GENE SIMMONS Bets $100,000 On Horse At KENTUCKY DERBY - May 6, 2007 ... Gene Simmons had money down on a horse at yesterday's Kentucky Derby, but it
Only, he didn't bet it, his girlfriend, former Playmate of the Year Shannon ... Neither Simmons nor Tweed would say which of the 20 Derby entrants had the big
Labels: bet on the kentucky derby online, how to bet at the kentucky derby, place a bet on kentucky derby, place bet kentucky derby, simmons kentucky derby bet
