Colts, Fillies & the Fight for the Roses
Those who know me, know my love of horses. It’s horse racing time! 
The Kentucky Derby is actually part of a month-long season—not just a single day. The most notable race, the “Race for the Roses,” is what most simply call The Kentucky Derby. Traditionally held on the first Saturday in May, this year marks its 152nd running. It is also the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
The Kentucky Derby is actually part of a month-long season—not just a single day. The most notable race, the “Race for the Roses,” is what most simply call The Kentucky Derby. Traditionally held on the first Saturday in May, this year marks its 152nd running. It is also the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.The colt (male) or filly (female) vying to win the 1¼-mile race must do so in approximately two minutes to capture the $5.1M purse and the garland of hand-sewn fresh roses. To qualify, the
horse must be a 3-year-old Thoroughbred and earn enough points in designated graded stakes races to rank among the top 20 contenders.
It is not often that fillies qualify to run against colts in The Derby. The males are typically larger, faster, and carry more stamina. Sometimes, size does matter. But heart and drive have proven victorious too. In fact, in history, 40 fillies have competed—and only three have won the Derby’s roses: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980), and Winning Colors (1988).
There is a separate race for fillies held at Churchill Downs the day before, called The Kentucky Oaks. For the first time in history, this year The Oaks will run in primetime, with an approximate post time of 8:40 p.m. This race is not a qualifying event for The Derby, as no colts compete in The Oaks. The total purse for the fillies’ race is $1.5M and a “Lilies for the Fillies” garland—compared to The Derby’s $5.1M purse and roses. Even in horse racing… equity is a lingering issue.
No matter the gender, these Thoroughbreds are extraordinary—costing hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars just to purchase. Trainers and jockeys also play critical roles in every stride toward victory.
This year, I joined several of my Leadership Florida colleagues for a behind-the-scenes experience in Kentucky. We enjoyed the final day of the Keeneland Spring Meet and the opening of Derby season.
So, who will win tonight’s “Lilies for the Fillies”?
Who will claim tomorrow’s “Race for the Roses”?
I have my picks. 
And the ultimate question—will anyone break the 1973 record of 1:59.40 set by Secretariat?
By size, gender, stamina, or heart… it remains to be seen.
Let the races begin. 
by Salesia Smith-Gordon, Esq.
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