Indiana Derby - Or - Biggest Deal in Town

The following was originally published July 16, 2016.

Dear Readers,

Today is the 22nd running of the Indiana Derby. If you are reading this before 11 a.m., you still have time to stop by the Bookmark Coffee Shop for our pre-race Derby shindig.

However, before I ramble on about the Derby, my reoccurring Tallulah Bankhead dream, or any of my usual topics, I first must apologize to my favorite readers. “Who are my favorite readers?” you might ask. Well, the ones who send gifts, of course. I have been so caught up in the Derby Hoopla that I completely forgot to thank those readers who care enough to send gifts.

My son, Trent, wrote my father’s day column as a gift to me so I could take the week off, or at least 10 minutes. Anyway, writing my column wasn’t his first choice as a gift. He really wanted to get me a Ronco Pocket Fisherman, but couldn’t locate one at a yard sale. For those readers who have never suffered from insomnia and have therefore been deprived of late night TV, a Pocket Fisherman is a little foldable fishing pole that fits in your pocket so you can always be ready to go fishing. It, along with numerous “can’t live without” gizmos, are from that incessant inventor and perpetual pitchman of late night TV, Ron Popeil. A week after Trent’s column, loyal reader Bill, who requested I not use his last name, dropped off a Pocket Fisherman for me at the Bookmark. I’m guessing that it was a wedding gift from someone on his wife’s side of the family and Bill is regifting it. It is in mint condition and came in a wooden presentation box complete with all the original tackle. Thank you, Bill.

Another favorite reader, who just signed his note “McD,” dropped off a bottle of Kentucky Bonded Bourbon for Earl in appreciation for Sassafras’s horseracing picks. Earl says that the liquor cabinet was running low from entertaining all of our Kentucky friends in town for the Derby, so a big thanks to McD.

I hope to see all of you today either at the Bookmark or later at the Derby. You may be wondering just how big of a deal the Indiana Derby is to Shelbyville. Well, I’ll just say that if Vice President Joe Biden were sitting on the stool next to you at the Bookmark, he would lean over and whisper in your ear the very words he whispered in President Obama’s ear when Obamacare passed. Yes, it is that big of a deal.

And just like our souvenirs, the Indiana Derby is free. So, you have no excuse for not coming out to Indiana Grand for the Derby today. The first post time is 6:05 p.m. If, however, you find yourself stuck in your recliner, you can watch it live on WISH TV Channel 8.

Had you attended the Derby in 2009 you would have seen jockey Victor Espinoza win on a horse by the name of Misremembered, trained by Bob Baffert. If those names seem familiar it is because six years later that same jockey on a horse named American Pharoah, also trained by Bob Baffert, won the Triple Crown. Mr. Baffert is back again this year with a horse named Cupid.

Oh, you probably already guessed that our entry, Cletus, didn’t make the cut. A special thanks to all the folks at Indiana Grand for being such good sports and putting up with our shenanigans.

Sassafras’s Indiana Derby Picks: Cherry Wine to win, Cupid to place and The Player to show. Giddy-Up!