At 50-1, California horse pulls off huge Derby upset

[nolabels]

Yea baby, we love them upsets :woohoo:

What a Giacomo!
At 50-1, California horse pulls off huge Derby upset

John Scheinman, Washington Post

Sunday, May 8, 2005

Louisville, Ky. -- In the end, it wasn't Nick Zito with his five horses, Todd Pletcher with his three, George Steinbrenner, or any of them.

When the horses came off the far turn before a roaring crowd of 156,435 at Churchill Downs on Saturday, it was Giacomo, an ignored 50-to-1 shot from Santa Anita, passing Closing Argument, an even greater unfathomable, to score one of the most stunning victories in the history of the Kentucky Derby.

Racing behind a torrid pace set by longshot Spanish Chestnut, Giacomo, a gray colt who had won only a maiden race, found running room deep in the stretch and surged to the front under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith to win by a half-length. The winner ran the race in 2 minutes, 2.75 seconds, over a fast track and his winning ticket payoff of $102.70 was the second-highest in the 131-year history of the race
(snip)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/05/08/SPGUKCLUPV1.DTL

[derby378]

1. Puts BOTTLE OF SMOKE by the Pogues to shame

Twenty-fucking-five to one
My gambling days are done
I bet on a horse called the Bottle of Smoke
And my horse won

If you know the words, sing along - especially if you put down money on Giacomo!

[nolabels]

2. I wonder what kind odds they wiill give on the next leg?

This could be a good sign, they are already saying not possible :evilgrin:

Old, New Rivals Await Giacomo at Preakness

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

Sunday, May 8, 2005

Giacomo's stunning Kentucky Derby victory at 50-1 odds hasn't scared the competition away. The colt can expect to see some of the same rivals and a few new ones in Baltimore in two weeks for the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Jockey Mike Smith was still smiling Sunday, a day after riding Giacomo to the second-biggest upset in Derby history. They defeated 72-1 long shot Closing Argument by a half-length.

"I got up this morning, said my prayers and I said, `Is this really true? Did I really win it?'" he said outside Giacomo's barn at Churchill Downs.

Typical of his low-key nature, winning trainer John Shirreffs had already returned to Southern California, leaving others to keep buzzing about his colt's stunning rally from 18th place to first.
(snip)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/05/08/sports/s122449D42.DTL

[alfredo]

3. That was one of the best Derby's I can remember.

That was only the second win for Giacomo. It may have been a case of peaking at the right time. The owner said the horse has been improving over the past few months.


Giacomo was in 17th or 18th going into the first turn. He positioned himself like a top sprinter during the tour De France. I saw the move he made to break into the top line of contenders. That was the rider's skill there. The horse took it from there. He knew what was expected of him, and that is to lead the pack.

It was a thing of beauty, The tactics were flawless, the horse willing and able. It was a great race.

Sting's son Giacomo (Jacob) should be pleased that a horse named after him won the Kentucky Derby.

[struggle4progress]

4. Absolutely great Derby! eom