In 2009 I had the pleasure to spend Derby week with the Lanzman family in Louisville for Derby 135 and the Kentucky Derby favorite I Want Revenge, whom had just won the Wood Memorial.
I Want Revenge trained by Jeff Mullins was early favorite but was scratched morning of the Derby.
I got a call from David Lanzman this Saturday afternoon, "of all people who know the feeling of being scratched on Derby morning, we both know that feeling,'' he said.
Yes we do, David. We lived it.
I recall getting on our bus to go to the 2009 Derby and Lanzman standing up before departing: "I don't want any of you to tell me youre sorry and if i am OK, we are going to the Derby, let's go have fun", we then witnessed the Mine That Bird miracle ride by Calvin Borel on that wet first Saturday in May.
I recall that morning when we woke up everybody had left the house by 5 am, Mullins had beaten his assistant Bobby Troeger to the barn, which had not happened before according to Bobby, ever.
David was also at the track as well, which left me to tell Joe Talamo, our jockey, whom was staying at our house that we had been scratched.
A bizzare weekend that ended with David getting a speeding ticket on the way to Cincinnati aiport, and myself, being grilled by a highway patrol officer why I was riding with this family.
I am bypassing the best story, however, of the trainer & assistant trainer, hitting the Gentleman's Club "Godfathers" coming back with video proof, yes a CD, that I was entrusted to destroy before any family members came in to town.
Making a long story short, the CD ended up being hidden right between the Beauty and the Beast/Lady and Tramp movies in the video library of the house we rented, Oy Vey!
This Derby weekend is rivaling 2009 trip, minus the Gentleman's Club CD, the highway patrol officer, but the night is still young.
The last two weeks have been extremely hectic, there is so much preparation for the Oaks & Derby week, we entered 1285 works and comments, and over 450 videos, plus all the analysis, Zooms etc.
On top of that, we were making all the preparations for tickets, paddock passes, for all partners of Bo Cruz coming into town, and the excitement in the air.
I was the liaison with CDI for the tickets, parking, etc. I wanted the partners to have the great experience of running a horse in one million dollar Grade 1 on Derby day. Wow!
Add all the other work and pressure i put on myself, as well, to do well for the subscribers, clients, along with my Racingwithbruno staff.
It means the stress and excitement this year doubled.
All of you were great today, you really were my support group.
The Bo Cruz scratching was tough to take, it took half the day to get over the thought we weren't running.
It was a gut punch to everyone in the partnership. I was genuinely depressed.
We are a small outfit that doesn't get these opportunities often, we purchase horses on a shoestring budget. This is a big deal for us, there are partnerships that spend a ton of monies and get nothing, and they have zero accountabiity, it always amazes me how people keep throwing monies at them.
We deliver, with 20% record over the years, and with incredibly modest auction horses.
I wear that on my sleeve as well.
This weekend, overall, brought back memories of 2009, same rainy weekend, morning of the race-drama, now Mystik Dan is moving on to the next leg of the Triple Crown and a showdown with Baffert-friendly Preakness and Muth, another stage of the Triple Crown drama is setting up.
The Derby, itself, was a slowly run last 6f, and the possibility of Thorpedo Anna going into the Preakness as well, as Rachel Alexandra did in 2009 after her Oaks 20 length win.
I'd like to forget some of this weekends drama, meanwhile the only thing I now wonder about that weekend in 2009 was who stumbled across that Godfathers Gentleman's Club CD.
