Secretariat was the baddest muthafucka...I thoroughly enjoy living in modern times with modern technology, modern conveniences, and modern women. But there's something really romantic about the '30s, '40s, '50s-sportswise. The big three were baseball, boxing, and horse racing. Baseball, obviously, is still a major player but the other two are far back...I can't really see boxing ever making it even close to back. It's been 2 decades since heavyweights had a face with Tyson and Holyfield. The '90s and early '00s had a good run with the lower classes- Roy Jones Jr., Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins(still doing it, bad man), Oscar DeLaHoya, Shane Mosely, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arturo Gatti, Micky Ward, Erik Morales, Pernell Whitaker, etc..I miss it, the sweet science-brutality juxtaposed with grace.

My childhood sports' memories were heavily seeped in the great bouts of the '80s. Hagler, Hearns, Duran, Mugabi, Mancini, Arguello, Pryor..Great fights, and they were on free TV, or at worst, HBO. There's something so pure about the mano y mano, enclosed in a ring, spotlighted for spectators spectacle that the big fights produced. It's not just some brutal battle, but a beautiful dance of defense and striking. And endurance and heart... MMA has overtaken boxing in popularity, and while I can appreciate the skill that they possess, it will never capture my imagination like the great pugilists once did.

Today is the one day a year when horse racing gets the spotlight, not like in the past, but still forces its way into the public consciousness. And if today's winner captures the Preakness, then the attention grows chasing that elusive Triple Crown. Its only happened 11 times in over a century, the last time in 1978 by Affirmed. I've never seen one, but I never saw one in baseball, either...until Miggy Cabrera last year. We've come close, the most disappointing for me was Silver Charm losing the Belmont by a nose. Love that gray horse. Gray horses are the best, I remember going out to Trinity Meadows in Weatherford. It was before they built Lone Star, and we'd always bet on the grays. Selective memory tells me they came thru. My first big Derby win was out there, as well. They simulcast the Derby, and the joint was packed, I bet $10 across the board on Lil E. Tee at 17-1 odds. As he hit the final turn, some random stranger next to me was going crazy, jumpin' up and down and grabbin' my shoulder. Turns out he had Lil E. Tee for $100 across the board. Good times.

The first time I ever booked any bets was my freshman year in the dorm at UNT. It was for the Derby, and I just took random $2-$20 bets from other cats in the dorm. About everyone bet on the favorite, and he came in 11th, I think. Made a quick $200 and was hooked... I guess it's in the blood, I remember going to Expo Raceway in Sacramento with my parents as a child. We'd go on the weekends and my dad would let me place some $2 bets with my chore money. It was harness racing- some crazy shit. One nite my mom hit the Pick 6(the winner in six races in a row), paid $15,000. Brought her out on the track and presented her one of those golf-sized checks. Good times.

I tend to lean towards the Arkansas Derby winner when handicapping Kentucky, and this year's no different. I'm going with Overanalyze for the win. The Arkansas race was slow this year, but he wasn't really challenged. He's going off at 15-1 right now. I'll go with the Orb, the favorite, to take the place. And Rick Pitino's horse, Goldencents, for the show. 

It's the most exciting 2 minutes in sports, so check it out.