Animal Kingdom, who was 20-1 on the morning line, won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Shackleford kept a commanding lead throughout the race, but Animal Kingdom, ridden by John Velazquez and trained by H. Motion, overtook his competitors on the homestretch to win the 137th Kentucky Derby. Velazquez, who was initially set to ride Uncle Mo before the horse was scratched, replaced jockey Robby Albarado after an injury. Shackleford only placed fourth.
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Grab your crazy-big hats and mint juleps — it's Derby Day!
The Kentucky Derby, the first leg in the race for the Triple Crown, will be broadcast live from Churchill Downs on Saturday starting at...
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The Preakness
4:30/3:30c NBC
Not unlike middle sister Jan Brady, the second jewel in horse racing's Triple Crown is a bit attention-starved as the bridge from historic Churchill Downs to the big-city, big-event feel of the Belmont Stakes. The too-short, two-week turnaround following the Kentucky Derby annually leads to just a handful of Derby horses also entering the Pimlico starting gate in Baltimore, making life that much easier for the Derby winner. Super Saver is this year's Triple Crown candidate, with jockey Calvin Borel gunning for his second straight Preakness win after guiding fabulous filly Rachel Alexandra to victory last year. Paddy O'Prado (third), Lookin at Lucky (sixth) and Dublin (seventh), one of two entries trained by five-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas, headline the Derby holdovers.
Read on for previews of SNL, Doctor Who, America's Most Wanted and more.
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Saturday Night Live
11:29 pm/ET NBC
Where there's Will, there's a way. The long-lasting late-night show closes its 34th season by turning to an old friend. Serving as host is erstwhile SNL player Will Ferrell, star of the forthcoming film Land of the Lost. Ferrell likely won't get lost on the familiar Studio 8H stage, where he roamed for seven years and mined sketch-comedy gold with recurring characters such as George W. Bush, James Lipton and perky cheerleader Craig Buchanan. And let's hope he plays more cowbell. Rock punkers Green Day, hot off the release of their 21st Century Breakdown CD, storm the stage in their third SNL appearance.
Read on for previews of MADtv, Kobe: Doin' Work, Preakness Stakes and Beverly Hills Groomer.
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Leg No. 2 of the Triple Crown is Saturday, and hopefully it will be without the heartache of the first. Following Big Brown's dominating win at the Kentucky Derby on May 3, runner-up Eight Belles broke both her front ankles and had to be euthanized on the track.NBC's coverage of the the Preakness Stakes (May 17, 4:30 pm/ET) includes a roundtable discussion on the Derby tragedy. Bob Costas will lead the discussion with Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones, NBC horse racing analyst Gary Stevens, Churchill Downs veterinarian Larry Bramlage, Alex Waldrop, CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and New York Times columnist William Rhoden.As for the race itself, Big Brown is currently a 1-2 favorite to win. Whether or not he can take Saturday's race and the June 7 Belmont Stakes, seems a long shot. Only 11 horses have ever won the Triple Crown, and none have done it since Affirmed, back in 1978. "It doesn't look like there is a horse that can beat him in the Triple Crown, but I t...
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