http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi RSS Feed for DN Col Dick Jerardi en-us Sun, 20 May 2012 06:47:04 GMT http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120519_Ill_Have_Another_runs_down_Bodemeister_to_win_Preakness.html BALTIMORE - On the first Saturday of February, I'll Have Another was not on any list of Kentucky Derby contenders. On the second Saturday of June, I'll Have Another will be going for the elusive Triple Crown. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120518_HED_TOO_LONG___BALTIMORE__Bodemeister_ran_t.html http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120518_Dick_Jerardi_.html BALTIMORE - The final hour of the Kentucky Derby telecast on NBC drew nearly 15 million viewers, a 6 percent increase in total viewers over 2011. Since the Super Bowl, only two sports telecasts had a bigger audience - the NCAA semifinal between Kansas and Ohio State and the championship game 2 nights later. The Derby did better than the Masters or the Daytona 500. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120505_Ill_Have_Another_wins_Kentucky_Derby__Union_Rags_finishes_seventh.html LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Last May, jockey Mario Gutierrez was the leading rider at Hastings Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Kentucky Derby a faraway event that he watched on television in the jockey's room. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120504_Nows_the_time_for_Union_Rags_to_deliver.html LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Kentucky Derby is about stories and money. I am partial to both. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120504_Dick_Jerardi_.html LOUISVILLE, Ky. - I do not think this Kentucky Derby is all that complicated. With a few exceptions, there are far more knowns than unknowns with these 20 horses. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120424_Kentucky_Derby_field_loaded_with_talent.html The 2012 Kentucky Derby will have more consistent, talented 3-year-olds in the starting gate on May 5 than any Derby in years. An incredible nine of the 14 horses that ran in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile have won 2012 stakes races. And three horses that did not even run in the Juvenile, the super fast Bodemeister, unbeaten Gemologist and Santa Anita Derby winner I’ll Have Another, will all be taking major action at the betting windows. Union Rags, the horse with all the Pennsylvania connections, may not have won his most recent start. But the big colt is still very much a major contender for America’s race. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120330_Dick_Jerardi_.html NEW ORLEANS - The Pimlico spring meet had just opened. There were races to be played. But I just could not tear myself away from a TV set near the racing office that was playing a regional final. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120326_Dick_Jerardi__For_Kentucky__it_s_either_red_or_blue.html THE ONLY EVENT that could possibly be bigger in Kentucky would be if Secretariat was reincarnated and in the 2012 Derby starting gate. And that might not do it this spring. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dick_jerardi/20120323_Dick_Jerardi__Great_offense_in_Syracuse-Wisconsin_gem.html YOU DON'T think of 64-63 games as offensive masterpieces, but that is exactly what went down when Syracuse beat Wisconsin by exactly that score in Thursday's first East Regional semifinal in Boston.