2012 Kentucky Derby: I'll Have Another, Like Joe Medwick, Faces Long Triple Crown Odds

Kentucky Derby 2012: I'll Have Another Closes Fast To Begin Quest For Triple Crown

The quest for the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 is officially underway, as I'll Have Another put on a late charge to pass Bodemeister and win The Kentucky Derby. I'll Have Another made history, as he is the first horse to win out of the 19th post in Derby history. Mario Gutierrez, who rode I'll have Another, also made some history, winning the Kentucky Derby in his debut.

Bodemeister led nearly the whole race, but couldn't hold off the charging I'll have Another over the final 300 yards. Bodemiester raced at an incredible pace, setting five of the fastest splits in Derby history. Dullahan nearly pushed for second place, but couldn't quite catch Bodemeister and finished third.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of the 2012 Kentucky Derby, head over to SB Nation horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. Stay up to date with constant Derby coverage in this StoryStream.

Mint Julep Recipe: Mint Leaves, Bourbon Will Make You Classier

The 2012 Kentucky Derby is nearly here, and as a teetotaler this means one thing to me: I'm going to think, "Hey, a mint julep sounds pretty good!", and then I'm going to look at a mint julep recipe and realize that, despite its sounding like some kind of ice cream cookie, it is in fact mostly bourbon with some ice and leaves in it. In any case: On to a mint julep recipe you, a non-teetotaler, can use to impress your friends and loved ones!

You need: Bourbon, fresh mint, sugar, crushed ice, and a wooden spoon.

You need to do this: Muddle the mint and the sugar—combine them, that is, without destroying the mint, at the bottom of your glass. Add some bourbon and some ice (to taste), and then find a way to look as classy as possible while drinking them. For more detailed information, and serving instructions, consult the musings of SB Nation's captive bartender.

In the meantime, I think I'll just have some mint chocolate chip ice cream. That's probably as close as I can get to what my brain thinks a mint julep actually is.

Kentucky Derby Odds: Bodemeister Inches Up In Latest Contender Movement

Bodemeister, the presumptive favorite and the contender with the lowest 2012 Kentucky Derby odds for a while now, had his odds inch up on him Saturday morning, as he moved from 4-1 to 7-1 in the live odds. Union Rags, who remains at 9-2, looks all the better for it, while horses like Optimizer (from 50-1 to 36-1) and Done Talking (50-1 to 31-1) have made major moves that still leave them longshots—just longshots a lot of people appear to like. Prospective is the official longest-shot now, at 62-1.

With just hours to go before the start of the 138th renewal of the Kentucky Derby, Union Rags, Bodemeister, and Gemologist are the only contenders inside of 10-1 in a field that seems crowded with longshots. And if you want to pick one of those longshots, here's a storyline for you: tftribe, of our horse-racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come, is picking none other than Daddy Long Legs based on his run in Dubai and despite his post position.

2012 Kentucky Derby Picks And Predictions: Union Rags, Dullahan Remain Solid Choices

If you're looking for a quick refresher before you make your 2012 Kentucky Derby picks SI.com's Kentucky Derby preview seems like a reasonable bet—their slideshow offers a paragraph of information about each horse and his humans, the post positions, and the current odds. Despite ending up close to the rail at four, Union Rags remains a solid choice at 9-2, while Dullahan, at 8-1, will have no problem starting from the number five, according to SB Nation's horse racing expert, And Down The Stretch They Come's Matt Gardner.

Bodemeister, however, remains the favorite, at 4-1. But what fun is there in picking the favorite? His dominant Arkansas Derby performance remains the primary feather in his cap. If you're looking for the longest of longshots as an ersatz retirement plan, take a look at 50-1 Rousing Sermon, Trinniberg, Liaison, or Done Talking. And stay tuned to SB Nation for more updates on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, and more picks and predictions from people who know much more about all this than I do...

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: The Previews Continue Friday

Over at SB Nation's comprehensive preview, resident guru Matt Gardner's look at all the 2012 Kentucky Derby contenders continues. He's not just looking at the favorites like Bodemeister and Union Gap and the sleeper picks like Went The Day Well; he's going all the way down to longshots like Optimizer, giving you a perfectly good chance to come out of your Kentucky Derby party looking like someone who follows horse racing more than three days a year.

As someone who's not nearly confident enough in his own abilities to bet actual money on any sport, let alone horse racing, that's all I can ask for, personally: A chance to high-hat the people around me by being the only one in our group on Saturday to have spent more than 40 seconds reading about the Kentucky Derby contenders before the start of the Kentucky Derby.

For more Kentucky Derby information—TV schedules, contender capsules, general previews—stay tuned to SB Nation's storystream or our dedicated horse-racing site, And Down the Stretch They Come, one of our great blogs and, for that matter, great blog names.

2012 Kentucky Derby: SB Nation's Matt Gardner Takes A Look At The Post Positions

On Wednesday, the post positions for the 2012 Kentucky Derby were announced, and where each horse starts the race can have a big impact on the finish. SB Nation horse racing expert Matt Gardner of And Down The Stretch They Come analyzes the impact of the post positions in the video below. Which horses will benefit from where they'll start on Saturday? Which have been put in a difficult spot? Gardner answers those questions and more.

Related: 2012 Kentucky Derby Schedule: More Events On The Way For Horse Racing Fans

Bodemeister and Union Rags are the favorites, though Gardner believes both horses received unfavorable draws. Here's the full draw for this weekend's big race:

1. Daddy Long Legs
2. Optimizer
3. Take Charge Indy
4. Union Rags
5. Dullahan
6. Bodemeister
7. Rousing Sermon
8. Creative Cause
9. Trinniberg
10. Daddy Knows Best
11. Alpha
12. Perspective
13. Went The Day Well
14. Hansen
15. Gemologist
16. El Padrino
17. Done Talking
18. Sabercat
19. I'll Have Another
20. Liaison

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of the 2012 Kentucky Derby, head over to SB Nation horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. Stay up to date with constant Derby coverage in this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby Schedule: More Events On The Way For Horse Racing Fans

The 2012 Kentucky Derby schedule moves on Thursday, with NBC Sports replaying some Kentucky Derby classics and moving on to give us Kentucky Derby access later on. Here's a look at the complete TV schedule, that you may decide when you'll be moving your TV out onto a balmy lawn and watching it with all your friends in breeches. What are breeches, exactly?

For more information, make sure to check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby preview, which has been doing a great job of previewing all this year's contenders with information on their skills, their odds, and the things they're expected to do at this year's biggest horse-related event.

2012 Kentucky Derby Post Positions: Dullahan Draws Fifth Gate

Post position is quite important to the Kentucky Derby given the frequent congestion among the 20 horses on the track, and on Wednesday those positions were announced as part of a television special on NBC Sports Network. SB Nation's Brian Floyd explains the low down on the importance of pole positions:

Draw on the rail, and a horse risks being squeezed down the front-stretch, losing position and having to back-off going into the first turn. Draw too far outside, and the race becomes that much longer as everyone breaks for the rail early.

Here's the full drawing for Saturday's race:

1. Daddy Long Legs
2. Optimizer
3. Take Charge Indy
4. Union Rags
5. Dullahan
6. Bodemeister
7. Rousing Sermon
8. Creative Cause
9. Trinniberg
10. Daddy Knows Best
11. Alpha
12. Perspective
13. Went The Day Well
14. Hansen
15. Gemologist
16. El Padrino
17. Done Talking
18. Sabercat
19. I'll Have Another
20. Liaison

Floyd explains that Union Rags, Dullahan and Bodemeister should be given extra focus after drawing the fourth, fifth and sixth spots given their previously high expectations.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Schedule: Derby Week Continues Apace

The 2012 Kentucky Derby isn't until Saturday—May 5—but Derby Week is already in gear, from the Post Position Draw Wednesday night to NBC and NBC Sports's continued coverage of Derby events on Thursday and Friday. Here's a complete list of Derby events, brought to you by SB Nation proper's Kentucky Derby stream, which is awash with information on events, contenders, odds, mint juleps, and everything else you associate with sports's hoity-toitiest event.

For more information, make sure to check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby preview, which will be updated multiple times per day all the way up to Derby day itself. And to feel more comfortable around your horse-racing expert friends, consider adopting a southern accent, or wearing pince-nez. It's always helped for me.

2012 Kentucky Derby Preview: More Horse Information Than You Could Ever Want

The 2012 Kentucky Derby contenders are slightly easier to remember with SB Nation's extensive Derby preview.