May Day - Kentucky Oaks Day

Today is traditionally May Day which celebrates the arrival of Spring throughout Europe and North America.  In the past, young  people would go out and gather the new flowers, decorating themselves with woven crowns of blossoms; young men would do their best to find a wild rose to present to their sweetheart that still had the morning dew nestling among the petals.  It was a time of celebration of the renewal of nature...
   This year, the United States and the thoroughbred racing world are celebrating May Day with the running of the Kentucky Oaks - a championship grade race for the young three-year-old fillies.  Tomorrow, we'll celebrate with the running of the 141st Kentucky Derby for three-year-old colts.  Unless there is a late scratch, there will be fourteen fillies in the starting gate this afternoon, and the morning-line betting odds have five entries at less than 15 to 1.  Those fillies are Stellar Wind, the betting favorite, followed by Condo Commando and I'm a Chatterbox at four to one, Lovely Maria is listed at five to one, and Birdatthewire is six to one.  The other nine entries are starting at odds of fifteen to one, up to fifty to one.  I still believe, just from paper, that Condo Commando will win by a head or less over Stellar Wind.   - My dream result would be Forever Unbridled as the winner, with Include Betty in second, Puca in third, and either Oceanwave or Shook Up in fourth...

   And, just a reminder - tomorrow, May 2, is the 47th Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival...  tents are already being set up.  The Festival is scheduled from noon until 4 p.m.