Kentucky Derby Official Site

Daily News sports writer Dick Jerardi has won his fourth Red Smith Kentucky Derby Writing Contest award.

Jerardi, who has covered horse racing for the Daily News for 20 years, won in the Advance division for the first time for a story that appeared May 7 headlined “Another Philadelphia story at Derby,” focusing on the owners of Afleet Alex. He previously won in the Monday Wrap-up division in 1987, 1991 and 1997.

He is the second Daily News writer to win the award four times. Stan Hochman won the feature title in 1984, and Monday Wrap-up honors in 1985, 1986 and 1988.

Other winners were Greg Hall, of the Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., in the Feature division; Courier-Journal colleague Jennie Rees in Sunday Wrap-up; and Steve Haskin, of the Blood-Horse, a trade magazine, in the Monday Wrap-up category.

Winners receive an engraved silver equine-themed serving tray at the annual National Turf Writers Association Awards Dinner tonight in Mineola, N.Y.

Daily News sports writer Dick Jerardi has won his fourth Red Smith Kentucky Derby Writing Contest award.

Jerardi, who has covered horse racing for the Daily News for 20 years, won in the Advance division for the first time for a story that appeared May 7 headlined “Another Philadelphia story at Derby,” focusing on the owners of Afleet Alex. He previously won in the Monday Wrap-up division in 1987, 1991 and 1997.

He is the second Daily News writer to win the award four times. Stan Hochman won the feature title in 1984, and Monday Wrap-up honors in 1985, 1986 and 1988.

Other winners were Greg Hall, of the Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., in the Feature division; Courier-Journal colleague Jennie Rees in Sunday Wrap-up; and Steve Haskin, of the Blood-Horse, a trade magazine, in the Monday Wrap-up category.

Winners receive an engraved silver equine-themed serving tray at the annual National Turf Writers Association Awards Dinner tonight in Mineola, N.Y.

The silhouette of a jockey aboard a Thoroughbred in full stride juxtaposed against a depiction of Churchill Downs’s legendary Twin Spires is the focus of the official logo for the 132nd edition of the Kentucky Derby (G1).
The logo for the 2006 Kentucky Derby, set for May 6, was unveiled on Tuesday at the Louisville track.

The 2006 Derby logo, created for the fourth consecutive year by the Churchill Downs Inc. Creative Services team, incorporates traditional Derby colors of red and green and prominently displays the number 132 and a signature red rose embedded in the name of the event.

The logo will adorn officially licensed merchandise for the 2006 Kentucky Derby.

“The unveiling of our 2006 Derby logo is a wonderful moment as it unofficially launches the countdown to the 132nd running of the Kentucky Derby, the greatest event in Thoroughbred racing and one of the premier sports events in the world,” said Steve Sexton, president of Churchill Downs. “The occasion is even more notable this year as this logo will be included on the first officially licensed Kentucky Derby products that will be marketed and distributed through our relationship with Licensing Partners International. The sale of officially licensed Kentucky Derby merchandise has displayed steady growth in recent years and the expertise and experience that LPI brings to that program will help Derby fans everywhere enjoy these products and create great new Kentucky Derby memories.”

Like many sports, rodeo is becoming one for the specialists.

No matter how well-rounded you are in multiple events, to reach the National Finals Rodeo, which begins Dec. 2 in Las Vegas, a cowboy must be one of the top 15 competitors in an individual event.

Witness Kyle Whitaker, who competes in steer wrestling, tie-down roping and saddle-bronc riding. He’s so good at all three of those events that he won the prestigious Linderman Award for the top cowboy competing in both timed and riding events. It was his fourth Linderman.

But after Friday’s performance at the American Royal, he’s headed home instead of instead of preparing for a trip to Las Vegas. He wasn’t able to add any money to the $39,729 he has won this season in his top event — steer wrestling — which left him nearly $20,000 behind 15th in the standings.

“The Linderman is a great award and it is a big accomplishment, but you get a buckle for it,” said Whitaker, who didn’t qualify for tonight’s finals. “If you make the NFR, you get paid.”

Garrett Nokes doesn’t qualify for the Linderman because he doesn’t ride bucking stock. But he sits in fifth place in the association’s standings as the top all-around cowboy in the three events he does compete in. That also doesn’t get him to the National Finals.

Nokes had to specialize his his way to the National Finals by concentrating on steer wrestling. He’s also is involved in tie-down roping and team roping.

“If I quit calf roping or steer wrestling 10 years ago, I might have had a chance as a one-event cowboy to make the finals quicker,” he said. “They both have paid the bills for me. That’s why I kept doing both events.”

Nokes recorded a 10-second time Friday night after quickly hopping onto his steer. But he couldn’t wrestle the heavy animal down quickly and wasn’t able to qualify for tonight’s finals in steer wrestling. He also missed a spot in the tie-down roping when he turned in a time of 18.9 seconds.

“That doubles my odds of winning a check while I am here for the same amount of traveling expenses,” he said.

Bull rider Jarrod Ford turned in the performance of the night, riding Prefert Pride to a rodeo-best score of 88. Barrel racer Chani Payne also topped the standings with her 15.08 time. At the American Royal, bull riders and barrel racers have one go-round to qualify for the finals. The other events have two go-rounds.

Saddle-bronc rider Ira Slagowski earned an 83 score on Boomerang, which was good enough for second place in the first go.

The rodeo continues today with a matinee at noon. The finals start at 7 tonight and involve the top 12 cowboys from the rodeo’s six rounds.