Obama makes his Kentucky Derby picks

Posted: Friday, May 02, 2008 6:04 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, 2008 Obama

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
INDIANAPOLIS -- Obama made his top three picks for the Kentucky Derby this morning, choosing Colonel John -- the horse he joked about on Letterman last night -- to come in first.

"We are working tirelessly to get the endorsement of Kentucky Derby favorite Colonel John," the senator said in his Top 10 list last night.

Obama's second choice, Pyro, is weighty with potential political metaphor. The young upstart has been the two-year-old championship and was widely considered to be the Derby favorite up until just a few weeks ago, when it stumbled out of the gate. The horse had a disappointing finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, and his chances have been downgraded by some oddsmakers.

The horse he picked to come in third, Big Brown, is a Louisville-based horse named after UPS, the area's largest employer. The horse is considered a favorite.

Yesterday, Clinton urged people to bet on the one filly in the race, Eight Belles.

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Comments

This is a stupid article.

jeesh (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 6:20 PM)

Obama, I bet on you!

Tawana Tennessee (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 6:35 PM)

I'll place all my money on Obama!

Sheri, AZ (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 6:42 PM)

I will bet on the bay.

nuanced (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 7:23 PM)

Come on Eight Belles--I am pulling for you.

Delroes in Tennessee (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 7:28 PM)

I am so sick of the media glorifying Billary - she was behind 110 delegates before ohio and Texas and every media outlet thinks she has momentum and now she is behind 130 plus. How can she have momentum where Obama's lead keeps widening when the end of the game is nearer? Come on! Give me a BREAK and tell irt like it is with the clinton fraud machine

JW, Michigan (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 7:35 PM)

Well you have to play the game and my bet is on Obama!!!!!!! Go home to pasture Hillary as you are out of touch!
Obama 08

Cherie KC MO (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 7:35 PM)

Huh? They were asked to pick horses? Who thinks up this stuff?

Karl K, Whitewater, WI (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 7:53 PM)

The Derby is a Horse Race...more barn animals for Obama to run against...

Betting is for Elitists. (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 8:12 PM)

Aswini Anburajan
- for those of us who don't follow horse-racing, it would have been nice if your article had included the date, place and time of the race. Whatever happened to the basics of good journalism: "who, what, why, how, when and where"?

Linda, Allen, TX (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 8:17 PM)

Can I remind everyone once more, that even though I am female and would love a filly to win-the Derby ONLY-that in 133 Runs for the Roses, only THREE FILLIES HAVE WON? The last in 1988. Once more,
great financial information from Sen. CLINTON.
Right up there with gas tax-NOT EVER going to be paid by the oil companies-and great management of campaign finances.

Deborah Greenlawn, NY (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 8:41 PM)

Obama is such a kid.me too me too.ho take a nap.If he wasnt so dangerous hed be a bore.Now I hear so many believe Wright. this is such a disastor.Obama has dived the party and country and now I hear the churches and blacks are devided.All for the ego of one man whose only attribute is his color. God Bless this Country.

Please bring Hillary a win!! Both states (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 8:56 PM)

Obama, your going to win...........

Chris, Placitas, NM (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 8:59 PM)

Oh God. Those were my picks. Now I have to switch off.

karen shaub Oswego, Illinois (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 9:29 PM)

Ha ha, I was hoping Obama would vote for Big Brown once Hill-O went for the "philly" (yes I know that's not the correct spelling!) I thought it would be funny for him to play his "race" card finally since she played her "gender" card so ridiculously!!

LB, VA (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 10:24 PM)

The metaphors are all wrong. Big Brown for first, Pyro second and Colonel John third. Obama, Clinton, McCain--in that order. The hard-working brown man of the people from humble stock, the expected front runner who hasn't managed to hold first place, and the war hero named "John." Barack's a smart guy. Maybe he wanted to refocus expectations ever so subtly. He likes running as the underdog more than as the leader.

Angela Bacsik, Gainesville, FL (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 11:00 PM)

They bet on horses and set on their fat a@@es and do nothing which would move American in a positive direction!! A Washington self serving paper, worthless and a proven burden upon progress and common sense. Its time we the people cleaned Washington of these self serving paper hangers,, not one has earned their pay,,""like where could you get a job that pays $160000.00 for worthless conversation! Congress is a HOAX and we are the pundit!

So how do you like those apples???

Apples and fiction your congress at work! (Sent Friday, May 02, 2008 11:42 PM)

Obama may have some good handicapping skills... lol

I don't know about Pyro coming in 2nd though... if it's sloppy like the Oaks was today that may happen.

He should check with www.WinningPonies.com

Jason, Sacramento, CA (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 12:18 AM)

This is NOT a stupid article. It makes sense! Why not cover the candidates Derby picks, if the media will not cover important things like the Clinton/Bush-McCain enabling of critically important high tech company, to be sold and their manufacturing facilities to be shipped to Red China, of Magnaquench, an Illinois employer and maker of high efficiency electric motors, and the maker of magnets that go into smart bomb guidance systems. Way to go Billary...NOT!! Learn more about how these TRAITORS are destroying the security of our nation, google..Magnaquench..for more news and information!

Gerald Sobel (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 1:31 AM)

When asked what horse he thinks will win, Sen. Obama weighs his options and chooses the horse he considers most likely to win.

When asked what horse she thinks will win, Sen. Clinton suggests you to risk money on Eight Belles because the horse is a filly.

Is there a metaphor to be made here?

Kevin C., Princeton, NJ (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 3:04 AM)

Go around the world and talk to people, all you hear is Obama presidency will revive and unite the world. People around the world are talking about developing Obama's kind of political movement in different countries around the globe. The world is admiring Obama's political strategies of uniting different parties under democracy and making America the strong leader in the world.
Jennifer, London-England.

Jennifer Dodds (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 9:39 AM)

obama you should take that horse and put your pastor on
it and make a run for it.

brianne bronx ny (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 10:31 AM)

Bill does not know one end of a horse from another. He likes head but he really is a horses behind (ass). Enough already go back to New York.

Joyce Spitler, Fort Wayne, IN (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 10:33 AM)

OH, THANKS FOR GIVING CLINTON THE TINY LAST LINE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE BELLES WILL WIN OR NOT, BUT HILLARY LOOKS LIKE A WINNER IN NOVEMBER TO ME.

SGM NW,AR. (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 10:38 AM)

I suggest that all Americans visit the website "hillaryproject.com" to see just who the country is casting its votes for/against. This Clinton person, and indeed her family, are dispicable. The so called "news media" really needs to get this story out and stop sitting on it. I never did trust the Clinton's; when Bill was running for President, I told everyone I knew that I didn't trust the man; there was just something in his face and demeanor that jolted me. I said the same thing of his wife. Now the wife is running for President of this country. She can't even control her campaign, her own home/family or her own mouth and greed and her notions that the Oval Office is hers by rights. How can she possibly help to control this country? REPORT ON PAUL VS. CLINTON!!! Civil Case BC 304174 LA County, California, set for 13 May 2008 at 8:37 AM California time.

dhwesson, chattanooga, tennessee (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 12:04 PM)

Obama likes horse racing just like I do. He's somebody I could hang out with. I'm voting for him now! He rules!

Zahfwizii Washington Willowbrook, CA (Sent Saturday, May 03, 2008 1:14 PM)

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