Big Daddy in May

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Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?

Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting?

He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray.

He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.

The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance.

In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

Job 39:19-24 (NIV)

Per Trailmix tradition, the entries for bragging rights have been made. This year should be one of the best ever simply because there isn’t a standout star other than Into Mischief who isn’t running. He is the big daddy who sired three of the top ten horses: Potente, Commandment, and Renegade. Into Mischief stands at Spendthrift Farm just in case you want to scrape a few coins together for his services ($250,000). He is the seven-time reigning champion general sire including a record-tying third Kentucky Derby winner in 2025 with Sovereignty.

Into Mischief

If you would like to take a look at the contenders, You can visit them on the Churchill Downs website. If you would actually like to bet and don’t have a track near you, you can set up a secure account at Twinspires.

Ladies and gentlemen, mount your horses.

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108 thoughts on “Big Daddy in May”


  4. The exciting ending to Rossini’s fantastic overture to William Tell with horse movies .
    Composer :Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

  8. Thank god the Derby is only two minutes long—any longer and Trump might issue an executive order to ride the horses himself just to get the cameras back. Grab your bourbon and prepare for the madness.

  10. Craig – out of curiosity I queried a search program for where to place a bet on the race in Maryland. Casinos with sports betting and race tracks Pimlico and Laurel.

  11. I assume you have to go in person, BB? It’s funny, online betting is not something I was ever interested in. But now that I’m told I can’t do it I am suddenly outraged.

  14. Patd – You outdid yourself this morning.

    Into Mischief not only sired three of the favored, he sired a fourth in one of the Japanese entries and one of his sons sired a fifth horse. Not bad for a so so racehorse whose initial stud fee started at $12,500 until the kids started running in circles one of which won last year’s derby. Can a little mischief be made two years in a row?

    On top of that 20% of all the entries, there is another big daddy in the mix. 19 of 20 running in the first leg of the Triple Crown have Secretariat in their lineage and eight have him on both the sire and dam sides.

  15. Just for Blue. All three venues in the Triple Crown are HISA Tracks. (Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority)

    The rules and regulations that comprise HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program were approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prior to their implementation on July 1, 2022. HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) rules and regulations were approved by the FTC on March, 27 2023, and were implemented on May 22, 2023.

    HISA’s rule-making process has consistently included robust stakeholder engagement, during which HISA has solicited feedback from relevant industry groups and posted draft proposed rules and regulations for public comment.

    HISA will continuously update and evolve its rules on an ongoing basis as data, experience on the ground and stakeholder feedback dictate. All rule updates and official rules guidance are subject to FTC approval.

    Full regulations at link

  16. The ladies have a totally remarkable idol whose records will probably never be broken. This is long, but Kincsem’s story is fascinating.

    YouTube thumbnail

  17. I asked Silas for a “coverage of the coverage” memo. Organizers still got a lot done yesterday. They focused on midterm battleground states such as North Carolina for what they called “infrastructure tests” aimed at networking for vigorous get-out-the-vote drives in November.

    May Day Strong: Verified Impact Report (May 1, 2026)

    Despite the lofty “general strike” rhetoric, widespread economic paralysis did not materialize. However, localized, verifiable disruptions did occur, primarily driven by public sector absences and targeted direct actions.

    Verified Impact & Disruptions:

    • School Closures (North Carolina): Approximately 20 public school districts, including the state’s largest, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, officially closed on May 1 due to high volumes of planned staff absences. (NPR, May 1, 4:58 PM PDT)

    • Stock Exchange Arrests (New York City): About 100 protesters were arrested Friday afternoon after chaining themselves to the front of the New York Stock Exchange and blocking property exits. (The Guardian, May 1, 3:20 PM EDT)

    • Infrastructure & Corporate Blockades:
    – Washington, D.C.: Protesters successfully shut down multiple intersections across the city. (The Guardian, May 1, 3:20 PM EDT)
    – Memphis, TN: Protesters physically blocked the entrance to Elon Musk’s xAI datacenter. (The Guardian, May 1, 3:20 PM EDT)

    • Student Walkouts (Missouri): High school students in Kansas City conducted verified walkouts to join local protests. (The Guardian, May 1, 3:20 PM EDT)

    Broad retail, restaurant, and corporate absenteeism metrics remain unverified or nonexistent. No major private-sector supply chains reported verifiable operational damage.

    Key Sources:
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/01/may-day-strong-economic-protests
    https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2026-05-01/nationwide-may-day-protests-pick-up-mantle-of-no-kings

    — Silas (Gemini)

  18. Everyone thought May Day was about smashing the system, but it turns out they were just checking their microphones for the midterms. Watch the “general strike” infrastructure test before the spin doctors ruin it.

  19. Yep. Always do a sound check before the main act takes the stage.

    Cheapest regular gas in EB is $4.37.9, cheapest premium,$5.17.9. Yow.

  20. My feed is feeding me.

    THE VETERAN. THE MOST EXPERIENCED. THE MOST ANTICIPATED.
    Today at Churchill Downs, among 20 horses and 152 years of history, there will be a man with more Derby rides than anyone who has ever lived.
    His name is Mike Smith. He is 59 years old. And today, he’s not just riding to win.
    He’s riding to become the oldest jockey ever to win the Kentucky Derby — a record that belongs to Bill Shoemaker, who was 52 in 1986 aboard Ferdinand. Mike would beat it by seven years.
    His horse is So Happy, post 8, now trading at 6-1. A son of champion sprinter Runhappy, he captured the Santa Anita Derby by 2¾ lengths over Potente. The mile-and-a-quarter distance remains a question mark given his sprinting bloodlines — but So Happy has answered that question once already. He may answer it again.
    Smith has ridden So Happy in every one of his four career starts. This isn’t just a jockey on a horse. It’s a partnership built race by race.
    He holds the all-time record for Kentucky Derby mounts — 28 editions ridden. Today makes 29. No one in history has ever been here this many times.
    He has won this race twice: Giacomo in 2005 at 50-1, one of the great upsets in Derby history, and Justify in 2018 — Triple Crown.
    History isn’t waiting for him. History is watching.
    🐎 So Happy. Post 8. Mike Smith. May 2, 2026🐎

  22. Late Scratch – The Puma is out so only 19 horses running. Renee needs a new horse.

    Horse Trainer Jockey Odds Trailmix Rider

    1. Renegade, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr., 4-1 Jamie

    2. Albus, Riley Mott, Manny Franco, 30-1

    3. Intrepido, Jeff Mullins, Hector Berrios, 50-1

    4. Litmus Test, Bob Baffert, Martin Garcia, 30-1

    5. Right to Party, Kenny McPeek, Chris Elliott, 30-1 Pogo

    6. Commandment, Brad Cox, Luis Saez, 6-1 Blue Bronc

    7. Danon Bourbon, Manabu Ikezoe, Atsuya Nishimura, 20-1 Chris (Jamie’s son)

    8. So Happy, Mark Glatt, Mike Smith, 15-1 Ivy

    9. The Puma, Gustavo Delgado, Javier Castellano, 10-1 Renee, Show bet Patd Scratched

    10. Wonder Dean, Daisuke Takayanagi, Ryusei Sakai, 30-1

    11. Incredibolt, Riley Mott, Jaime Torres, 20-1 Katie

    12. Chief Wallabee, Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado, 8-1 Patd

    13. Silent Tactic, Mark Casse, Cristian Torres, 20-1 Scratched

    14. Potente, Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez, 20-1 Winterlinde

    15. Emerging Market, Chad Brown, Flavien Prat, 15-1

    16. Pavlovian, Doug O’Neill, Edwin Maldonado, 30-1 Craig

    17. Six Speed, Bhupat Seemar, Brian Hernandez Jr., 50-1

    18. Further Ado, Brad Cox, John Velazquez, 6-1 Dave B.

    19. Golden Tempo, Cherie DeVaux, Jose Ortiz, 30-1 Sturgeon

    20. Fulleffort, Brad Cox, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1 (Scratched)

    21. Great White, John Ennis, Alex Achard, 50-1 Patd (show)

    22. Ocelli, Whit Beckman, Joe Ramos, 50-1

  25. OK…
    I really like Mike Smith…. so give me So Happy. I’ll ride behind you Ivy…

  31. Today in the Diner…
    1. UAW 2028 Strike, Trump Election Threats & Wealth Tax | Digital Diner
    2. Why the UAW is Planning the Ultimate General Strike for 2028
    3. No Kings, No Votes, and Mint Juleps.

    UAW 2028 strike plans, Trump’s voting threats, and the wealth tax debate. Craig Crawford and the Diner crew dig into the week’s political garbage.

    Shawn Fain and the UAW are playing the long game, lining up union contracts to expire on May Day 2028 to sidestep the Taft-Hartley Act and legalize a massive general strike. It’s the kind of long-range economic warfare the working class desperately needs while politicians bicker about billionaires paying zero taxes and whether or not the border wall is just a giant missed retail opportunity.

    Meanwhile, Trump is out there telling crowds they won’t ever have to vote again if they put him back in power. It’s not a joke, folks; he’s telling you the exact plan out loud. We also look at the absolute necessity of expanding the House of Representatives to fix our broken math, why American troops love being stationed in Germany, and we wrap up the chaos with Kentucky Derby picks, my childhood saddle shoes, and Colonel Sanders’ brutal mint julep recipe.

    Live Chat: https://trailmix.cc/chat
    Website: https://trailmix.cc
    Alerts: https://trailmix.cc/alerts

    00:00 Intro & May Day Infrastructure Test
    03:19 Sean Fain & The 2028 UAW Strike Plan
    05:48 The California Billionaire Wealth Tax Debate
    11:18 DACA, The Border Wall & Walmart Economics
    25:52 Trump Pulls Troops from Germany
    34:10 Trump Claims “You Won’t Have to Vote Anymore”
    48:36 Why We Must Expand the House of Representatives
    59:33 Derby Picks & Colonel Sanders’ Mint Julep

  35. FYI all, when posting videos always put the raw link on a line by itself to automatically embed for playing. No idea why YouTube requires that but not even Silas has found a workaround.

  36. they won’t ever have to vote again

    Is there any duty of citizenship they don’t hate and won’t shirk?

  40. Those Elvis traffic lights are fun,
    Thanks winterlinde for mentioning them and jamie for the link.

    Makes my old whitetrash heart go pitty pat.
    Jack

  45. Why blow billions guarding a geopolitical parking lot in the Strait of Hormuz when we could just buy free community college for everyone? Peak imperial absurdity. Watch:

  46. https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/01/politics/exclusive-judge-admonishes-prosecutors-grandstanding-press-dinner-gunman

    A federal judge privately admonished prosecutors for attempting to grandstand Thursday at a detention hearing for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman, according to a transcript first obtained by CNN.

    “I don’t know what’s going on here. I know that you want to present your case, I guess, to some audience other than the Court,” Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya told three prosecutors in the courtroom on Thursday out of earshot of the public and press. “I don’t want this to turn into a circus.”

    A CNN analysis of hotel surveillance video released by the DC US Attorney’s Office on Thursday, coupled with audio taken from inside the ballroom during the shooting, does not definitively conclude when or if Allen fired a shot. But the audio analysis does indicate that six shots total were fired during the incident, which aligns with initial statements by law enforcement that Allen fired one shot, while a responding officer fired five more.

    *I’ll believe anything from this regime when…

  48. Horse Trainer Jockey Odds Trailmix Rider

    1. Renegade, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr., 4-1 Jamie

    2. Albus, Riley Mott, Manny Franco, 30-1

    3. Intrepido, Jeff Mullins, Hector Berrios, 50-1

    4. Litmus Test, Bob Baffert, Martin Garcia, 30-1

    5. Right to Party, Kenny McPeek, Chris Elliott, 30-1 Pogo

    6. Commandment, Brad Cox, Luis Saez, 6-1 Blue Bronc

    7. Danon Bourbon, Manabu Ikezoe, Atsuya Nishimura, 20-1 Chris (Jamie’s son)

    8. So Happy, Mark Glatt, Mike Smith, 15-1 Ivy, Renee

    9. The Puma, Gustavo Delgado, Javier Castellano, 10-1 Renee, Show bet Patd Scratched

    10. Wonder Dean, Daisuke Takayanagi, Ryusei Sakai, 30-1

    11. Incredibolt, Riley Mott, Jaime Torres, 20-1 Katie

    12. Chief Wallabee, Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado, 8-1 Patd

    13. Silent Tactic, Mark Casse, Cristian Torres, 20-1 Scratched

    14. Potente, Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez, 20-1 Winterlinde

    15. Emerging Market, Chad Brown, Flavien Prat, 15-1 Jack

    16. Pavlovian, Doug O’Neill, Edwin Maldonado, 30-1 Craig

    17. Six Speed, Bhupat Seemar, Brian Hernandez Jr., 50-1

    18. Further Ado, Brad Cox, John Velazquez, 6-1 Dave B., Mortoni

    19. Golden Tempo, Cherie DeVaux, Jose Ortiz, 30-1 Sturgeon

    20. Fulleffort, Brad Cox, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1 (Scratched)

    21. Great White, John Ennis, Alex Achard, 50-1 Patd (show)

    22. Ocelli, Whit Beckman, Joe Ramos, 50-1

  52. If you have the audio of the shooting then you can tell if he fired the shotgun because a pistol and a shotgun make a different sound to the shots.

    Jack

  53. Last bit of trivia on Into Mischief

    As of May 2026, the elite stallion Into Mischief has sired three Kentucky Derby winners: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021, via disqualification), and Sovereignty (2025). His progeny have dominated the race, with all three wins occurring in the last six years, making him a record-tying sire.

    [Authentic (2020): Won the 146th Kentucky Derby and was named Horse of the Year.

    [Mandaloun (2021): Elevated to winner of the 147th Kentucky Derby after Medina Spirit was disqualified.

    [Sovereignty (2025): Won the 151st Kentucky Derby, marking Into Mischief’s third winner.

    As of the 2026 Kentucky Derby, Into Mischief has tied the record for most Derby winners sired, joining Bull Lea, Sir Gallahad III, Falsetto, and Virgil.

    He is also the grandsire of 2024 Derby winner Mystik Dan. If one of his colts wins today it will break the current three winners record.

  54. yeah who writes these articles that can’t tell the difference between a shotgun and a handgun sound

    and then, obviously none of the alleged five shots fired by “law enforcement” hit the suspect

    moron cowboys

    and another suspect that caught himself (by tripping and falling down), he wasn’t really apprehended

  55. The guy with the K-9 unit talking to him before he disappeared into a room & reappeared with a long gun right after he walked away. Chaos is the MO of the tRUMPsky regime.

  58. Are you doing tomatoes Craig?

    I think the liberal orthodoxy might permit you to buy a tomato plant today. I don’t know you’ll have to check with your local leftist authorities.

  60. oh hey Pogo, did you see the Ridgeline redesign?

    It’s still bad, but not quite as bad

  62. This guy is actually becoming a bit of a local hero. Perched on top of a bridge near the Capitol doing zoom calls with news media.

    South Capitol Street reopens; ‘barricade situation’ remains after man scales Frederick Douglass Bridge — WTOP

    From his X account:

    I’m calling on the people of the United States to bring an immediate end to the Trump regime’s illegal war on Iran and the removal of the regime power through mass nonviolent direct action and non-cooperation.

    I also want to urgently warn the people of the US and the world of the imminent danger we are in of crossing a point of no return towards the development of artificial intelligence which poses the risk of catastrophic harm to humanity, including human extinction. I call on the governments of the world to take immediate action to end this danger by permanently banning the development of artificial general intelligence and machine super intelligence. I also call on the people of the world to exert all possible influence through nonviolent action to compel their governments to end this danger with all possible speed.

  63. Guido the Bridge Guy. Turns out he’s done this before, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe. And of course wouldn’t you know, he’s from Florida.

  66. I lived my entire life without caring about online sports betting until a website told me my “state” (District of Columbia) banned it. Now I demand my constitutional right to lose money.

    From today’s Digital Diner menu 🍽️

  69. if you want to be lazy about it, the garden center sells pre-potted and caged tomatoes

    or buy a small one and stick in the ground

    or a large pot with good drainage and a bag of raised bed soil

    only encouraging you since you expressed a desire, won’t belabor it

    or just get a thyme plant!

    put in sunny spot with poor soil

  72. Anon. I just finished a nasty battle with pigeons nesting under my grill and other places. Less hopeful than ever I can put anything out there that the bastards won’t to eat or shit on

  73. Anon, haven’t seen the ridgeline redesign, but I’ve never cared for them. Not really a truck, not really a car…and I’m not particularly interested in trucks – last owned one about 40 years ago. I went and looked and it looks like it’s a 2 row SUV with a little pickup bed. I understand they aren’t selling well.

  86. I have no idea where my horse ran… but I don’t care.
    I’m thrilled to see the first woman trainer win it! (and she’s French to boot!)…

  89. What a race!
    I don’t think I’ve seen so many horses come from behind. Down the stetch in a couple of seconds all the leaders were out of the money.
    What a race.

    Jack

  98. Andy kept it short and sweet so it wasn’t too bad. Any Governor would have done the same thing for his or her State. God forbid, if it was a Dodo-event, he would have used it to bad mouth his enemies.

  103. Our weekly roundup as we rev up for another lap. Meanwhile a man named Guido has pitched a tent on top of a DC bridge, and we think he might actually be making sense???

    Tomorrow 11-Noon ET…

  104. Facebook is running videos of speeches by Bill Clinton. There is no visual or audible indication as to whether or not the speeches are actually Clinton. After some digging I find that they are Ai. The only real clue I noticed was that I’m pretty sure Clinton would not mispronounce Khomeine. (Sp)
    The thing is the speeches are a really good assessment of our current situation globally, speeches I wish someone would make that maga could hear.

    Strange days, indeed.

  105. Winter – The US needs some Berlin energy to kick this regime out in its (never wounded) ear.

  106. a lot of ads on streaming are ai now and the tech is impressive, and only improving

    😱

  107. i would have picked a horse but was too busy gardening

    cool tradition

    also thx for links, all, as always

  108. enjoying a homegrown tomato is very life affirming truly

    is why i encourage the practice

    i’ll say no more!

    😊

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