[dylbert]

Many thoughts, ideas, issues, and complaints have been aired on this thread, this forum, and other forums about Kentucky Derby this year.

The primary fact remains that Churchill Downs makes the rules. CD will continue to use rules that work for them. If 20-horse race handle is $118 million or 18-horse race handle is $118 million, does CD care? NOPE.

Horseplayers can continue to discuss and attempt to influence CD. However, changing the course of a glacier may be simpler task than changing selection process for Kentucky Derby.

Personally, I would favor field size reduction. Smaller field such as fourteen starters would eliminate some of the inequities of 20-horse field. I know of no other North American race that has 20 starters. Bad posts, chaos, bad racing luck, tiring horses, and other factors take away from true competition.

Is real champion going to emerge from 2008 Derby? Or is "son of Giacomo" going to clunk up at the wire? The answer arrives during most exciting two minutes in sports on first Saturday in May.