Yet another disappointing Triple Crown season withers into summer. Usually after the Belmont I like to go back and view, in depth, the images I made over Derby week and weekend. As with most shoots where your image count runs into the thousands, you can find hidden gems that were easily missed during the tight deadline days that make up Derby week.
I’m getting ready to make that journey, but not sure I’ll be able to top one of my favorite pictures I made on Derby Day. This photo, I believe, is a winner without a story. But there’s a pretty good Paul Harvey that goes with this picture.
Calvin had just won his third Kentucky Derby in four years. Street Sense in 2007, Mine That Bird last year, and now aboard Super Saver. In typical Borel fashion, Calvin had a mount in the very next race. Now some jockeys, after winning the most prestigous thoroughbred race in North America, would have opted to skip riding that next race. What with all the press conferences, owners and trainer celebration, party plans for the evening, yada, yada, you get the picture. Not Calvin. Borel rode Omniscient to a third place finish as the third choice out of nine, in a 7 furlong allowance race for owner Jess Jackson, only to become overheated after the race and nearly passed out on the elevator back up to the jocks room, where he would change BACK into his Winstar Super Saver silks for the post-race presser. You see, Winstar owners and trainer Todd Pletcher had already had their press conference, sans Borel. But we all waited for Calvin. And when he and wife Lisa arrived on the stage, it was apparent something was amiss. No, we didn’t have a clue Borel wasn’t feeling well, only that Lisa was, well, a bit irritated. Displeased. Actually pretty pissed.
A fellow beside me was shooting video on a tripod. I asked if he was “getting this” (their lil’ press conference spat) and he said he was, but couldn’t hear what they were saying. John Asher soon opened the presser with a softball toss, “Calvin, how does it feel to win your third Derby?” The picture above was one in a series of many in the following seconds.
It gets better. Sensing her displeasure, Calvin called a “display of public affection” audible, a kiss on the cheek. We males, just trying to fix everything.
