How can an event be so triumphant and so tragic at the same time? That was Kentucky Derby 134. It was my 20th Derby in the last 21 years since I came to my first "Run for the Roses" in 1987. I've never left Churchill Downs with such mixed feelings.

There was the triumph of the winning favorite, Big Brown. The horse that proved his very confident trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. knew what he was talking about when he told all of us earlier in the week that this horse "couldn't lose. I haven't seen any other 3-year-old with my own eyes who can beat him. I guarantee he'll be the favorite."

He was right. Big Brown was the Kentucky Derby favorite. The public believed in him almost as much as his trainer. Although there were some reports that Dutrow himself bet $4,000 to win on his own horse.

Most of us media "experts" were throwing him out for two solid reasons. One - he had only run two races this year, three in his entire life. The last time a thoroughbred won the Kentucky Derby after only three races was 93-years ago, 1915! And there was that #20 post. Only one horse had ever won from the furthest outside post.

What we should have paid more attention to is the fact he won those three races by a combined 29-lengths and had the fastest speed figures of any of the 20 horses in the field. We also should have played more of a hunch bet on his name alone, Big Brown. Named in honor of the United Parcel Service Company "Big Brown" that just happens to have its hub right here in the city of Louisville!

Then, as the race was over and the field was pulling up around the turn, we had the tragedy. The gallant filly, Eight Belles, who finished second to Big Brown by four-and-a-half lengths broke down on the race track. She fractured both front ankles and had to be euthanized on the track. The on-call veterinarian, Dr. Larry Bramlage said, "In all my years of racing, I have never seen this happen."

Before we realized the tragedy we had been celebrating the big effort of Tulsa's horse, Denis of Cork. Suzanne and W.K. Warren, Jr's. thoroughbred came from last to third with a rail skimming ride by last year's Derby winning jockey, Calvin Borel.

Coming into this race we had 20, three-year-old thoroughbreds who had dreams of the Triple Crown. Only twenty from 37,000 registered foals and 450 nominated to the Triple Crown were good enough and lucky enough to make it into the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby. Now there is only one that has a chance at thoroughbred racing's holy grail - sweeping the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in a five week period. It's only happened 11 times in the history of the sport and not since 1978, 30-years ago.

That one is named Big Brown and what he showed on Derby day has many thinking, wishing that maybe this is the year. Maybe this one is the one that can be the sport's 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since Affirmed.

We'll be in Baltimore in two weeks to see if he can continue on that road to immortality in the Sport of Kings. Right now though we'll have to just appreciate what he did in the Kentucky Derby.