Kentucky Derby Countdown - 24 days 9 hours 42 minutes

.

In less than three weeks the week long Kentucky Derby festival, the pride of Southern hospitality, takes over the Blue Grass horse country of Kentucky.

But first there is the final Derby prep race this weekend in Lexington, the Blue Grass stakes to help whittle down the final Derby field to 20 horses.

As of today here are the money winnings of the top 25 Derby nominated horses.

.	1	Hansen	$1,400,000
.	2	Daddy Long Legs	$1,294,030
.	3	Union Rags	$1,170,000
.	4	Creative Cause	$836,000
.	5	Wrote (IRE)	$756,630
.	6	Gemologist	$703,855
.	7	Take Charge Indy	$698,400
.	8	Hero Of Order*	$615,500
.	9	Sabercat	$601,429
.	10	I'll Have Another	$601,000
.	11	Daddy Nose Best	$545,558
.	12	Secret Circle	$470,000
.	13	Yang Tse Kiang (FR)	$422,211
.	14	Dullahan	$405,000
.	15	Liaison	$393,000
.	16	Alpha	$380,000
.	17	Prospective	$365,452
.	18	Trinniberg	$324,500
.	19	Done Talking	$310,000
.	20	Drill	$300,000
.	21	Went The Day Well	$282,000
.	22	Rousing Sermon	$269,000
.	23	Mark Valeski	$260,000
.	24	El Padrino	$250,000
.	25	Excaper	$240,736

Three thoroughbreds are already millionaires and we haven't started the triple crown races.





Hansen - $1,400,000

Daddy Long Legs - $1,294,000

Union Rags - $1,170,000

Finally, here are the horses nominated for this weekends final Derby tune up, the Blue Grass stakes.

Headed by champion Hansen and Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) winner Prospective, there are 11 probable starters for the April 14 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland, according to racing secretary Ben Huffman April 2.

The Blue Grass will be run at 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack surface at Keeneland.

Dr. Kendall Hansen and Skychai Racing’s Hansen, who has won four of five career starts, would become the first reigning champion 2-year-old male to contest the Blue Grass since Street Sense used the race as his final prep for victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Among the 10 that could face Hansen is John Oxley’s Prospective, who worked five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on a fast track April 2 at Churchill Downs.

Another graded-stakes winner being pointed toward the Blue Grass is Donegal Racing’s Dullahan, winner of the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) as a 2-year-old in 2011 and a half brother to 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird. Dullahan will be seeking to join Round Table (1956-57) as the only horse to complete a Breeders’ Futurity-Blue Grass double.

Also under consideration for the Toyota Blue Grass are Adirondack King, Drill, Ever So Lucky, Gung Ho, Holy Candy, Howe Great, Politicallycorrect, and Raconteur.

Derby Prep - Blue Grass Stakes - April 14 - Lexington

Rank	Silks	Horse / Sire	Rating	Trainer / Jockey	Last Start	Status
6		Hansen Tapit	8.00	M. Maker R. Dominguez	1st, 2012 Gotham (G3)	Probable
112		Prospective Malibu Moon	7.62	M. Casse L. Contreras	1st, 2012 Tampa Bay Derby (G2)	Probable
215		Dullahan Even the Score	7.40	D. Romans K. Desormeaux	2nd, 2012 Palm Beach (G3)	Probable
339		Howe Great Hat Trick	7.30	H. Motion J. Velazquez	1st, 2012 Palm Beach (G3)	Probable
		Hero of Order Sharp Humor	7.18	G. Dorochenko E. Martin	1st, 2012 Louisiana Derby (G2)	Probable
		Ever So Lucky Indian Charlie	7.01	J. Sheppard J. Bravo	3rd, 2012 Swale (G3)	Probable
		Heavy Breathing Giant's Causeway	6.85	T. Pletcher J. Castellano	3rd, 2012 Spiral (G3)	Probable
		Russian Greek Giant's Causeway	6.74	G. Dorochenko C. Nakatani	8th, 2012 Spiral (G3)	Probable
		Scatman Scat Daddy	6.23	M. Lauer L. Quinonez	3rd, 2012 Rebel (G2)	Possible
		Holy Candy Candy Ride	6.06	J. Sadler J. Rosario	1st, SA MSW (3/23/2012-R4)	Probable
		Midnight Crooner War Chant	6.06	B. Baffert C. Nakatani	3rd, 2012 Pasadena (LS)	Probable
		Gung Ho Kitten's Joy	5.34	M. Maker J. Castellano	2nd, 2012 Rushaway (LS)	Probable
		Politicallycorrect Kitten's Joy		W. Ward E. Trujillo	1st, GP AlwOC (2/26/2012-R6)	Probable

.

Tim Tebow's Brother Love Traveling Salvation Show Hits Texas

.

The media anointed leader of the Super Jock God Squad took his Brother Love Traveling Salvation Show to Georgetown, Texas and drew over 30,000 faithful.  Here is what the local news had to say about the event which was barely mentioned in the national media.

by JADE MINGUS / KVUE News

GEORGETOWN, Texas -- Easter is the Superbowl of Sundays for churches, and an NFL star turned Celebration Church's outdoor service into a semi-sporting event.

Church goers wore Tim Tebow's jersey and his iconic eye black, complete with his favorite scripture -- John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," Dakota Shipman recited.

Tebow didn't exactly preach; instead, the pastor of Celebration Church interviewed Tebow. He asked questions ranging from leadership to his famous prayers on the football field.

"I really don't think I was the first athlete to get on a knee and pray," Tebow said. "I had the same routine for the last seven years, and this past year they called it 'Tebowing,' which I have no idea why."

A crowd of roughly 30,000 listened from lawn chairs and blankets. The atmosphere was more of a rock concert than a quiet church service.

The logistics of putting on this massive service was incredible. The church rented 110 buses to shuttle people to the event from six nearby parking lots.

"We're going to have a lot of people here who normally wouldn't be at church on Easter Sunday," Collin Sanford said.

Tebow only briefly mentioned his move from Denver to New York.

"Kind of got traded. I'm on another team -- excited to be a Jet," Tebow said.

A devout Christian, Tebow's main focus Sunday was his faith.

"Regardless of what happens, I still honor my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because at the end of the day, that's what's important -- win or lose," Tebow said.

Tebow is An NFL quarter back, not passing up the chance to share his faith with willing receivers.

"We need to get back to one nation under God, and be role models for kids," Tebow said. He went on to say that he hopes one day high school athletes will feel okay getting down on one knee on the football field.
.

Bubba Blasts into Master's History as America's newest Hero

.

Humble, Squeaky clean, Christian and wants to change his adopted son's diapers.

Bubba, 33, is a popular guy on tour, part of the new crop of younger, Christian players dubbed the God squad. So maybe it was the golf-gloved hand of God that lifted him to victory on Easter.

Here he was, locked in a sudden death overtime, well it's called a play off in golf, when he blasted a miracle shot from in the woods around a tree to within 12 feet of the cup on the final playoff hole.

Man, woman and child, it was the kind of shot that makes legends of commoners and heroes of the deserving. Here at the Master's Tournament, the 78th Masters, a Bubba came out of Florida, played golf at the Unversity of Georgia, than patiently waited his turn to join the legends such as Palmer, Nickolas and Player. 

There is just something magical to have a guy named Bubba win golf's most prestigious tournament at a club so blue blood they don't even allow women to join.

When he sank the final putt he hugged his caddy and cried, then hugged his mother and cried. No shame, no braggadocio and total humility.

It's hard not to like a guy who uses a pink driver and chooses his wardrobe to help raise money for children's charities.

Need one more reason to think he might be the next household name in golf? Bubba Watson owns the original General Lee hot rod from the Dukes of Hazard television and movie fame.

Here are a few more reasons to like America's newest hero.

Bubba has never had a golf lesson in his life.

Bubba has never had his golf swing electronically analyzed in his life.

Bubba has never had a golf coach in his life.

Bubba is one of the few left-handed golfers on tour and is known for the tremendous length of his drives. In fact five of the last ten Masters winners were left handed but no left hander had won before 2003.

Bubba was nicknamed for former professional football player Bubba Smith.

Bubba is married to Angela P. "Angie" Watson, née Ball, a 6'4" former basketball player. In 2009, she was diagnosed with an enlargedpituitary gland which accounts for her extreme height.

On March 26, 2012 Watson and his wife adopted a one month old baby boy named Caleb. They spent four frustrating years trying to adopt.

Watson's father, Gerry Lester Watson, Sr., died on October 15, 2010 of throat cancer. Watson's mother is Molly Marie Watson and he has a sister Melinda Watson Conner.

Watson is currently one of four golfers in the PGA Tour exclusive boy band "Golf Boys". (The other three are Rickie Fowler,Ben Craneand Hunter Mahan.) The Golf Boys currently have a popular YouTube video for the song "Oh Oh Oh".

Watson recently purchased the original Dukes of Hazzard's 'General Lee' that he uses to raise money for charitable purposes.

All that and then there is Bubba Watson the Christian who shares Tim Tebow's love for the Lord and is not afraid to say it.

Did I mention Bubba and Tebow are friends and will be doing a joint fund raiser for children in a couple of weeks.

Don't you think the PGA, after the prowling Tiger controversy these past few years, would love to have a faithful father and Jesus loving hero?

Welcome Bubba to the short list of modern American heroes.

.