For many casual sports fans, horse racing is a once-a-year watch. Folks will tune into the Kentucky Derby, make a wager and maybe even attend a Derby party. Once one of the three most popular sports in America, horse racing rarely gets the brightest spotlight. It’s an acquired taste.
As a kid who grew up just a few miles from Churchill Downs, even I did not understand the allure of horse racing. All of the races my Dad watched on TVG looked the same. Sure, it was fun to get a chance to pet one of the ponies ridden by an outrider, but outside of that, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense.