And They're Off Y'all

Greetings fellow Derby fanatics, my name is Joel Cunningham. Well, its that time of year again – time to shift into full-blown Derby mode. Strap in and get ready to join me, as I will be taking you around the South Region over the course of the next four months leading up to Derby 134, providing analysis and opinions on the top 3-year-olds and the key prep races from Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida to Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana.

First things first, allow me to introduce and qualify myself. I am 29 years old and have been involved in horse racing since I was a teenager growing up in Louisiana. I remain intimately involved in the family racing and breeding operation, and I have frequented all of the state's tracks and interacted with the majority of the region's top horsemen. After graduating college, I received my first career job in the industry as the assistant publicity director at my favorite racetrack - Fair Grounds - where I ran the press box and covered racing news and other publicity matters for two years.

I then was fortunate to have the opportunity to move to Louisville and cover two Kentucky Derbys, including Barbaro's memorable win in 2006, for Churchill Downs before moving to Florida, where I currently reside and continue to work in the industry.

It is easy to see why the South Region has had as much impact as any when talking about Kentucky Derby success, as many of the game's top horsemen and premier 3-year-old events hail in South Florida and New Orleans in the winter and spring. Of those major Derby preps, I have witnessed many in recent history - from Funny Cide's game effort in defeat in the 2003 Louisiana Derby to the memorable stretch run between Street Sense and Any Given Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby this past year – and I look forward to attending the majority of this year's key races and reporting on them.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ and early Kentucky Derby favorite War Pass will winter in South Florida for trainer Nick Zito and will likely resurface at one of the three track's mentioned. Fair Grounds mainstay Steve Asmussen will have top contenders such as Pyro and Kodiak Kowboy training in New Orleans and likely making starts locally. Aside from the obvious early Derby hopefuls, I have also compiled a list of promising maiden winners and up-and-coming prospects that will be based in South Florida and New Orleans the next few months.

There is no doubt that this will be a very active blog and I look forward to sharing in an exciting four months with you. Let me remind you that this is an interactive experience and the dynamic of the blog requires your comments and participation to reach its full value. Tell me what you think, both positive and negative, and ask questions freely. DO NOT BE SHY! I look forward to hearing from you in what should be another exciting journey up to the Run for the Roses.