Paddy O'Prado owners reflect on 'awesome' year

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Paddy O’Prado, left, chases Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver to the wire in the 2010 Kentucky Derby. Paddy O’Prado finished third in the race. The horse competed 10 times from February to November, reaching heights that no other racehorse owned by Iowans had ever attained. / Dan Johnson/The Register

Paddy O'Prado owners reflect on 'awesome' year

May 1, 2011 - Two minutes can be life-changing. Just ask Judi Smith of West Des Moines.

Smith and husband Ray are among the 11 families who share ownership in Paddy O’Prado. One year ago Sunday, the gray colt ran third in the 136th Kentucky Derby, becoming just the second horse owned by Iowans to take part.

Smith said it was the ride of a lifetime, especially for her husband, Ray, a racing fan for nearly a half-century.

“He’s been betting horses since way before he was old enough to do it,” she said. “To have a horse in the Derby, he was like a changed man. He was charged that whole season, he was so excited by it. It really put a bounce in his step.”

Ray Smith doesn’t disagree. He remembers a moment before the Derby when he let loose his elation.

“I did a little pirouette: ‘Yes! This is fun! I love it!’ ” he recalled. “There’s a reason why they call it the greatest two minutes in sports.”

Charlie Kirke made sure it would be an unforgettable day for his family as well. His father, Gary Sr., and brother, Gary Jr., are two of Paddy’s owners. On Friday morning, the day before the race, Charlie took his girlfriend, Margaux, to stall 10 in the Churchill Downs paddock, where Paddy would be saddled for the race. Then he got down on a knee and proposed.

“It was really cool,” Gary Jr. said. “It wasn’t a total surprise; she was kind of wise to it, but there was still a lot of genuine emotion. It was a huge day for him and a huge day for us. It’s definitely one of the things I’ll always remember.”

The journey

While the race over the sloppy track took 2 minutes, 4.45 seconds, the Paddy ride started more than two years ago and is still going strong...

Read More: Des Moines Register