Joe Torre's Homeboykris' Kentucky Derby Run Could Shock the World

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre has a vested stake in today's Kentucky Derby as his horse, Homeboykris, runs in it as a 50 to 1 longshot.

Torre has enjoyed his time at the pinnacle of the baseball world. A very good player and MVP winner, Torre will eventually take the next step directly into the baseball Hall of Fame for his four World Series rings that he won as manager of the Yankees.

While his run thus far with the Dodgers hasn't been nearly as successful as his time with the Yankees, Torre still managed to make the postseason in his two first seasons as the Dodgers skipper.

But in listening to Torre as he discusses the Kentucky Derby, it seems he would find a Kentucky Derby win even more gratifying than another World Series ring, at least at this point in his career.

In speaking about the Derby, which will be run later today, Torre said, "This is something that stands the test of time," Torre said. "The Kentucky Derby is the Kentucky Derby. You can do all kinds of other things, but this seems to be the Oscar."

Unfortunately, however, for Torre, the chances of Homeboykris, which Torre has a 10% stake in, actually winning the race seems remote. Homeboykris is, after all, a fifty to one shot. But, as Torre says, once the Kentucky Derby is run, "who knows what the hell will happen?".

There certainly are some reasons to think that Homeboykris might be able to defy the odds and make a run at it today. Homeboykris' trainer, Rick Dutrow, has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before, and knows something about what makes a horse great.

Dutrow believes that Homeboykris could be a special horse, even if it is not the favorite. Dutrow has given Homeboykris more rest than usual with the hope that it will help him today. Homeboykris has won the Champagne Stakes before, though he was disappointing in follow up races.

The season for the Dodgers is not shaping up well thus far. They have played far below expectations and the married owners of the team are getting a divorce; wreaking all sorts of uncertainty into the budget. But for Joe Torre, who already has four World Series rings, a win today for Homeboykris would likely be the highlight of his year, regardless of how the baseball season turns out.

Source: Tom Smith, "Dodgers' Torre hopes his horse manages to win Derby", kansascity.com