release dates: April 25-May 1 17-1 (15)
TM Mini Spy Mini Spy dreams of winning the Kentucky Derby! See if you can find: q tooth q fish q kite q question mark q horse head q letter Z q heart q bell q bird q number 7 q ladder q letter H
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from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick The Kentucky Derby Off to the Races Do you dream of racing along a 1.25- A popular sport The Kentucky Derby mile oval track on the back of a 1,000- England’s first public track for Kentucky became well-known for pound horse, expertly guiding it past horse racing opened in the early its excellent horses and racing events. competing racers to victory? 1600s, and the sport was off to the Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., the During the coming weeks, three races! Settlers in America continued grandson of the explorer Gen. William horse races will captivate the nation racing horses, but usually only the Clark, founded the Louisville Jockey for just a few minutes each. But wealthiest farmers competed. The first Club and raised money to build a track the winning horses and jockeys will racetrack in the New World was in there. The track, Churchill Downs, become part of a long history of horse Long Island, New York. It was built in was named after Clark’s relatives, who racing in the United States. 1664 and called Newmarket. donated the land for it. Saddle up for a ride to the Kentucky Through the 1800s, hundreds more The first Derby, the first event in the Triple racetracks were built all across the race at Crown of horse racing. United States. Churchill The three-sided Triple Even in the earliest competitions, Downs took Crown trophy is awarded spectators and horse owners loved to place on May to a horse that wins bet on which horses would win the the Kentucky Derby, 17, 1875, 140 from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick the Preakness and the races. If their choice won, they would years ago. Belmont Stakes in the win all the money that had been bet. Thousands of Aristides TM same year. people cheered Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Ancient racing for the 15 thoroughbred horses as they raced around the track. The winner Rainbow Pasta Salad People have been racing horses was Aristides, who finished the race in You’ll need: since ancient times in Greece and 2 minutes, 37 seconds. •12-ouncepackagetricolorspiral •1/2cupchoppedgreenbellpepper Rome. The ancient Olympic Games pasta, cooked •20greenorblackolives,halved The horse’s owner in that race included chariot races and contests •1/2cupchoppedbroccoli •1/2cupchoppedredbellpepper received $2,850, a huge sum at the (uncooked) •1/2cupchoppedcucumber of horsemen riding without saddles, time. Today, the winning horse’s •1/2cupchoppedcarrots •11/2cupslightItaliandressing using their strength to stay atop the owner receives more than $2 million. •10cherrytomatoes,halved horses. The Kentucky Derby is always held What to do: Chariot racing took place in a on the first Saturday of May. In 1945, 1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Let cool for 10 minutes. hippodrome, a large oval stadium At the Puy du Fou historical theme park 2. Chop vegetables and olives and add to cooled pasta. because of World War II, the race was with seating for spectators. (“Hippo” is in France, horses and riders re-create an 3. Pour light Italian dressing over pasta and vegetables. Mix well. run in June instead. 4. Chill for 4 hours to blend flavors. Serves 10 to 12. the Greek word for horse; “dromos” is ancient Greek chariot race for modern-day visitors. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. the word for course.) from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick Meet Elizabeth Olsen from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick Elizabeth Olsen stars as Scarlet Witch and Wanda Maximoff in the movie “Avengers: Age Who’s on the Track? of Ultron.” Elizabeth, 26, grew up in Sherman Oaks, The horses The jockeys California. Her older twin sisters, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, are both actors. She also In the Kentucky Derby, Preakness The riders during the race has an older brother and a younger sister and and Belmont Stakes, the horses are are called jockeys. They A jockey brother. thoroughbreds. have a lot to do during their She began making films with her friends when weighs in This type short time on the track. after a race in
photo by Jay Maidment, ©Marvel 2015 she was in kindergarten, and also appeared in her sisters’ movies and videos. When she was of horse Jockeys must encourage Washington. 7, she began taking acting classes, as well as ballet and singing lessons. was created the horse to run as fast as it She studied drama in high school and college. starting in the Elizabeth has acted in several movies, including “Godzilla.” She loves can and guide it around the playing volleyball. She supports charities such as Oxfam, which works to early 1100s, other horses safely as it races end poverty and hunger. from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick when British around the track. Jockeys are people mated One of the original not allowed to touch another from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick three stallions TM three Arabian horse or rider, and they can’t male horses that began the Victor Espinoza thoroughbred line, intentionally steer the horse It is often said that good things come in small (stallions) with the Darley Arabian. to block another horse.
Gus photo by Montanabw Goodsport’s packages. At 5-foot-2 and 112 pounds, 42-year-old many different Before the race, jockeys Supersport Victor Espinoza is small in stature, but he is a giant in female horses (mares) to create must weigh in, wearing their silks, Many jockeys have grown up the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. faster animals. All thoroughbreds can or riding outfits, and carrying their around horses and have worked with Victor was born in Mexico and was the 11th of 12 trainers and other professionals. Some children. Even as a child, he loved horses. By age 17, he trace their ancestry back to one of saddle and other tack, or equipment. was driving a bus to pay for jockey school. He moved to these three Arabian horses. Their weight must be exactly 126 go to special schools to learn how to the United States in the mid-1990s and quickly became In the Triple Crown races, horses pounds (if riding a colt) or 121 race horses. one of the sport’s most successful jockeys. Among his must turn 3 years old in the year the Jockeys must not only learn more than 3,000 race victories are two wins in the pounds (if riding a filly). If a jockey Kentucky Derby and two in the Preakness. Last year, race is being held. Most of the racing is underweight, small weights will be about their animals, but must also Height: 5-2 he rode California Chrome to wins in both races and horses are colts, or young males. added to the saddle cloth. The riders understand how to manage their own Age: 42 took home the ESPY award as the year’s top jockey. Only three fillies, or young females, must weigh in again after the race to weight and build their strength. “It’s a Hometown: Victor donates 10 percent of his winnings to spectacular feat to communicate with Mexico City, pediatric cancer research at the City of Hope hospital have won the Kentucky Derby. The make sure nothing was changed. Mexico in Southern California. last was in 1988. a horse that size,” one expert said.
from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick TMMighty Funny’s Mini Jokes Race Day All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category? When race day arrives at Churchill Derby traditions Harold: What kind of horse does a ghost Downs, there have already been like to ride? months of planning to make sure •TheKentuckyDerbyisalso Harriet: Night mares! everything goes smoothly. Up to called the Run for the Roses. A 160,000 people will watch the race large garland of roses is laid over Hermione: Why is it hard to identify horses from from the stands and from the infield, the winning horse’s back after the the back? or the area in the middle of the track. race. Hortense: Because they keep switching their tails! Millions more will watch “the most •Thetrophyawardedtothe exciting two minutes in sports” on winning horse is 22 inches tall and Helen: Why did the horse scold its colt? television. sits on a base made of jade. It is Hilda: For misbehooving! Horses get ready decorated with a golden horseshoe. •Since1921,thesong“MyOld from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick When horses turn a year old, they Kentucky Home” has been played Secretariat, shown here after retiring TM begin working with a trainer. They as the horses come onto the track. from racing, is one of the most famous Horse Racing thoroughbred racehorses of all time. He V G F H I P P O D R O M E F R learn how to come out of a starting •ManywomenattheKentucky gate and run around the oval track. won the Triple Crown in 1973 and set C N S E L P I R T E A J D I E Derby wear large, colorful hats. track records in all three races, running Young horses must get used to having Basset T R Y K C U T N E K R C C L N the Kentucky Derby in 1 minute, 59.4 Brown’s a saddle and rider on their back and seconds. His records from 42 years ago N Y O X L O M A H A V B E L I a bit in their mouth. Jockeys get ready still stand. Try O E S W U I L Q C B K G Y Y A M K S R N Z S T V K F N P M R Race horses will usually start After weighing in, jockeys meet Meet some famous racers competing at age 2. Horses might run ’n’ L C T H O R O U G H B R E D T their horses and climb aboard. They •California in only 10 to 15 races per year. The E O K T E S R O H G I E W S G walk and trot the horse around on Chrome won last Find competitions are hard on their bodies. B J N A I R A N I R E T E V S the track to loosen up muscles and year’s Kentucky keep a close eye on Words that remind us of horse racing are hidden in the block above. Some Veterinarians nerves. Derby with a horses and look them over carefully words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used Into the starting gate time of 2 minutes, twice. See if you can find: BELMONT, COLT, CROWN, DERBY, FILLY,
before and after every race. photo by Bill Brine 3.6 seconds. The HIPPODROME, HORSE, JOCKEY, KENTUCKY, PREAKNESS, RACE, SILKS, get Horses and riders move to the California Chrome TACK, THOROUGHBRED, TRAINER, TRIPLE, VETERINARIAN, WEIGH. Grooms winning jockey was horses ready to starting gate and enter their stalls. Victor Espinoza. train and race and Some horses get fidgety in the gate from The Mini Page © 2015 Universal Uclick •Monarchos cool a horse down and may kick. won the after its workout. Ready Resources And they’re off! Kentucky Derby They may check a The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, photo by Montanabw Horses must all start at the same in 2001. He horse’s hooves and California time. If one breaks through the gate was the second- books or other resources that will help you take care of tack. Chrome is led by early, they all have to start over. fastest horse in learn more about this week’s topics. Before a race, his groom, Raul The Kentucky Derby uses an history, with a On the Web: the groom puts the Rodriguez. Monarchos electronic timekeeping system along time of 1 minute, •bit.ly/1C9OjLn , or headgear, on the horse. He bridle with timekeepers with stopwatches. 59.9 seconds. •bit.ly/1GkbUeF or she may wrap the horse’s lower •toneway.com/songs/my-old-kentucky-home legs with bandages for support. Look in your newspaper for information The Mini Page thanks Chris Goodlett, •bit.ly/1GwWvob about the upcoming Kentucky Derby and curator of collections, Kentucky Derby other horse races. Museum, for help with this issue. At the library: •“KentuckyDerby”byBlaineWiseman The Mini Page Staff •“RaceHorses”byMichaelSandler Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist
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