The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

The Student News Site of Macalester College

The Mac Weekly

Kentucky Derby runner has Macalester connections

By April DeJarlais

Tomorrow Macalester students will have Springfest and finals on their minds, but can hopefully spare some time to cheer on a horse in the Kentucky Derby racing valiantly for Macalester. Paddy O’Prado, one of the 22 horses in the Derby, is owned by Iowa-based Donegal Racing, a 10-member partnership founded in 2008 by Macalester’s Board of Trustees vice chairman Jerry Crawford ’71. The reason Macalester students should be cheering? Crawford will be donating his portion of the race winnings to the school.

The overall bets for last year’s Derby amounted to $2,177,200 and the top five placements receive a share.

Crawford has been involved in horseracing since 1975, the Gazette Online reported. He credits O’Prado with giving him the opportunity to “marry” his passions of Macalester and horseracing. Crawford, as an acknowledgement to possible Macalester community concerns, assured that the horse is “treated in the best possible way.”

“We take our obligation to humane treatment seriously,” he said.

The horse qualified for the Derby by accruing $250,950 in graded earnings, and has been performing well in recent races, including a first placement in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in Florida. He is not one of the favorites to win the Derby, but Crawford said the horse is receiving public attention for running well in workouts leading up to the critical race.

“We think Paddy O’Prado is on top of his game,” Crawford said in a phone interview. “I expect he’ll be flying as high as some of the Macalester students at Springfest.”

President Brian Rosenberg and his wife Dr. Carol Rosenberg will be attending the Derby in Louisville, Kentucky with Crawford, who claims he will be sporting a “lucky” Macalester-inspired orange and blue tie.

So if Macalester students feel like workhorses this weekend in anticipation of the end of the year, they can gain encouragement from the horse that worked his way to glory and could also pay for their educations.

View Comments (12)
More to Discover

Comments (12)

All The Mac Weekly Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • N

    Nathan CameronSep 11, 2019 at 10:47 am

    I think this is one of the most vital information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But should remark on some general things, The site style is wonderful, the articles is really great : D. Good job, cheers

    Reply
  • I

    Isaac CornishSep 10, 2019 at 5:26 am

    Today YouTube video lessons quality is more better and better, thus thatís the motive that I am watching this video at at this point.

    Reply
  • A

    Alison MaySep 7, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

    Reply