Dennis of Cork - Big Brown
Now I love horses, therefore I love to watch horseracing and today's Belmont Stakes is no exception. There is a horse that is said that just might challenge Big Brown for the Triple Crown. As much as we would love for the big colt to take the Triple Crown after a 30 year hiatus there may be a something brewing from namesake Denis Casey who is also from Ireland. The horse is name after Denis and is Denis of Cork. Denis of Cork came in third in the Kentucky Derby and is running well.
Denis Casey, who most recently was assigned as priest at St. Francis Hospital. Denis of Cork, the horse, has been running his way into the hearts of horse racing fans since he sprinted from dead last to third around the final turn and down the stretch of the Kentucky Derby. Now, Denis of Cork will be among the horses trying to end the Triple Crown bid of Big Brown at the Belmont Stakes. Denis of Cork, the person, will be at the track with a large group of Tulsans, cheering on his namesake.
He has loved the ponies for as long as he can remember. Now, he'll get one of the great thrills any horse fan could have: a horse named for him will run in one of the biggest races in the world. "It would be so great if he won," Casey said. "I know the odds aren't good, but 12-to-1 (the latest odds of Denis of Cork to win) isn't bad, either. I know Big Brown will be tough to beat but you never know. "So, I'll have a go with Denis of Cork. Anything is possible." Casey didn't get to see Denis of Cork's strong race in the Kentucky Derby. This will be the first time he's gone to one of his namesake's races since a prep race in Chicago , when it finished fifth in the Illinois Derby. Now, the Tulsa priest will be at one of the most anticipated horse races with a horse named for him picked third. "Look for me on television," he said. And the timing of the race, at around 5 p.m. on Saturday, will come just as many Tulsa-area Catholics are headed off to their weekly 5 p.m. Saturday mass. Could he and his horse hurt attendance in parishes all over the Diocese? "I'm not even going there," Casey said. Denis of Cork, the horse, is owned by Tulsans Suzanne and W.K. Warren Jr. Casey has been a longtime friend of the Warrens. About a year ago, during a celebration for his 50 years as a priest, the Warrens told Casey that they were naming a horse after him. "What a thrill," Casey said. "I've enjoyed the horse racing game for a long time. "You know, I've always taken, since I was a child, a little bit of pride that I only had one 'N' in my name. It kind of set my name apart from all of the other people named Dennis. So, now to have this horse, I am actually kind of proud that he has only one 'N' in his name '— just like me." His love of horse racing goes back to his youth in Ireland. "They would have these races from point-to-point," Casey said. "We would go to those because they were local. We didn't have the transportation to go to any of the big races." When he returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam in the early 1970s, ("I always remember the day I left for Vietnam because it was the day Joe Namath and the Jets beat the Colts in the Super Bowl," he said.) he became a horse owner with several other priests. "We actually went together and put down enough money to claim a horse for $1,500," Casey said. Now, the horse with his name is worth far more than $1,500. And, Denis of Cork could become a part of horse racing legend if he can beat Big Brown. "Like I said, anything is possible," Casey said with a smile.
He has loved the ponies for as long as he can remember. Now, he'll get one of the great thrills any horse fan could have: a horse named for him will run in one of the biggest races in the world. "It would be so great if he won," Casey said. "I know the odds aren't good, but 12-to-1 (the latest odds of Denis of Cork to win) isn't bad, either. I know Big Brown will be tough to beat but you never know. "So, I'll have a go with Denis of Cork. Anything is possible." Casey didn't get to see Denis of Cork's strong race in the Kentucky Derby. This will be the first time he's gone to one of his namesake's races since a prep race in Chicago , when it finished fifth in the Illinois Derby. Now, the Tulsa priest will be at one of the most anticipated horse races with a horse named for him picked third. "Look for me on television," he said. And the timing of the race, at around 5 p.m. on Saturday, will come just as many Tulsa-area Catholics are headed off to their weekly 5 p.m. Saturday mass. Could he and his horse hurt attendance in parishes all over the Diocese? "I'm not even going there," Casey said. Denis of Cork, the horse, is owned by Tulsans Suzanne and W.K. Warren Jr. Casey has been a longtime friend of the Warrens. About a year ago, during a celebration for his 50 years as a priest, the Warrens told Casey that they were naming a horse after him. "What a thrill," Casey said. "I've enjoyed the horse racing game for a long time. "You know, I've always taken, since I was a child, a little bit of pride that I only had one 'N' in my name. It kind of set my name apart from all of the other people named Dennis. So, now to have this horse, I am actually kind of proud that he has only one 'N' in his name '— just like me." His love of horse racing goes back to his youth in Ireland. "They would have these races from point-to-point," Casey said. "We would go to those because they were local. We didn't have the transportation to go to any of the big races." When he returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam in the early 1970s, ("I always remember the day I left for Vietnam because it was the day Joe Namath and the Jets beat the Colts in the Super Bowl," he said.) he became a horse owner with several other priests. "We actually went together and put down enough money to claim a horse for $1,500," Casey said. Now, the horse with his name is worth far more than $1,500. And, Denis of Cork could become a part of horse racing legend if he can beat Big Brown. "Like I said, anything is possible," Casey said with a smile.
But, we cannot take away from what Big Brown has accomplished. That lovely colt is on the verge of history and we wish him all the best. Whatever they do make it through life safely!
For the full article on Big Brown click here
Cheers!
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