2013 Kentucky Derby: Rick Pitino owns 5 percent of Goldencents

Rick Pitino is riding high. He won a national championship. He’s headed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His son Richard will be coaching Minnesota. He has a tattoo.

Now college basketball’s national champion coach will be literally riding high this weekend, because he has a stake in winning yet another marquee event. Pitino has a stake in Goldencents, one of the horses competing in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. Liz Clarke of the Washington Post managed to accrue these quotes from the Louisville coach.
Does Pitino have a good shot at pulling off the rare double feat of winning a national championship and owning a Kentucky Derby horse? SB Nation’s Matt Gardner profiled Goldencents, who currently holds a record of 6-4-1 but has been coming on strong. He did win the Santa Anita Derby as Pitino’s Cardinals were struggling furiously with Wichita State, pulling away from Super Ninety Nine and Flashback. Although he definitely has fast opening speed, the question is how long he’ll be able to maintain that pace on the Churchill Downs track.
No word yet on whether Goldencents will have to put a matching tattoo on his back in case of victory.

• Meet the Kentucky Derby contenders

• Rick Pitino eyes Tourney/Derby double with Goldencents

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• Looking at Kentucky Derby’s historical payouts

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