History

(NOTE: To download Liam's full cheat sheet for all of Saturday's races, click here . Following is his analysis on the Preakness Stakes.)   There are always lots of hard luck stories in the Kentucky Derby, and some of those hard luck horses come to the Preakness looking to set the record straight. Several of those guys are here to take on Orb. And a handful more Derby grumblers are skipping the Preakness to set their sights on the Belmont. However, recent history shows that the Derby winner tends to back up the Derby win and beat most if not all of those Derby finishers again.

Thanks for Mike Klingaman 's article, which focused on Kevin Krigger and his aspirations to break the over 100-year absence of African American jockey winners at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes ("With the weight of racing history," May 16). One quibble: The article gives the impression that African American jockeys emerged during Reconstruction, when as Mr. Klingaman writes "the sport was young, agrarian and accepting of former slaves and their kin who rode the animals they'd once cared for. " On the contrary, African Americans, both free and slave, basically dominated horse racing from the 17th century up to Reconstruction.

One of the colts entered in Saturday's 138th running of the Preakness Stakes can lay claim to a distinction not shared by seven others:  He's actually finished ahead of the expected favorite Orb in a race. Titletown Five, one of three Preakness entries trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, and Orb were both entered in a seven-furlong, maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at Saratoga last Aug. 18. Maiden special weights are for horses that have never won a race in their career.

Strong Powerball ticket sales since a Wednesday night drawing with no big winner have further padded an already large jackpot, lottery officials said Thursday afternoon. It now stands at $600 million, with the cash option moving up to $376.9 million, according to the competition's website. It is now the largest Powerball jackpot in history, according to lottery officials. The next drawing will be held on Saturday. Prior to the strong Thursday sales, the lack of a winner on Wednesday night had left the pot at $475 million, with a $302.4 million cash payout.

I read with interest Jules Witcover's recent column regarding Vice President Joe Biden ("Could Biden benefit from Clinton's handling of Benghazi?" May 14). He infers that the Benghzai scandal could cost Hillary Clinton the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, paving the way for Mr. Biden to become his party's nominee. If history is any guide, the chances of Mr. Biden being elected president in 2016 are rather remote. While quite a few sitting vice presidents have ascended to the high office upon the death of the president, George H.W. Bush was the only sitting vice president elected president in the 20th century.

The Laurel Historical Society has prepared a display at the Stanley Memorial Library, 507 Seventh St., that features photos depicting scenes from Laurel in the early 1900s, the 1950s and today. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Call 301-776-6790.

100 Years Ago Sheep vs. dogs "It is reported that Mr. Harold Hopkins had a large number of sheep killed by dogs last Sunday morning.  "Wanted: A woman to cook, wash and clean, and remain at night, good wages. Mrs. James Steward. Hill St. Ellicott City.  "Wanted: Two good farm and garden hands $8.00 per week, good house. All year around employment. Apply to B.M. Baker, Ingleside" I wonder whether that $8 is for two farm workers or for one, probably for two, $8 and a house would most likely be too much of a windfall for one person.

I read with interest Jules Witcover's recent column regarding Vice President Joe Biden ("Could Biden benefit from Clinton's handling of Benghazi?" May 14). He infers that the Benghzai scandal could cost Hillary Clinton the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, paving the way for Mr. Biden to become his party's nominee. If history is any guide, the chances of Mr. Biden being elected president in 2016 are rather remote. While quite a few sitting vice presidents have ascended to the high office upon the death of the president, George H.W. Bush was the only sitting vice president elected president in the 20th century.

100 Years Ago Sheep vs. dogs "It is reported that Mr. Harold Hopkins had a large number of sheep killed by dogs last Sunday morning.  "Wanted: A woman to cook, wash and clean, and remain at night, good wages. Mrs. James Steward. Hill St. Ellicott City.  "Wanted: Two good farm and garden hands $8.00 per week, good house. All year around employment. Apply to B.M. Baker, Ingleside" I wonder whether that $8 is for two farm workers or for one, probably for two, $8 and a house would most likely be too much of a windfall for one person.

One of the colts entered in Saturday's 138th running of the Preakness Stakes can lay claim to a distinction not shared by seven others:  He's actually finished ahead of the expected favorite Orb in a race. Titletown Five, one of three Preakness entries trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, and Orb were both entered in a seven-furlong, maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at Saratoga last Aug. 18. Maiden special weights are for horses that have never won a race in their career.

The day after riding in the Kentucky Derby, Kevin Krigger packed his family and gear and headed for Pimlico Race Course - by way of Cincinnati. A woman there had captured his heart. She was Liliane Casey, 88, whose father, Jimmy Winkfield, was the last black jockey to win the Derby, or any Triple Crown race, in 1902. "I had to meet her," said Krigger, 29, who chatted with Casey in the living room of her apartment for nearly 2 1/2 hours. "We had a great time. She educated me as to what her father had gone through in racing.

When the 16-team bracket for the NCAA tournament was unveiled Sunday night, Ohio State scooped up the third seed, leapfrogging teams like Eastern College Athletic Conference rival Denver and Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion North Carolina for the higher seed. It was a remarkable reward for a Buckeyes team (12-3) that was teetering on the fault line for earning an at-large spot in the NCAA tournament. That journey is what makes the Sunday's first-round contest against Towson (10-7)

Johns Hopkins was left out of the NCAA tournament Sunday night for the first time since 1971. The exclusion snapped a streak of 41 consecutive appearances in the tournament, which ended what had been the longest active streak in a Division I team sport. The streak was a point of pride for the program, but could also be a burden as senior classes feared about being the one unable to extend the run. Coach Dave Pietramala said the streak did not weigh on him. But for the players? That might have been a different story.

100 Years Ago Society on the move From the Times social columns: "Mr. and Mrs. William S. Powell will reside at 'Wisteria Hill' near Waterloo in the summer months coming. "Mr. and Mrs. John Warfield have moved to their country home, near Lisbon, for the summer. "Raleigh Travers Lilly, who has been residing the past month in Baltimore, has returned home. "The Trinity Guild will meet at the home of Rev. and Mrs. T.C. Stout, at the rectory Tuesday evening May 13th.