Race books offer smorgasbord of activities in lead-up to Derby

It is gospel that if you can’t attend the Kentucky Derby in person, the next best place to be is in Las Vegas.

Giveaways – too many to list – are all over town, such that if you make a $20 bet on the Derby, you should be able to snag a free Derby glass, hat or T-shirt. If you leave town empty-handed, you didn’t try hard enough.

I’ll list, in chronological order, some of the great things happening here leading up to the Kentucky Derby on May 5:

The first Derby seminar will be Saturday at Sunset Station following the Betfair Hollywood Park races. I will be joined by “Bad Beat of the Week” radio show members Lou D’Amico, Rich Rose, Richie Saber, Ralph Siraco and Vic Viveo in offering opinions on the race.

On Thursday, Saber of “Gaming Today,” Siraco of “Race Day Las Vegas” and Viveo will be at Palace Station at 6 p.m.

The first of three Friday night seminars will be hosted May 4 by Lucky’s at the Riviera at 5 p.m. It will feature Gary Seibel, formerly of TVG, Dan Shapiro of Lucky’s and Dave Tuley of viewfromvegas.com.

Also on May 4, the “Track Talk” radio crew will be at the South Point at 6 p.m. John Kelly of eog.com; Patrick McQuiggan, house handicapper at the South Point; Tom Quigley of Horseplayer Magazine; and noted Southern California clocker Toby Turrell will share their race thoughts.

Finally, at Texas Station, Jerry Jacovitz of Jerry J’s Power Page will offer his Derby analysis May 4 at 6:30 p.m.

The Station and Fiesta casinos are offering a beefed-up twin quinella bet of $10,000 on Oaks day and $20,000 on Derby day. The Friday bet will raise money for the Susan G. Komen of Southern Nevada’s Race for the Cure. Station Casinos will donate the entire Friday twin quinella handle, $10,000 guaranteed, to the charity in its fight against breast cancer.

Two free Derby ballroom parties will be held May 5 at South Point and The Orleans. McQuiggan will offer team tickets on Derby exotic wagers.

Special guests at the Orleans party will include Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, as well as Bill Finley and Dave Johnson, who will broadcast their Sirius XM show “Down the Stretch” live from the ballroom.

Finally, Gordon Jones, recent winner of The Championship at The Orleans handicapping tournament, will be at Sam’s Town race book on Derby day.

■ PICK THE PONIES – A few seats remain for the Pick the Ponies handicapping tournament Wednesday through next Friday at the LVH race book. The rich tourney is capped at 200 entries.

■ DERBY PROPS – John Avello has a long list of Kentucky Derby prop bets at Wynn Las Vegas. The safest one for the house has been “Will any horse win the Triple Crown?” “Yes” is 6-1, “No” is 1-8. Affirmed was the last Triple Crown winner, in 1978.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.