5/26: It's Derby Trail's 3rd Anniversary
 

Have to write up the Belmont P6, so no time to get verbose here, but today marks the start of Year 3 for 'derbytrail.com'.

Those that have been around DT from the original Yahoo Group and ESPN message board know the move to the free-standing URL was on its' way around the 2006 Preakness. I threw the switch after the great troll invasion at ESPN, and what has transpired since continues to amaze me.

There are 1,000 racing fans and friends that congregate here over every 72 hours... Nine days ago a stable born from the site, which has accumulated 125 owners and four horses, won its' first race as a barn... Countless real life friendships, and more, have been carved out of initially anonymous meetings here...

It would be difficult for me to say how proud I am of having my name associated with what you all have accomplished here in 2 years. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that the quality of member and discourse, and humor, at Derby Trail, given its' size, is not equalled anywhere in the community of 'horsey boards' (as one of our most esteemed members' calls them).

Simply, I'd like thank everyone that contributes here on a daily basis whether posting or just by reading. And of course no DT anniversary can pass without a thanks to Thebby for her ongoing administrative contribution, as well as to The Oey and MMSC for their respective moderation support.

Mostly, thanks to everybody for helping me make a career in racing.

Steve

Happy Birthday to derby trail!!!

i think most of us were just content to find a much kinder environment after the aptly named troll invasion. there was the temporary (as it turned out to be) move to a yahoo site, and then voila', our permanent home provided by Steve. who would have thought that a move to kinder surroundings would result in such a huge gathering, or more astonishing, a racing stable?? So, thanks to Steve for giving us a very nice playground to romp around in, hooves for taking a seemingly very nice dream that began with some half joking threads about ownership and getting serious about it, and chuck for joining the enterprise, and making a dream into reality.

last but not least, thank to those idiot trolls, who provided the impetus.

It is hard to believe that it has been three years.
I have been a big fan of this game for decades, but my experience as a member of this board has actually made me a bigger enthusiast for both playing the races AND for enjoying the sport itself.
I have also learned a lot about the game from some of the people on this site who have probably forgotten more about horseracing than I'll ever know.
In short, this is just a great place.

I found the current form of the site/message board through a simple Google search. I was looking for a site/blog that tracked the "Derby Trail" for help with my Derby fantasy game. And I'm very glad to have done so.

Thanks for creating this place Steve.

Keep up the great work here, on Sirius, et. all.

What was the main guy's name? I can't exactly remember.
Was it "the_fisherman"....or something like that?

not sure what he posted under, but i know what i usually called him. :D

thank god for small favors.

!!!

I laughed.

I've been around since the Yahoo days, and I am truly amazed at how far this has come. Steve, congratulations to you for all your success w/the site and the show. And a shout out to the wing nuts over at the ESPN board that helped to make this happen as well. Happy Anniversary!

We discuss, we debate, we laugh, we cry, we make picks, we analyze, we make fun of, we fight, we joke, we bond, we hate, we own, we verbose

All because of you, Steve, and our passion for horse racing.

Thanks,

Spyder

Message #1 from the old Yahoo group:


Sat Feb 15, 2003 10:19 am


Welcome to The Derby Trail! Starting today with the Fountain of
Youth and Hutcheson and tomorrow with the Risen Star, the greatest
10 weeks of racing commences...

Let's use the group to discuss the trials and tribulations of horse,
trainer, jockey, owner and fan through this always entertaining
racing spectacle!

Enjoy!

Steve

i found DT after steve talked about it on ATR. what a great learning experience this has been. a great group of people and ALOT of fun !
Thanks steve, chuck and All the DT/Dee Teers.

Scav dragged me over here from a different board.....best thing he ever did.

Thanks to Steve for providing the best place on the 'net to talk horses.

Happy Birthday Derbytrail.com.

steve ,congrats on year three!! thanks for all your hard work and continued passion for the sport........

This has been a trememdously entertaining, imformative and insightful experience. I became a part of Derby Trail after listening to "ATR". Both the radio show and these forums have continued to grow in quality and scope of coverage. Happy Birthday "Derby Trail". Only three years old and yet some DTer's have tens of thousands of posts. Now that's what I call quality of life!:)

This IS the only thoroughbred posting board that matters...

I can't go a day without it... it's brought knowledge, fun, good friends & opened the door to the greatest part of this game;
a thoroughbred partnership. As always; thanks Steve, your the best! :)

Cheers to you, Steve, and happy anniversary to DT. :) :cool:

Thank you Steve!

You're welcome.

STEVE:

Thanks for inviting me over from
ESPN. And not kicking me off... yet.

As someone who loves
watching horses run, but does
not have the time to really
delve into this great game,
this board is invaluable for
reading... and provoking a little
"discussion". I have learned a
bunch which is very important to
me.

I remember reading your stuff
over on ESPN and thinking how
good it was. Its nice to know
you are getting to do what you
love. (I am lucky that way also.)