Breaking away from tradition, the organizers of the race decided to allow Captain, one of Ocracoke’s wild ponies, to enter the race as a Wild Card. Captain, a stealthy yet kind and friendly pony, was selected to compete in the May 7 race after meeting age and weight requirements during a nationwide search. The Kentucky Derby website states, “For horse racing fans the season gets more exciting when a potential Triple Crown candidate emerges,” and this year, Captain has been making quite a buzz among the racing community.

“I’ve never seen an animal like him before!” said one enthusiast. “He’s an absolute marvel, a natural if you will. It may not be obvious, but he was born for this!”

Other fans that met Captain and watched him during practice runs were equally as excited. “He’s a wild one, that Captain; he can be quite spunky. I can’t wait to see him compete!” “His athleticism is unique! He may be a pony, but he can hold his own against the thoroughbreds we typically see. He sure can get to haulin’! Those little legs move faster than the speed of light!” said another spectator.

The excitement surrounding Captain’s 2013 birth was almost tangible, and now Ocracoke Island is a-buzz with a similar excitement.

“We are thrilled and nervous at the same time for our sweet boy,” said one of the handful of volunteers who cares for the ponies. “We may not all be able to travel to Churchill Downs to see the race, but you better believe we’ll be watching from wherever we are!”

The volunteers are all thinking ahead and have started making arrangements to be present at The Preakness Stakes, which is run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. “One of our volunteers is from the Baltimore area, so we’re totally going to stay with her parents and ride into Baltimore with them to see Captain run in all his wild glory.” Another volunteer enthusiastically chimed in saying, “And since it’s being run before Memorial Day weekend, we can all go! May 21 seems like forever away from now, so we’re hoping the time will pass quickly!”

Captain, who will turn three just in time to compete in this year’s competition, will join 19 other horses in the racing event.

“We see Captain as being an able-bodied competitor who will be familiar with the terrain on the track,” said one of the event organizers. The one-and-one-quarter mile track is made of soft dirt, and since Captain lives in a pasture of dirt and sand, those involved in the selection process are confident the pony won’t have any problems adapting to the raceway.

“Those big guys might try to push Captain around since he so much smaller, but I betcha he’ll be able to run like wind around that track!” said one of the jockeys. “He seems to be a really sweet character; we’re anxious to see how he does when the gates open on race day.”

In the near future a booth will be set up in the Community Square where you can purchase buttons, t-shirts, and other memorabilia marking Captain’s Kentucky Derby debut!