DERBY HORSE WITH NFL BLOODLINES

May 3 -- NFL fans will have little trouble figuring out which horse to cheer for in this Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The answer is obvious.

Congaree.

The horse has a total NFL pedigree.

The colt is owned by Houston Texans owner BOB MC NAIR and is named after the Congaree River that runs through the town of Columbia, SC, where McNair met his wife.

Congaree's dam is a mare named Mari's Sheba, which was purchased from the Elmendorf Farm, owned by the late JACK KENT COOKE, longtime owner of the Washington Redskins.

Congaree was sired by Arazi, a horse that was bred by Buffalo Bills owner RALPH C. WILSON, JR. Arazi, a champion two-year old, stems from Wilson's productive female horses, originating with homebred Native Partner, who was the dam of sprint champion Azdal.