Simone Biles Sticks The Landing On 'Riders Up' Command At Kentucky Derby

I don't think enough people recognize that the "Riders Up" command at the Kentucky Derby is one of the most high-pressure ceremonial gigs in sports, and for the 151st running on Saturday, that gig went to United States Olympic great Simone Biles.

Now, this is a nerve-wracking endeavor. It's horse racing's version of "Gentleman, start your engines," but the key difference is that you can get through those four words pretty easily, whether public speaking gives you the yips or you've had a few beverages to loosen up ahead of time.

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The Riders Up command? They stick all kinds of stuff in there, and I think it's about as long as the preamble to the Constitution.

Not. Easy.

Biles hit the red carpet with her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, and she may have hid it well, but I'm sure there were some nerves inside her knowing it was up to her to give the command.

About 15 minutes before post time, it was showtime for Biles.

Looking lovely in her pink dress and matching giant hat (I don't think they let ladies into Churchill Downs without some kind of giant, goofy hat), Biles threw down a performance for the ages.

Stuck it. Stuck it like a vault in Paris.

She didn't get tripped up by the word "Commonwealth" or the pronunciation of "Louisville," and battled through the echo from the PA, which can really throw you off if you're not careful. Just perfection.

That's what you want, although I'm not sure what would happen if you didn't get it right.

It's not like the jockeys won't mount, the race won't start, and everyone goes home while the bugler packs up his bugle.

No, it would just be pretty embarrassing.

But it doesn't matter for Biles, who put on a clinic for how you give the command.

She's going to be a tough act to follow for the sad sap who gets the gig next year.