kentucky derby

[acurtsinger2]

wow..it's a great tradition.  i live about 10 miles from churchil downs on the indiana side.  i went over this morning to place my bets and waiting for the run for the roses.   beautiful horses and gorgeous hats..you can't go wrong.   happy derby day everyone.

[smithjcsdfw]

And a mint Julip for everyone.

[ktheodos]

Always seems like a "shocker" wins....

[scollontrade]

I watched it on TV. Some of the lady's hats were huge. That was quite a finish. "I'll Have Another" came from way behind to beat the field. It was very exciting!

[joyroos18]

they said they had 1000 dollar mint juplips  for charity. shaved ice from france in them, i actually wanted creative chance to win because the jockey bought his mom a house and his brothers a fruit business

[shepherdchik]

I watched it only 2 times now and you think it's going to be boring but in those last 20 seconds you're on the edge of your seat and it's exciting and fun to watch!

[acurtsinger2]

we one the pool for $100 and we won the bet on I'll have another for $183.  wow......grocerys for a month

[twol]

That was quite a race! I was hopping up and down cheering at my tv I was surprised since there really hasn't been a race like it for some time.

[AzeriZ]

I moved from Texas to Lexington, Kentucky 8 years ago, specifically because I fell in love with Thoroughbreds and this area. It's gorgeous here!  I was lucky enough to land a job at a prominent horse farm (working in the office), but alas, being a part of the business was disillusioning. I left the job a few years later (also because my boss drove me up the wall), but I do miss it sometimes. Ever since I started visiting Kentucky (about 10 years ago), I've had some amazing experiences!  I've kissed 7 Kentucky Derby winning horses, met some other world-famous champs (Cigar, John Henry), and top sires like A.P. Indy and Danzig. I've stood in Secretariat's stall, put roses on his grave site, and visited the resting place of Man O' War and his amazing son War Admiral. One of my most treasured memories is knowing Maria's Mon, who sired TWO Kentucky Derby winning horses. For a stallion, he was very calm and sweet. After his baths, he smelled like apple shampoo. Heh. And I'll always cherish my time volunteering for The Exceller Fund (they help to re-home horses after their careers). After all that, can you believe I didn't even watch the Derby this year?  I don't have cable and I couldn't find a live stream in time. I just don't keep up with it like I used to. I really oughta find a replay of that race - everyone says it was great! 

[joyroos18]

i heard this morning 2 hours after the kentucky derby they found a man dead in one of the barns. how sad cant even go to the horse races anymore without somebody wanting to kill you

[AzeriZ]

Yes, I heard about that. He was found *near* one of the barns, but last I read, it didn't appear to be anything related to the Derby itself. Apparently there are living quarters on the Churchill Downs property for year-round workers, so I'm guessing it might've been some type of domestic situation (probably fueled by booze). Very sad though.

[bostonphil]

I thought that it was a great race. I  it. Really pleased with the winner. I watch it almost every year but it has never been he same for me since Barbaro had to be put down.  I thought that I would never watch it again but I still do. I would love to be able to go one year. It looks like one great party and I love a good party. 

[AzeriZ]

In all my years here, I've still never been to the Derby, but I did get free tickets (box seats!) to The Kentucky Oaks (held the day before the Derby) several years ago. What a crowd!  And the traffic...unbelievable. There are little neighborhoods right across from the venue, and people who live nearby rent out their small yards and driveways for parking. They pretty much rake in a hefty amount, and sit around on their front porches and in lawn chairs, drinking and chattin' up the visitors who drive by (at a snail's pace, if not completely halted). If you ever get a chance, read Hunter S. Thompson's story about the Derby (he grew up in Louisville). It's hilarious!!   

[vicogden]

I always look forward to the triple crown.  I just saw the movie "Secretariat" a couple of weeks ago.  Maybe we'll get another story in the making this year!

[AzeriZ]

Let's hope so Vic!  I can't believe we haven't had a Triple Crown winner since '78!  "Secretariat" was a good movie, but they fudged a lot of the details. I found "Seabiscuit" to be much more exciting!  If you haven't seen it, I HIGHLY recommend it. When I saw it in the theaters, people were cheering and clapping at the end. Still gives me goosebumps. There's this one scene, where the trainer is trying to get Seabiscuit to run the way he's supposed to, so he has the jockey (played by Tobey Maquire) race him through a field. "How far?" the jockey asks. "Till he stops," the trainer replies. Hahaha. Some beautiful footage, exciting footage in that scene. And I've gotten to meet the horse who played in that scene! (They used 7 or 8 different horses to play Seabiscuit for various scenes). That horse's name is Rich In Dallas (now retired c/o The Exceller Fund) and I was able to help give him a bath before he went off to his new home. When I'd previously met him, he tried to nibble on my tennis shoe under the fence. Heh!