Churchill Downs.....Let Me Take You To the Derby Part III

I've just decided to let the beauty of the buildings at Churchill Downs be my blog today! I told James I want to go back in the next few weeks when it's not so crowded and get some better shots.....I just love things that are a part of history!

Our Annual Tradition......Let Me Take you To the Derby Part II

This is my husband in his element! Well except tile......this is like Christmas to him! He hardly ever takes off work, but come Derby week....well you all remember the shirt....he has no desire and becomes part of the track. Seriously I hardly see him from Thursday morning til Saturday morning. Though I am on call for designated driver duties!!
Every year we end up at the In Field with the same group of people! Lil' Larry being one of them. I honestly have known Larry longer than I've known my husband...and he's just like one of the family...he's always around...my kids tease him like he's a sibling...it's nuts... Larry is a serial partier.....but you just can't help but love him.....he's a good guy and fun to be around...doesn't start drama...but just likes to have a good time!

Um Larry, did you miss Mark's head up in the corner.....and no you can't borrow my camera to go take boobie shots!

Here is Larry......and James best friend Mark....and his girlfriend Tara....she's been part of the crew the last three years....
The only people missing this year were my brother in law and sister in law Paul and Amy......but they were unable to get a babysitter this year....but this is the first year in 5 years they haven't been there~ Next year people....HELLO it's the first Saturday in May plan ahead!

This was right after the Big Race......we'd headed out of the infield and were in the Paddock area at this time......you can already see my sun burn....not the best pic of me but I like how James is smiling in it...if I couldn't see his hand in the picture I would swear that's when it was ohhhh nevermind! lol
And then our hike back to Berry Blvd........It wasn't too bad only about 7 blocks to hike back to the car. And my husband handles it so well with all our gear in tow! Uh, I was handling the camera! hehe :P

Infield Madness....Let me take you to the Derby Part I

I am an avid people watcher! Some might find it odd, but I love to get me a spot and lounge in my chair and have a few drinks and watch people!!! And there is no better place for a people watcher than the In Field at the Kentucky Derby!!!
Now mind you a lot of these pictures were taken while I was intoxicated, so they are not of the best quality....but it's the subjects that make the pictures!!! Plus sometimes when you have moving targets and you aren't really close and trying to use your zoom from your chair your husband has you firmly planted in for your own safety while he places your bets and gets your drinks can get a little bit tricky!

This man in the wedding dress sat a few feet away from us, he was cracking me up!!

I have always been very puzzled and perplexed as to why you go dress up to do Derby in the In Field....dressing up is for the grand stands and box seats and millionaire's row......though it makes for good amusement when this chick and her three friends all in dresses, heels and hats, are out in the muddy field with the wind blowing to high heavens trying to lay out their tarp and keep their heels from sinking and their hats on there heads! lol People kept getting in my way so I couldn't get the funnier shots...
Even nuns have to party It's Derby people!!!!
I like this picture....not sure why.......it's a random thing!
I swear on a normal day this is NOT how people dress in Kentucky!!!! But anything goes!
Look it's Fred Flinstone! He even knows how to party Derby Style!!!!!


I acutally thought these hats were pretty cool!
Um....I don't think the Colonel had dark hair?

The following pictures I did not take, but they were things I saw in the infield and wanted to share! So I borrowed them from my local papers website.....


This dude was part of about a 10 guy crew for Breast Cancer awareness! They all had on pink scrubs and even had their inflatable furniture set up.....this area was definitely not G nor R...more like X or P for the Porn section....and honey I'm not just talking some boobs! I would honestly blush if I told you what exactly happened on that inflatable couch.....which was being video taped and watched by hundreds and hundreds...even the cops gave their binoculars a work out! I think what happened was actually illegal.... I just honestly hope the girl wasn't from Louisville and pity her mother when it shows up on YouTube!

Kentucky Derby LetDown

That's the day after! Everything is so hyped up in Louisville for a good solid month before Derby Day....and then the big day hits......and then it's all over...and what's left??? What's to look forward too....well today it a do nothing day....then we start planning for Derby 09'.

Next year I want box seats!!!! My husband has already promised.....we normally do in field...and it's fun, it's a blast, you have to do infield at least once to say you did it , and honestly it's not bad......but I feel that you have to at least do box seats once too! Next year I want to get dressed up ( maybe no hat, I'm just not a hat person) and do it dressy style! lol So then maybe I won't be so sunburned and windburned that I am miserable the next day!


My picks did come in this year!! I had Big Brown, Eight Belle's and Pyro in an exacta box.....I was so excited! I never get it right, my horses are usually still running. This year I couldn't make up my mind, I always just pick one horse and put my money to win on that....but I had four names in my head that I couldn't get out.....for various different reasons...and now I just wish I had put more money on it! hehe....oh well to me Derby is not about the money!! I mean look at that Big Brown monster up above....he's beautiful, he's strong, he's gorgeous.

By the way these are not my pictures, I borrowed them from the local paper, I was no where near close enough to get these types of pictures! But I will post my pictures coming this week!



On a sad note, the Kentucky Derby had it's first fatality of a horse in over 41 years, though technically it didn't happen during the Derby....Eight Belle's in all her filly glory....broke both her ankles right after the race and had to be euthanized right on the track. For Larry Jones, her trainer, it was like loosing a family member, for her considers his horses part of the family. It was a sad day and somber day for this pretty little filly who ran the race of her life.

The One , The Only Kentucky Derby Week

I found this shirt for my husband the other day, and the second I saw it, I had to buy it for him. It's just him. This is his favorite time of the year, and well mine too, but he can't even stand to be working, he has to be near the ponies! The majority of places in Louisville you don't have to work on Friday because it's Oaks! It's like Christmas Eve to all the non-Louisvillians!
Everything starts off with Thunder....that was a few weeks back, you guys saw the pictures
Then there is the great Balloon Race, which includes several things, the Rush-Hour race, the Balloon Glow....
There is the mini-marathon
The Great Bed Race!
Then the Great Steamboat Race, where we always fight with the Delta Queen and occasionally another contender for the Golden Antlers on Wednesday
Then the Pegasus Parade on Thursday
And then on Friday.....The Kentucky Oaks!!!!!!!!
Last but certainly not least, the Running of the Kentucky Derby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The most exciting 2 minutes of the year!!!!!

It's amazing all the prep, excitement, festivities that go on for weeks before the Derby, and the actual race is only 2 minutes long! And honestly I've only touched on a few of the activities!

So the other night, my loving husband was in the kitchen fixing me a turkey sandwich when he goes I just don't understand , I just don't want to work at all this week! I looked at him....looked down at his shirt! HELLO.....It's Derby Week baby!!!