I am going to share my one and only Derby memory with you. I have attended only one Derby, which is sad because I live in KY and this is our "Super Bowl". It was 1998 or 99 (already sounds like I am getting old, referencing years), and I was invited to go by a friend who lived in Louisville. I was really excited, not sure what to wear, my friend told me we were going to watch the race from the infield. Okay, if you are not familiar with this, let me enlighten you. The infield is not Millionaire's Row, not grandstands, more like the bottom level of the Titanic; the cheapest seat for the show.
{This is not a picture of me!}
There was no need for me to select a beautiful hat or buy a new pretty outfit because I was going to a field party instead, kinda like a Nascar Race. I was finishing up college, still young, this was an adventure, I needed to say I attended the Derby at least once. I stayed at my friends house the night before because we had to get there early that morning. I think our attire consisted of shorts and tee shirts. I remember it was a really long day, several times I wished to myself I didn't go, I just had enough money to eat and make a few $2 bets.
Most everyone is drunk in the infield. I recall a naked man dancing on top of a food vendor trailer with security guards trying to coax him to come down. I remember being afraid to go to the port-a-potty because I witnessed a guy going in one, his friends who were drunk, tipping the thing over and the guy staggering out covered in toilet bowl blue stuff. Thankfully, I did not think my friends would do that to me, but I could not help but think that somebody may think it was funny to do that to a random person.
I had $2 left to my name for the last race, the big one, the Derby. My friends wanted to go out afterwards to get something to eat, I remember thinking I did not even have enough to go eat. I looked at the field, placed a $2 bet for horse #11 to win. The only reason I placed my bet on #11 was because May 11th is my birthday and it was May and #11 seemed logical to win because of that fact. It was my day I guess because #11 won the race and I think I won about $57. I remember being so happy that I won, I was so glad that I went to the Derby and placed a bet on the winning horse. Also, I was able to go out to eat with my friends afterwards. Ahh, those were the days...
If I ever go back I want to go to the grandstands, not the infield. Instead I will have to live through others who are going and dream of the outfit I would have worn and the fabulous hat I would have selected.
Check out Sara at Southern Comfort, http://southerncomfort-scd.blogspot.com/, she is fabulous and she is going to Derby this year. I love all the hats and outfits she has posted. I am so excited for her, I hope she has a wonderful time.
Also, be sure to check out JMW at A Place to Dwell, http://jmw-aplacetodwell.blogspot.com/. She has some great pics and she writes her posts beautifully. She attended a breakfast at Churchill Downs that sounds wonderful. It is a whole slew of events leading up to the big race.
Amy R.
