Since I'm too far away from home to hop up there for the branding festivities, I settle for watching all 932 hours of television coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Husband loves it, too. For him, it's right up there with ballet, Thai green curry, and rectal exams.
Even though we had horses all growing up, I'm about as far as you can get from a horse expert. However, I can't resist the Kentucky Derby - it's like being part of something bigger than myself. Or something equally poetic and non-Erin-like.
Plus, how fun is it to see all those rich people, drunk on mint juleps, slurring their way through a very bad rendition of, "My Kentucky Home"?
I pick several horses every year - the one that's the prettiest, the one that I really want to see win who won't, and my Kentucky Derby champion. I've never gotten the last one right. Ever.
The prettiest horse this year was Conveyance. I'm a sucker for the greys:
This is Devil May Care, the only filly in the race, and the one I really wanted to see win. I always root for the girls:
And this is Paddy O'Prado - the one that was supposed to take it all...and didn't...he did show (placed third). If I do say so myself, I'm really a champion at picking the third place horses. I chose him in honor of Grainne. It also didn't hurt that he was grey, either:
Here's the eventual winner, Super Saver (on the right):
I should have picked him to begin with - his jockey was Calvin Borel, my very favorite jockey of all jockeys. I mean, really, who can resist a 126-pound mini-redneck? Just look at his face:
Attending a live Kentucky Derby is on my list of Things I Want to Do Before I Die. When I get there, you can bet your rear end I'm going to have the best hat in the whole crowd. Something that exudes both class and style. Something like this:
3 comments:
I honestly have never understood the appeal of horse racing.
Have you ever tried a Kentucky Hot Brown? I saw Bobby Flay make one at a throwdown-thingy and it looked awesome! I even got so far as to print the recipe, but I haven't tried it. I think it's a derby thing.
You know that everyone has derby parties out there in Kentucky, so I think you should host a derby party next year and Nick can serve up all the derby food -- he might warm up to the derby yet!
I think I'd like to be a horse-namer. After I hear a horse's name I find myself trying to analyze the horse to see if I can identify the quality that gave the horse its name. Devil May Care? Sure. I totally see that horse's attitude! Whatever.
That's on my bucket list too!! I'll go with you if Husband doesn't want to! I was just telling that to Jeff the other day...I want to wear a big hat and a fancy dress...but when I'm skinny...so that might be in 2035. Put it on your calendar to go with me!! :)
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