MY FAVORITE SPORT
I will confess that I am not much of a sports fan. My friends all get so excited about football games! They love the Olympics and basketball tournaments and soccer games. That’s all fine with me – but I’m more of a horse lover. Give me the Kentucky Derby against a ballgame and you know I’ll pick the horses every time.
I honestly believe that God probably let Secretariat win the triple-crown in 1973 just because it was the year I graduated from high school. That was the year I fell in love with horse-racing and The Kentucky Derby.
TWO MINUTES IN MAY
While the rest of the world stays glued to their television sets for weeks and months watching baseball, basketball and football; I leave those couch potatoes alone and let them have their fun. Finally every spring my favorite sport comes around. I have my two minutes in May.
Two minutes; that is all the time it takes to win The Kentucky Derby.
What an exciting two minutes though!
A whole lifetime of work can be wound up inside those two minutes for some horse owners and their prize-winning horses.
REMEMBERING LAST YEAR
Last year we got to watch Always Dreaming cross the finish-line first.
The odds were 5/1.
I love it when the long-shots win; but that wasn’t the case last year. Will it happen this year? Probably not……but time will tell.
I’m not much on gambling either; but the Derby can sway me. Mostly I just enjoy watching the race and experiencing all the excitement that flows around the events of the race. At least in this case; a huge portion of the money goes for great causes. The Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest and best charitable events in the history of America. A lot of good has happened because of those amazing horses.
PARTIES GALORE
There have been a few years that I’ve planned Derby parties with friends to enjoy all of the fun around The Kentucky Derby.
Sometimes we just do silly things around the house on Derby Day just to have some fun before we watch that famous two minutes of glory.
I have a cookbook full of Derby Day recipes; and they have always been put to good use! A few of them were posted in this blog last year. If you are interested you might want to click into our article from 2017: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/celebrating_kentucky_derby/
I hope to find time to post some new Derby-style recipes this month too.
No really special events are planned at our house this year; but you KNOW I’ll be watching the race. I never miss it!
THE LOVE FOR HORSES IN GENERAL
All of the Derby talk has me remembering my love for horses in general. I lived on a farm growing up and enjoyed owning several different types of horses. They were not race horses; but we enjoyed them just the same. We had Shetland and Welch ponies when I was very young, then we graduated to quarter horses. Eventually I bought a racking horse and I always loved riding.
Many of my friends owned Tennessee Walking horses. We were not seasoned or trained equestrians on the farm; but we enjoyed rodeos and western riding. I have some awesome memories of the annual rodeos that were held in Montgomery, Alabama every spring during spring breaks when we were in elementary, middle and high school. I would go to the horse auctions there and watch people buy the most amazing animals and long for the day that I would have my own horse farm.
TEACHING THE GRAND KIDS TO LOVE HORSES TOO
Here I am today, a grandmother living in the suburbs; but it was nice to dream of owning that horse farm. A few of our neighbors right down the road actually made that dream come true. My own love of horses is now satisfied with local trail rides and trips to local stables with my grandchildren. I recently got to offer the two oldest grands their first horse rides!
I think I might have enjoyed that day more than they did; but they seemed delighted with the whole adventure. My granddaughter told me beforehand that she was afraid and would only ride if I rode with her. When we got there she bravely went right up to the horses and was not afraid to be led around the arena. When she got off from her first ride that beaming smile on her little face was worth a million dollars. I’m not sure if she was proud of having rode a horse or having overcome one of her fears. At any rate – she was very proud of herself. I think she might even begin to inherit her grandmother’s love for horses.
My grandson is a little older and has always lived near the beach or in the city. He has this tremendous love for all animals. He very much enjoyed getting to know his horse. It wasn’t about the ride for him; it was getting to know his horse. He too left with a big smile on his face.
I was happy we got to take them both on this little adventure. Now I see a few family trail rides in our futures.
AN AMERICAN TRADITION GOES MORE INTERNATIONAL
So you see I’m merely a novice with my love for horses. Those folks at the Derby though are accomplished equestrians in every way. I love getting to hear the stories of each of the jockeys and their love for their owner’s horses.
This year and last year the Derby has included horses from European and Japanese countries. This is a new development for the Kentucky Derby which has mostly been an American tradition with a few exceptions. Like everything else on earth; The Kentucky Derby seems to be opening up its arms and becoming more international.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE HORSE?
Of course the people who love this race the most hail straight from Kentucky. If you are serious about horses; Kentucky is the place to live. I just happened to be living in Kentucky during that famous time of the Kentucky Derby that featured Secretariat. What fun it was being a part of that state in that year when Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby then went on to win the triple crown. You may have guessed by now that Secretariat is my favorite of all horses that have ever won the Kentucky Derby.
I was so delighted when the popular movie was made about the horse that gave my youth so many good memories. I’ll never think of the Derby without remembering that great horse. There will never be another like Secretariat. It has been said that he was the perfect race horse in every way. One astounding fact about him was that his heart weighed 2.5 times more than the average horse’s heart. I suppose that large heart had a huge desire for winning races. What a legend he left behind!
MOVIES, POEMS AND SONG LYRICS
Secretariat was just one movie made about a Derby winner. Not only have movies been produced; but The Kentucky Derby just seems to bring out the poet and the musician in most of us. I love the poem from the movie Dreamer with those famous lines uttered from the voice of Cale Crane: “You are a great champion. When you ran the ground shook. The sky opened and mere mortals parted. Parted the way to victory, where you’ll meet me in the winner’s circle where I’ll put a blanket of flowers on your back.”
THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Yep; that would be the Kentucky Derby. The Derby is known for the beautiful roses that always go to the winner. These roses have been furnished by The Kroger Company since 1987. The winner’s circle is a beautiful horseshoe-shaped bed of roses and the winning horse and it’s rider take an honorary ride around the length of it after the race is won.
This parade around the Winner’s Circle has been traditional for years now; but in the beginning there was only a simple chalk line drawn in the dirt and the winner was told to circle the line as they were being announced to the crowd cheering from the stands. That is how this area came to be called “The Winner’s Circle.” Now it is a very beautiful rose-flanked horseshoe-shaped stage.
The traditional song that is played at the Derby is, of course; My Old Kentucky Home.
THE SOUND OF THE BUGLER OFFICIALLY BEGINS THE RACE
The Kentucky Derby has used bugler Steve Buttleman for the musical opening of the Derby for the last 23 years. This year will be his 24th time to start the race.
A lot of people think he only plays for The Kentucky Derby; but he is officially hired to play at each race that is held at Churchill Downs and that makes him a pretty busy guy. In the spring that can mean between 9 – 12 races per day, four days a week, and in the fall months the same amount of races are held for five days a week.
In the off-season Steve Buttleman has been known for visiting schools and sharing his musical talents with other young aspiring musicians. He is famous for his generous work with charities. Everyone loves him and thinks the world of his talent and ability.
He certainly has a unique and unusual career. I’ll put him right up there with the Duckmaster (Jimmy Ogle) at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. You know we southerners are great at inventing wonderful ways for talented people to fulfill their destinies in life. None of our job descriptions are ever boring!
SO MANY RACES; SO MANY DESTINIES FULFILLED
The Kentucky Derby is a destiny and a dream for so many people in so many different ways. Even song writers have hung a few dreamy words on all the moments around the Derby. My favorite is Dan Fogelberg’s song called “Run for The Roses.” “And it’s run for the roses as fast as you can, your fate is delivered, your moment’s at hand. It’s a chance of a life time and a life time of chance; and its high time you joined in the dance.” I simply can’t listen to that song without getting Derby fever.
Most people could name many other old favorite songs that got their lyrics from horse racing. I’ll bet you’re already thinking of one right now.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THOSE HATS
Of course; after the horses; it is all about the hats.
All of those lovely hats are just another wonderful and unique thing to love about Derby Day.
Who wouldn’t love a day full of fluffy, fun, hats?
Do you have yours picked out yet?
Better hurry!
PLACE YOUR BETS AND GET READY
So who will you pick to win this year?
Me; I’m hanging my hat on Mendelssohn.
See you in the winner’s circle!