The first Saturday in May is a beloved day to everyone in the Commonwealth. If you weren't luck enough to get your hands on tickets (few do), there are celebrations a plenty in honor of Louisville's finest day. The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby was extra special, since it is the last one before we move west. It was made even sweeter spending it with dear friends we've had for over a decade. We scored an invite to Melissa Mortenson's incredible Derby party and we wouldn't have missed it for anything.
We drove down to Louisville after a busy morning of baseball and soccer games. It was pouring rain in Cincinnati, but the skies cleared and the sun appeared making the drive down I-71 look like it had been taken out of a picture book. The trees and grass were varying shades of green, the rolling hills had mist hanging low the bright sun bounced off the wet roads. It was beautiful.
Melissa had thought of everything. We feasted on pork from Mark's Feed Store, homemade Kentucky Hot Brown sandwiches, delicious sides and fruit and an endless supply of drinks. We gobbled up Derby Pie, Buttermilk pie, cookies, and Derby Pie inspired cupcakes.
Traci Underwood made the race so much fun as she had every family draw 3 horses names out of an envelope and if your horses won, you got a fancy prize. I, personally, was rooting for Mucho Macho Man, but we drew Shackelford, Twinspired and Nehro. The race was wide open as the favorite Uncle Mo scratched the day before. Dialed In was new the favorite with 5-1 odds, but it was the unlikely Animal Kingdom that beat out the other 18 horses to claim the victory. Nehro took 2nd, and Mucho Macho Man came in 3rd. The female jockey, Rosie Napravnik, was the sixth female to appear in the Kentucky Derby over its 157 year history, took 9th place on Pants on Fire. The favored Dialed In finished in a lackluster #8.
The best part of the evening was spending with so many people we love. The Underwoods, O'Briens, Julie and Matt Martinez flew in from Arizona and the Mortensons, it was most of the old gang from our days in Crestwood 1st ward. Good times. Good people. So many good memories.
Thanks Melissa and Jeff for such a fantastic party!
Here's to the Preakness in two weeks... though I think Animal Kingdom will be a one hit wonder, it's always fun to watch those horses run!
Churchill Downs
And They're Off!!!
ANIMAL KINGDOM!!! 20-1 odds $2.00 bet paid out $43.20!
2 comments:
Thank you so much for making the drive and sharing the day with us!!
You took awesome photos!! I always hate it when I throw a party and get to busy to take a picture!
Thanks again for coming!!
Thanks for the detailed photos!
Wish I could have been there.
Jim's pretty determined we'll be up for hosting a derby party next year in the new house......especially now that we'll have so many true kentuckians around to share it with.
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