Derby Day

As a Kentuckian, I feel a responsibility to mention Derby Day. To be honest, I have never been to the Derby, most Kentuckians haven't. We either can't afford it or choose to avoid the insane crowds. I live in the southern part of the Commonwealth, and am actually closer to Nashville, Tennessee than to Louisville. I think of Louisville as more of a Midwestern type city than a Southern one, except, of course, on Derby Day. On Derby Day, Louisville brings out its decorous sunhats, it's deceptively dainty-looking mint juleps, and puts on the Southern charm. This is not, in my experience, the Louisville of say, the first Saturday in October.
It is something to have such an international sporting event so close to where I live, I must admit. The Queen of England and several Arab princes, not to mention countless millionaires and celebrities, have come to Kentucky just because of our reputation for superior horses and for the spectacle that is Derby Day. I believe Hillary Clinton is due to be in attendance this year, with Eight Belles being her pick. The filly in the race is a good choice for the first woman to run for President. (Three fillies have previously won the Kentucky Derby.)
My family has honored a few Derby Day traditions, but they have been largely abandoned in recent years. We used to always have a cookout before the race and share in a pool to pick the winning horse. I am not bad at picking a good horse, which is owing to nothing more than sheer dumb luck, let me assure you. This year, I'm letting Hillary lead the way, and I'm going with Eight Belles. Probably, Michael and I will stop our Saturday chores (working in the yard and readying the nursery) long enough to watch some of the pre-race coverage and the three minutes of the actual race. And like always, I'll get a little misty when the University of Louisville Marching Band plays "My Old Kentucky Home" because how can you not? The state of my birth doesn't offer up very many points of pride: We are routinely near the bottom in things like funding for education and healthcare and near the top in things like smoking and drug use, but one thing we do know about is spectacle. Much of Derby Day is sickeningly sentimental, but I'd put money on mine not being the only teary eyes tomorrow as those magnificent horses parade proudly to the gate in their quest for immortal glory.