My boyfriend, Zac, and I arrived a few hours before the 1st race. Somehow we entered through the main admission gate which fed us into the in-field. It was an uncomfortable feeling, like we were showing up for Bonnaroo in a cocktail dress. After much confusion, and a few passes through tunnels under the track we finally made it to the paddock area.
I'm glad that we got there before it was crowded (side note: over 157,000 were in attendance!). We were able to see and do it all, and of course took pictures of it as well. We had our Mint Juleps before 10:30 am and I finished mine half past noon. Now I do tend to nurse my drinks, but in my defense, a drink like that can take out a linebacker!
Shortly after we sat down and made our picks for the first race. Zac did a box trifecta (spelling?) but my pick was much more simple, I picked one horses to place/show. We placed our bets, found our seats and eventually the race commenced. It was so thrilling watch your horse battle it out for the win. I felt like Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, wanting to yell "come on, come on, move your bloody arse!"
We both lost on race one.
After doing this cycle of picking and losing for a few more races finally I had a pick. I bet that my horse would place and he came in 3rd! I was so excited an proud that I won a bet. I soon learned the difference between when a horse places (1st or 2nd) and when he shows (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). Whoops! I assumed that Churchill Downs had a policy of not cashing in on "I meant to say" bets, so I had to cut my losses on that race. As the day carried on we did make a few wins. Each time a new race began the crowd became a bit larger. Also as it got later in the day the mind grew stronger, it was a battle that my hat was not equipt to fight so I was left with a limp hat.
Then came the main event:
I picked Z Fortune (who we name Zac's Fortune and thus the reason we placed bets on him), Cowboy Cal, and Eight Belles all across the board [to win, place, and to show]. I was my largest bet of the day, and rightly so. It was so exciting watching them paraded the horses out, played the reveille horn, and then the horses were in the gates, and finally... they were off! Zac was right when he told me that it is the most exciting 2 and a half minuets of all sports. Halfway into the race I determined that Z(ac's) Fortune was not going to be true for us and Cowboy Cal was not going to be any better. But my filly, Eight Belles was doing quite well. She was in the lead pack! She and Big Brown were in competition but then he broke away and left Eight Belles to settle with runner up. I could live that because I still had a profitable bet.
After the crowds cleared I cashed in my winning ticket, at that time I had no idea that they had put down my prize winning filly just moments earlier. It was later that night we heard Eight Belles's tragedy. I have teared up a few times thinking about it. She was my favorite pick, but of course every other female watching the race would say the same thing. It was the fellow sister empowering spirit that we all got from Eight Belles. And she was a powerful girl, she gave those boys a run for their money, literally. I know it is tragic how it ended but she died perusing a Thoroughbred's life goal but only few can achieve, running in the Derby, and not only that but she finished well. We decided to end the day with one more race. This time we made a joint bet, going in 50/50 on a ticket. But much like the trend of the day it was a zero cash in for us. All in all it was a great and memorial day for me. I was there for making of history; another Derby winner was determined. I saw an American land mark and made a check off the things that I want to do before I turn 35 list. So, what's next on my list? Spend time in Europe and win big at the Derby. Yes, that's right, I plan on going back!
