Big Hats.

Lots of Horses

Kentucky Derby 2013

This year we traveled down to Kentucky to visit J friends: Chris and Allison [and their kiddos]

They were wonderful hostess for the weekend, not to mention lots of fun! [I had only meet them one time before this weekend] and now wish they still lived in Grand Rapids.

We ended up being able to go the races on Friday: Oaks and Saturday: Derby

You can spend almost all day at the track and we did most of each day.

I really didn't know anything about Horse Racing or the Derby or anything involving the Derby other than woman wore big Hats and the Derby race lasted about 2 mins.

Well after 10+ hours I feel I have learned a lot

Each day there was a total of about 13 races.  

It would be a race for about 2 min and a break for 30-40 min

Now you can get food.  Talk. Place bets on the next race and repeat all day long

Friday: Oaks day

This was the day we landing, it was suppose to rain but it was just beautiful

and we ended up have box seats right next to the track

Friday night we went to a Derby party that one of Allisons friends was organizing

It was really fun way to end the night

Saturday: The one and only Kentucky Derby

This day it was suppose to rain and it did....just poured!  

Luckily this day we had tickets inside.  Which meant we had a table that had food and then we would walk outside to see the races [under a terrace] or you could watch on tv.

Now for the actually Derby race we stood for 87 min [in heels and cold] to hold our spot on the stairs and watch the race right on the finish line.  It was so exciting and worth the wait!

We stopped on our way to the Derby looking for a hat for me, we found one that matched perfectly and we were off

Inside at our table, here is Allisons beautiful hat!

 Standing in our spot

a random shot to see some of the Derby fashion

men in crazy colors and designs and loads of cool hats on the woman

The race!

 The parade of horses before the race

my pick #12 itsmyluckyday

and it was not :)

and they are off

 the track was labeled at sloppy, understatement of the day 

 And the winner was orb.

and that made us Zero money

all well!

So glad we were able to spend the weekend away and be able to really experience the derby, hat and all! :)