And they're off!

It's spring in Kentucky - and that means horse racing. This state is serious about their horses. Locals will tell you that it's the limestone underneath the rolling hills that makes Kentucky such an equine powerhouse, that the limestone fortifies the grass and makes the horses bones stronger, and thereby faster. (As an aside, it's also this same limestone infused spring water that makes our fine Kentucky bourbon so distinct.) Spring racing means Keeneland in April and then the main event the first Saturday in May - the Kentucky Derby. Mint juleps, "My Old Kentucky Home," and hats. Lots of hats.

Last week we took Matt to Keeneland for the spring meet. I love Keeneland and would go every day. The sights, the sounds, and the people watching - well, the people watching is superior. The crowd wandering around Keeneland is fabulous, from the jeans and sweatshirts set to the most elegant ladies in their spring dresses and hats. Ah, the hats. I made the serious mistake of trying to venture into the shop at the track, not realizing that they were selling Derby hats inside. It was packed wall to wall with women trying on $600 hats, replete with feathers, roses and ribbons of every color imaginable. Beautiful gridlock.

Matt enjoyed the track. It wasn't crowded at all and we were able to sit for a while on some of the benches, but Matt (and I) prefer standing on the rail.





We let him pick a horse in each race and placed a small bet for him on whichever one he chose. He picked a winner in the sixth and was absolutely delighted to receive his winnings.

Matt's winner, Metropolitan Man, crossing the finish


Showing off his winnings


In the highlight of the day, Matt was allowed to pet a track horse and feed it a peppermint. Charles had to help with the peppermint feeding part, but Matt loved petting the horse.



And of course, the required Kitts Family Self Portrait.


With the Keeneland meet over, racing attentions turn to Churchill Downs and the Derby. In that spirit, we attended a Derby themed playdate today. It was a perfect day to play outside and the kids had a blast. They especially loved the stick horse races.

Lining up for the race:


And they're off!


The finish line:


A cute group of jockeys:


With their trophies:


And because you can't have a Derby party without hats...

Jami models her hat:


I love that she was able to call her mother the morning of the party and say, "I need a Derby hat for this afternoon," and her mother's response was, "What color?" Apparently she, being a lifelong Kentucky resident, has quite the collection.

The little girls also made fine Derby hats out of paper and artificial flowers. Here baby Layla models a hat in progress:



Tomorrow, after a soccer game, a T-ball game and team pictures for both, we will settle in and watch Derby coverage, which is, in Kentucky, an all-day event, kind of like the Superbowl. We will sing "My Old Kentucky Home" and pick horses based on their name or the color of their riders silks, and we will watch the most exciting two minutes in sports. I truly do love living in Kentucky, especially during racing season.