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| The famous twin spires! |
So we went to the Kentucky Derby.
Again.
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| ryan and I outside Churchill Downs |
For those of you who haven't been there, I need you to understand this isn't just a horse race. It is an entire day. In fact, it is an entire weekend experience! The day before the Derby, there is a race called "The Oaks" which is just like the derby for female horses called Fillies.
The Oaks day at Churchill downs is just like the Derby day. People dress up, Mint Juleps are served, and the festivities last from 10-7ish. The overall theme on the Oaks day is in support of breast cancer awareness, so people generally wear pink!
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| cheeseheads and weird guy staring at me |
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| love it |
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| real men wear pink |
The bars in Louisville are even allowed to stay open all night on the eve of the Derby!
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| 4th street - Louisville |
Louisville is overly packed for the Derby weekend. I think there are about 160,000 people who attend the track on race day. It is somewhat ridiculous for an event that actually lasts like 2 minutes.
So Ryan and I figured out the perfect method of enjoying a day at the track while soaking it all in.
We call this method "BBB or triple B."
Betting, Bathroom, and Beer technique
You see, we don't exactly buy tickets to the Derby. We simply show up at Churchill Downs on race day and pay the $50 entrance fee. This means we are in the "infield" which is the inside of the racetrack with about 80,000 other crazy people. This also means that it is hot, crowded, and chaotic. So you have to have a system in place to ensure the most enjoyment. This is how we invented BBB.
BETTING
The first thing we do is place our bets. Now there are 11 races on Derby day. The lines are extremely long!! Especially before race number 10 which is known as the Kentucky Derby. You probably know we are big gamblers, but overall horse betting is a terrible bet. The house takes almost a 25 percent profit -which is considered horrendous in the gambling world. However, betting on horses is fun, so we make an exception. Generally we make super safe bets and pool our cash and bet $40 per race on the favorite horse to "show". This means we win just about every race, but we only win on average $5-10. Just enough to feel like we are actually winning! This system seems to have worked for us over the years, so we are stickin with it.
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| the betting lines! |
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| even the high rollers gotta wait |
BATHROOM
After we place our bets, we head to the bathrooms. There are lines for this as well, so we get out of the gambling line and wait in line for a dumb port o' potty. Surprising enough, every bathroom I went to seemed super clean and well stocked!!
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| at least you can watch tv while you wait |
BEER
The last step in the BBB is getting the beer! Of course, you guessed it, we have to wait in yet another line! Would you believe that Churchill Downs actually ran out of beer on Derby day just before the big race??
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| the beer tent |
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| How could this happen in Kentucky???? |
The entire process of triple B takes about 30-40 minutes. This actually is perfect because by the time we get our beer, it is time for the next race to start. So we watch the race, and repeat the process!
Enough about our dumb gambling system... here is a little of what you might see if you happen to attend the Derby in the future:
These people take the "dressing up thing" to another level!!
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| typical menswear |
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| Where's Waldo? |
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| The Ghostbusters |
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| ridiculous crowds |
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| Mr Fred Flintstone |
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| drunk guy passed out |
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| trash overload |
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| The huge jumbotron- bigger than two basketball courts!! |
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| Its my Aunt Sheila- she finally made it in the blog! |
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| Derby Selfie |
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| Celebrating |
So who is ready to try out our BBB method next year??
