If you are from Louisville, Kentucky, you know that the end of April and beginning of May is the most exciting time of the year in this city. The first Saturday of May is a local holiday for the residents of Louisville and is often considered better than Christmas. Of course I am talking about the Kentucky Oaks & Derby. In this city we have two weeks of events and celebrations just for a two-minute horse race. No matter how many times you have attended Churchill Downs for the races, the Kentucky Derby somehow always gets the best of you. Whether you are a veteran or a rookie to the Kentucky Derby, we all go through the same ups and downs on that glorious weekend. Here is a timeline of a Louisvillian on Oaks and Derby day:
First, you wake up at roughly 7 a.m. to start getting ready for the festivities. You put on the preppy dress or button down that you had found months in advance. Of course you don’t forget your lavish hat, fascinator and bow ties. You strap on your six-inch wedges but bring a pair of flip-flops just in case.
Now it is about 8 a.m. and you think it is an acceptable time to pour your first of many drinks of the day. Maybe you start out with a nice mimosa or beer, while you are waiting for your Uber to take you to the pre Derby party. Before you leave the house you fill your wallet with $1 bills that you can make your $2 bets with. At 9:30 a.m. you arrive at the pre party, which consist of country music, more drinks and good people ready for a good time.
At 11:30 a.m. you are off to the races! You begin your trek to Churchill Downs in hopes to catch Race 4. Once you arrive at the track, you make your way to the Paddock or the infield, whichever you prefer. At 12:30 p.m. you snag yourself a customary Mint Julep or Lily to help quench your thirst. By this time you are ready for lunch and you head to the long concession line for a cheeseburger or chili dog.
At 4 p.m., you are five lilies deep, your heels are off or your shirt is unbuttoned. You are past the point of no return and you are in full on party mode. You have just enough money left to place your final bet on the Kentucky Oaks or Derby race. At 6 p.m. you are clutching onto your bet card, jumping up and down, screaming for your horse to be the first to cross the finish line. Your horse didn’t win? Who cares? Everyone is a winner at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks or Derby.
At 7 p.m. you are ready to pack it up and head out to the after party, dinner or to take a much needed nap. At the end of the night you are broke, inebriated and cannot seem to find your phone. No matter how you spend your Oaks and Derby, every Louisvillian ends their day the same way: stumbling into bed, counting down the days until next year.
