Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.

Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.
....carpe diem. The Daylily. "Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun." Khalil Gibran. She gives her all for just one day then bows her head to God and fades away to nourish the next generation. God I pray I may give my all each day to honor you and bow my head at the end to nourish the next generation. Peggy Jones. NOTE............ Please folks do not copy any of my art or photos on my blog without my permission. Thank you for your good manners.

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Friday, May 4, 2012

Sepia Saturday----1978 and waiting...... for 34 years.

 Sepia Saturday
May I invite you to enjoy 
Kentucky Derby Day 
in
Kentucky.
Churchill Downs is about 30 miles from our house as the crow flies but I will be enjoying it at a big field party held every year for our entire community just down the road.

Betting and Mint Juleps too

I love horse racing.
Many friends, our granddaughter and hubby, race horses all over the country.

 Kentucky is horse country.

The Kentucky Derby and all the races that make up the 
Triple Crown of Racing
are my favorite time of year.

Well right up there with NCAA Basketball.

We have not had a Triple Crown Winner since
1978


Today starts off that exciting time again.

Waiting and hoping there will be a Triple Crown Winner this year.


The Kentucky Derby
the first leg of the
Triple Crown of Racing

Enjoy this amazing last Triple Crown of Racing slide show  with me this
Sepia Saturday



Affirmed

Affirmed was the latest TC winner but my favorite of all time is
Secretariat
who was the 
Triple Crown Winner 
in 1973


Just a little 
Kentucky Derby
and
Churchill Downs
History

.
Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of Gen William Clark of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition, first caught the horse-racing bug after visiting Epsom Derby in England. He went on to found the Louisville Jockey Club and build Churchill Downs, named after relatives on his mother's side who provided the land for the racetrack.

While the distance for the Kentucky Derby originally was set at 1.5 miles (or 2.4 kilometers), the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris, it was changed to its current length of 1.25 miles (or 2 km,) in 1896, primarily as the result of the belief that the original distance was too long for the colts to run in the spring.

Calumet Farm in Kentucky has had 9 winners, Whirlaway (1941), Pensive (1944), Citation (1948), Ponder (1949), Hill Gail (1952), Iron Leige (1957), Tim Tam (1958), Forward Pass (1968) and Strike the Gold (1991) and all of which the stable bred. Forward Pass won on a disqualification of Dancers Image.

 Calumet Farms was just sold this week for $36 million dollars with the owners vowing to continue the tradition of the most beautiful of horse farms in Kentucky. The white fences and the barns all trimmed in Devil's Red is the quintessential symbol of Kentucky racing.



England has produced two winners------Tomy Lee (1959) and Omar Khayyam (1917)------and Canada has produced two----Northern Dancer (1964) and Sunny's Halo (1983). Two other winners, Cavalcade (1934), Pensive (1944) are sons of mares who were bred to stallions in England but foaled in the USA.

A furlong is a unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile. Originally, a furlong referred to the length of the furrow running across and open plowed field, but now it's used mostly to measure distances for horse racing.


The Kentucky Derby is the first race in the Triple Crown. The Preakness Stakes, held in May in Baltimore, followed by the Belmont Stakes, in June in Elmont, N.Y. round out this historic trio of races. Winning all three is rare and considered the ultimate achievement in Thoroughbred horse racing. Eleven horses have done it. The longer the time between those winners add to the suspense of the Kentucky Derby.


The Kroger Co. has been the official florist of the Kentucky Derby since 1987. After taking over the duties from Kingsley Walker Florist, Kroger began constructing the prestigious garland in one of its local store for the public to view on Derby Eve. It is now a tradition to watch the garlands being made for the Oaks, of lilies, and the one of roses for the Derby, at the store in Louisville with all day festivities at the store.
 
The mint julep is an iced drink made with bourbon, mint and a simple syrup. It usually is served in a commemorative Derby glass printed with the names of the previous winners. A mint julep in a sterling silver cup sells for $1,ooo.oo. This goes for for charity.

Thirteen of the 15 jockeys in the first Derby were black. In addition, black jockeys rode 15 of the first 28 winners and one was the youngest rider ever to win the Derby. That accolade belongs to Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, who was 15 when he win in 1892 aboard Azra.
 
There have been 8 gray or roan winners. Bay horses have won 51 time, chestnuts, 43, browns, 17, dark bay/brown, 10, dark bay, 3 and black horses, 4.

  In 1973, Secretariat knocked previous record-holder Norther Dancer out of the top slot. He went on to log progressively faster times in the other Triple Crown races that year.
  
   Elwood, in 1904 was the first horse owned by a woman (Laska Durnell) to win this prestigious race.

Courtesy of Wiekipedia


Go here to see more Sepia Saturday.







Click here to find out more!

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/01/2171171/show-off-your-horse-sense-take.html#storylink=cpy

13 comments:

helen tilston said...

What a beautiful account of the Derby you presented. I have learned a lot from this post. I would adore being there tomorrow and will have to resort to watching it on TV
Enjoy your day very much and good luck

Helen xx

Deanna said...

i so remember the 1973 event, because I was over at one of my friend's house and watched the race. We were Seniors in High School!!!

Great Great year.
d

North County Film Club said...

What a great history of the kentucky derby. I envy you your parties and mint juleps. What fun.
Nancy

Rudee said...

What a rich and fascinating history you have in Kentucky. I'd forgotten all about it being the first Saturday in May.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Wow, this is wonderful! I know that you will be having a perfect time with your family and friends this weekend. Enjoy that mint julep and those beautiful horses.

Kathy M.

Little Nell said...

I’ve never been to the races, even though I lived near a racecourse at Salisbury in England. It must be pretty exciting. I am going to see a play about horse racing when I visit UK in a couple of weeks. It’s called ‘Epsom Downs and it’s all about Derby Day 1977, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee year. I shall report back. (I don’t suppose it will be as exciting as the real thing).

Wendy said...

I hope you're decked out in a beautiful hat. I started planning a trip to Kentucky for the Derby but life got in the way and plans fell through. But I certainly am inspired to get back on track after reading this post.

Alan Burnett said...

Calumet Farm seems to perfectly fit in with my image of Kentucky - a state I have yet to visit but one which I am intending to see before too many more Triple Crown races are run.

Bob Scotney said...

We tend not to hear much about the Kentucky Derby unless an English horse is running and one that is thought will do well. I confess you have taught me more about the Kentucky than I know about the UK Derby.

Tattered and Lost said...

There used to be a horse ranch down the road from me where I used to see the horses wandering around hundreds of acres. One of the horses made it to the Derby and was very close to winning when he pulled up. He retired to the farm, never raced again, but he nearly brought the Derby home. The ranch is now all vineyards. I preferred seeing the horses and not the dreadful grapes.

Postcardy said...

Thanks for all the information. I hadn't heard about Calumet Farm or the flowers before.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I like that farm our, with all the red frames.

Bruno Laliberté said...

Was the movie ("Secretariat") somewhat realistic?

BTW, loved your fascinator...
;)~
HUGZ