Today was the running of the Kentucky Derby, and I watched it at The View House, in the Ballpark neighborhood of Denver, just a stone's throw from Coors Field. This has always been a big event for my family. I remember the family getting together, the names of each horse put in a hat, and then everyone selecting two horses out of the hat and throwing a few bucks in, the winner getting the pot. When my mother and father moved to Florida, a neighbor - Jane Hoy - was a big Kentucky Derby fan too, and they had Derby parties down there, too.
I must have been influenced by all this, since I can't remember what I did yesterday, but I can remember what I did the last two Derby days. Two years ago I went to an off track betting restaurant and bar called Red and Jerry's. The place was packed and closed to additional people, and the only alternative was a depressing looking auditorium next door with a $10 cover. I passed and watched the race on TV. Last year I had to work at Walgreen's, and needed to get to work before the race was run.
This year I checked out where the best Kentucky Derby parties were in Denver, and was surprised to read that Denver was second only to Louisville, Kentucky in Derby parties. Do people in Denver love horses? No - the city has a young population and they love parties. I decided to head to The View House, which had a pretty decent, upbeat crowd. All the men were dressed in suits - one even wore a top hat - and most of the women wore dresses and fancy hats. It was a fun time for all. And by the way, the winner was Nyquist, who is evidently named after some sort of cough medicine. Go figure.
No comments:
Post a Comment