After about two weeks home, I jumped in my car for a road trip to Ohio to visit some of my favorite people, Jon and Marisa. They moved while I was in Mexico, and have since set up an amazing home in Columbus, Ohio. This was my first time in Columbus, and it really reminded me of Milwaukee. A place that could easily feel like home, especially since we chose a brew pub for the first night of catching up. A flight of microbrews and a cookie dessert later, we were spent. The next morning I slept in, in the best guest room I'd stayed in in a while. Pips and I were living like queens that weekend with our own room, a super comfy bed, and air conditioning. I had been living in Mexico without air for four months, this felt like heaven! After being a bum, lounging around Friday morning while Jon and Marisa were at work, I met Marisa at her new job at the Center of Science and Industry. We grabbed a quick bite, and I got to explore the museum for the afternoon. After nerding it up at the museum, we went for Italian and then began our search for big hats (a tale that will be told in a little more detail shortly). We called in an early-ish night in preparation for the Derby Day in the morning.
This year was my second run at the Derby. Things may have quieted down a bit since Hunter S. Thompson wrote his infamous article "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved", but not enough to call it a quiet affair, or even a family show (although there were brave souls walking through the infield with their children). The infield is where the cheap seats are, and by seats I mean places to throw a blanket down and peak through a mess of people to catch a glimpse of a couple horses chasing the rabbit. The point in the infield doesn't really seem to be focused on the racing, but on racing culture, mainly Mint Julips and hats.
I learned from my first time at the Derby that you have to let the ice melt before attempting to drink a Julip. They are not messing around with the bourbon. They add maybe a splash of water and sugar, top it off with a few mint sprigs and call it a day. The hats aren't nearly as quick of a process, although last minute shopping for Derby hats is quickly becoming a tradition. Target came through for Marisa and I this year. We both opted for black, mine a little smaller than I would have liked, but it worked. Jon opted out of the hat, a look that very few can pull off at the Derby, but he did quite well. (I would like to have a picture here of the Maehlers sipping their first Derby drink and Marissa and i in our fabulous hats, but blogger is not cooperating at the moment, so if you really want to see a pic, check out my fb page.)
Neither of us bet on the winning horse, but, lucky for us, no one bet more than $10. I only bet based on name, so my choices were Midnight Interlude and Mucho Macho Man. Animal Kingdom, with 20-1 odds, won the 137th Derby. It would have paid out $43 for a $2 bet. Next time I'll bet on the long shot in addition to the horse with the best name.
The Kentucky Derby is just one race out of 13 for the day. For the last two races we "snuck" up to Andrew's family's section (and then into a box that was begging to be sat in since it's previous owners left it after the Derby). He "slummed" it for the actual Derby race with us in the infield, but beforehand took us to the stables to look at the horses before they raced. We pushed our way up to the gate, I stood on my tiptoes, and raised my camera above my head for a few photos of the horses. So, after seeing the horses in the ring, we trekked back out to the infield for the Derby, and after Animal Kingdom crossed the line a shocking winner, we walked back to the not-so-cheap seats. I sipped my last Julip and we said goodbye to Churchill Downs once again. Until next year, hopefully!
