In the morning (April 27) we emptied our waste tanks and filled the freshwater tank in preparation for our stay in the Louisville Expo Center parking lot “L.” We arrived a day early for our Derby Rally with Fantasy RV tours. We were lucky to have our choice of parking spaces and got one that gave us water, electricity, and sewer hook-ups! Now we don’t have to conserve water, which is very convenient!
We unhitched and drove to find a Wal-Mart to get a few things and then played house in our comfy camper. At 4 AM we encountered an electrical storm that lit up the sky and woke us all up. We heard later that this system spawned tornadoes to our south.
"Campground" at the Kentucky Exposition Center
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"Campground" at the Kentucky Exposition Center |
"Campground" at the Kentucky Exposition Center
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At 4 PM we met the group in the Expo Center for our orientation meeting before being bused to the Ohio River for a boat ride and buffet dinner on the 100 year-old stern wheel steam boat, the Belle of Louisville. It was too bad it rained for our river cruise. Instead of a two-hour cruise we were back at the dock after one hour because the rainstorm was getting severe.
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Belle of Louisville |
Belle of Louisville
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Belle of Louisville's paddle wheel
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The boat was quite historic and we were invited to go below to see the working steam engine room that moves the paddle wheel as well as provides the steam for a calliope, which played as we were boarding. The buffet was plentiful but not great – fried chicken, canned green beans, mac and cheese, salads, etc. The boat was interesting, the meal and weather were not.
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This morning we boarded our buses at 7:30 AM for the 1½ hour ride to Lexington. On the way we saw almost continuous horse farms. Most of the fences here are black, are rounded at the corners, and most have double fences. The rounded corners are because the thoroughbreds love to run and can turn corners before they run into a fence. The double fences – one around the paddock and another 10 or 15 feet outside it – surround paddocks that hold stallions. The stallions are feisty and competitive and would bite or kick another horse or a person if they were able to reach them.
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Sculpture at the Thoroughbred Center at Lexington |
Thoroughbred Center at Lexington |
Morning workout at the Thoroughbred Center
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Next we listened to trainer, Mike Cameron, talk to us about his winning filly, Tellalittlesecret. She is 8 years old and has been, and still is, very successful. The horse walked and ate grass (yummy bluegrass) in front of us as Mike talked.
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Tellalittlesecret
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We ate another buffet (fried chicken again) at the Thoroughbred Center and then were bused to the Kentucky Horse Park, a wonderful tribute to horses. We first took the horse (Clydesdales) drawn trolley around the Park to get our bearings and then went to the show at the Hall of Champions. We got to see several past winners, learned a little about each, and watched clips of their greatest victories. We met GoforGin, DaHoss, WontheWest, and FunnyCide. Cigar was in his stall. We then watched the show called the Horses of the World. Six horses and rider/trainers demonstrated their horses. I liked the saddlebred prancer and the Spanish Jennet with a short stride and smooth ride. Another interesting part of the Park was the statues of famous horses that were buried there. Their head, heart, hooves and testicles are buried!
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Monument to Secretariat |
Horse-drawn Trolly
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WontheWest
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Horses of the World |
We began the morning with buffet breakfast in Millionaires Row at Churchill Downs. There must have been 2,000 people in the restaurant. Fruit, watery scrambled eggs, diced potatoes, biscuits and white gravy, waffles with stewed strawberries or apples all served on very fancy plastic plates with a plastic knife and fork. Juice we drank in plastic cups and coffee in paper cups. The napkins, however, were cloth! The view of the track from the fourth floor was great and we were at a table next to the window wall. The 7:30 exercise group was on the mile dirt oval. After we ate we wandered around Churchill Downs. We stood down at the track to watch the track being groomed for the 8:30 exercise group of horses. The horses are impressive when they thunder past. They are big and sleek and all muscle. It is amazing that 1200 pounds of horse runs so gracefully on four ankles each the size of a human wrist!
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Watching the morning workout from Millionaires Row |
Winner's circle
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Finish Pole
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Grandstand with the famous spires |
Our seats under cover, about four posts from the right end |
Grooming the track
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Derby runner Chitu
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Calvin Borel (left) working out Ride on Curlin |
Mine that Bird
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Paddock |
Barbaro
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We had an excellent guide take our group on a 45 minute Historic Walking Tour of Churchill Downs. Most impressive was his description of the number of people and amount of money that will be at the Derby. Food, beverages, and wagers must be paid in CASH! With 150,000 people expected (actually there were 165,000) to be in attendance plus all the millionaires (movie stars, athletes, corporate officers, etc.) there will be a lot of green backs at Churchill Downs. Our guide gave us an idea of what Saturday will be like. It was nice to see the areas without the crowds and we have an idea of where we might want to wander to see the jockeys and horses up close. We also understand there will be huge lines and long waits to bet, buy beer, or use a restroom!
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We were bused back to our campers for lunch and at 1 PM departed for a Louisville City Tour with a local guide on each bus. Our tour started on the Indiana side of the Ohio River at the Falls of the Ohio and the Fossil Beds. When the river is low, the riverbed is dry enough to expose fossils in the limestone. It is all under water now. Colgate used to make toothpaste on the Indiana side of this metropolitan side of Louisville and the Colgate Clock (largest in the world) is still on the site.
We crossed the river back into Kentucky and drove around where the museums and theaters are and down Main Street, which is being maintained instead of tearing down the old buildings. Most of the facades are ornate iron and each has a metal park bench on the sidewalk. We drove past many old Victorian mansions that also must be kept in their original design. Further from downtown are “shotgun” houses, which are long and skinny. Taxes were assessed by the width of the frontage of a house. Some of them are referred to as “camel back” houses because a second story was added back from the frontage.
After a short rest at our RVs we went back to Indiana for dinner at the Derby Dinner Playhouse. It was another buffet with fried chicken etc, and watched “Singing in the Rain.” It was a fun evening.
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