catching the race again...

...though certainly not for the 149th time.

Such a lot of pomp and ceremony for the Kentucky Derby!

Hours of history on the race...

hours of background on the horse owners...

hours of parading on the track.

Barbara had invited me to her place for her Kentucky Derby viewing party.

I just couldn't bring myself to drive all the way out there to Coffee Bluff.

I'd gotten the Comcast reward for throwing such a party myself, complete with recipes and decor and hat info... but then there was Willie's death and I abstained.

There will always be next year.

Meanwhile, she and I had a textversation during this particular race.

Very fast-paced, it lasted less than 3 minutes.

Looking at the photos I took, the jockey in the bright sky blue jacket and matching hat can be seen guiding his horse out of the pack at the starting gate, up through the ranks of the middle runners, and right beside the lead horse, surpassing him before the finish line.

It was that Venezuelan jockey's first win out of his fifteen races at the Kentucky Derby.

And the horse?

That was Mage, racing as number 8.

Sounds hopeful for a year of magic...

(smile!)