Soggy Day at Churchill Downs

The weather forecast went from worse to extremely worse. Unknown to us, a Category 5 hurricane was slamming the panhandle of Florida and remnants were now reaching us in Kentucky.

If there was just one thing I wanted to do during our trip to the Bluegrass State, it was to go to Churchill Downs, the infamous racetrack that is home to the Kentucky Derby. But now the forecast called for over two inches of rain and 27 mile-per-hour winds. The official website for the racetrack said they would race in rain or sunshine. But would they really?

We made the white-knuckled drive from Lexington to Louisville amid pools of water on the freeway and downed branches on the sides.

By the time we made it to the parking lot the rain had temporarily subsided. I walked to the ticket counter and asked the lady behind the glass if they were still racing today. “We are absolutely racing,” she responded. It was a go!

Very empty at Churchill Downs.

Near the entrance stood a life-sized statue of Barbaro, the 2006 winner of the Kentucky Derby who tragically broke his ankle two weeks later at the Preakness and had to be euthanized. They say his ashes are buried beneath the statue.

Churchill Downs opened in 1875 and was named after John and Henry Churchill, who leased the land from their nephew, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., who was the grandson of the great explorer, William Clark. Since then it has grown in prestige as arguably the best horse racing track in the country, and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.

Some showed up in fancy dress.

Even though it wasn't Derby Day, many of the people still dressed up in fancy dresses and hats. We went for the “casual smart” look, but nothing too fancy.

We bought general admission tickets, but had a hard time knowing where we were allowed to sit. We tried the second level balcony, but got turned away. We ended up sitting on the first level near the finish line, below the overhang to stay dry. By now the rain was picking back up. I didn't know if we were allowed to sit there, but on this rainy day there was scarcely a crowd to compete with.

Pre-race parade onto the track.

As post time for the first race approached, the bugler made the call and the horses began to parade onto the track. Like royalty they walked out in a dignified manner, the mounted jockeys dressed in colorful silks. The track was a sloppy mess. Rain stayed consistent and at times intense, although that didn't seem to bother the athletes in this competition. They made their way to backstretch for the starting gate.

We watched the big screen above the scoreboard that stood behind the finish line. One by one the horses filed into the gate. With the last one in, the starting bell rang and the horses were off!

We watched on the big screen until they made it around the far turn, then we could see with our own eyes as they came down the homestretch. With hooves hammering down like pistons, they sped like cheetahs, flipping up mud as they raced across the finish line. Fancy Fascinator, a filly bred in Kentucky, was declared the winner. The exhilaration I felt as they came thundering down the homestretch gave me goosebumps.

Fancy Fascinator, winner of race #1.

The grandstand was still very much empty. There were a few of us clustered around the finish line, but the majority of the seats sat vacant. I'm sure the severe weather had a lot to do with it.

From time to time I ventured closer to the track, away from the protection of the overhang. I used an umbrella to block the slanting rain, but inevitably it would blow the umbrella inside out. It was always a challenge to take pictures without getting wet. For this reason I tended to stay put in one place, under the overhang.

The third race tested the field at a distance of six furlongs. The winner was a horse named Bango, and the jockey was Tyler Gaffalione, one of the best jockeys in the nation. He was currently the top jockey at Chruchill Downs.

Along the homestretch in race #2.

Tyler Gaffalione atop Bango in race #3.

All day long it was a very soggy track.  Race #4.

Before the fourth race Jordan and I went to the paddock to watch the jockeys come out with their horses. In the past the paddock has been a place where I could get up close to both jockey and horse, but this paddock was a little different. One had to have a “license” to get up close, so we had to watch from a distance. Not as fun.

After the race we returned to a location near the paddock where we knew the jockeys would be coming out. We sat nonchalantly at a table and pretended like it was no big deal when they walked past. The winner was California Burrito, and as her jockey, Edgar Morales, walked past he wore a big smile. Francisco Arrieta, who didn't place at all, passed by with a grimace on his face and stopped to watch the replay monitor. I noticed his sopping wet silks and splats of mud on his white pants.

Paddock area at Churchill Downs.

Horses in the paddock prepare to meet the jockeys. 

Jockey, Francisco Arrieta, after the race.

On the second level there is a large painting with a plethora of jockeys and a smattering of horses, all painted in caricature. The man that stands out the most is the jockey in the center. He has a large nose and smooth dark hair, and appears to be adjusting his neck tie. There is a chart below that identifies each person. This man is Eddie Arcaro, winning jockey of the Kentucky Derby in 1938, 1941, 1945, 1948 and 1952. That would make him the most prolific Kentucky Derby jockey. In fact, every man depicted in the painting is a Kentucky Derby winner.

Near him is another jockey who is smelling a rose. That would be the legend Bill Shoemaker, a four-time winner. Next to Willie is a man in blue and gold silks, with an Elvis coiffure and holding up his left hand. That is Ismael Valenzuela, a Texan-born jockey who won the Derby in 1958 and '68.

Portion of a large painting depicting former Kentucky Derby winners. 

As fate would have it, the rain would put a damper on everything. I usually try to get pictures from several different angles in the stands, but this time I was extremely limited. I worried about getting my camera wet. It was difficult to hold the camera in one hand and umbrella in the other. It was nearly impossible to shoot into the rain without getting my lens speckled.

As the afternoon approached the fifth race, my family was getting wary of the cold and rain and was anxious to go. I didn't blame them, but if it were me alone, I would have stayed for all nine races.

Mom and Dad in front of a statue of Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.

Knowing I had one last chance at pictures, Jordan and I repositioned ourselves along the Clubhouse turn so I could get a picture of a race with the iconic twin steeples in the background. Our biggest issue, however, was that the rain had picked up and where we stood there was no overhang to protect us from the onslaught.

We positioned ourselves with Jordan holding the umbrella while I took pictures. The angle of the rain was head-on, creating more difficulty. This would be the longest race of the day so far, a distance of 1 1/16 miles, which was completely around the track.

From our vantage point we could barely see the gate, but once the starting bell rang, it didn't take long for the pack to come barreling around the corner and into the frame that I had anticipated. Within a few seconds they had sped past and were on their way to the backstretch.

As they circled around to the homestretch, once again we couldn't see them from where we stood. But judging by who was in the lead during their wind-down as they once again neared us, I assumed that #7, Best Performer, won the race. He was ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. As the horses and jockeys turned around and rode to exit the track, we got one last look at these elite athletes.

Race #5 along the first turn, with iconic twin steeples in background.

Winner of race #5, Tyler Gaffalione, atop Best Performer.

I was sad to leave, but knew it was for the best. We still had another white-knuckled drive back to Lexington.

It was a memorable day: the rain, the mud, the history, ladies in dresses, men in hats, jockeys in their colorful silks, and powerful horses. And even though it wasn't ideal weather, it was certainly a day I will never forget. ♠