More Jumping!

Star Spangled Banner and the Main Events!

And More!

And if you didn't have a hat and felt the need to have a hat, there were vendors to help supply you with a hat.

This image is one of my most favorite of the day. I think it is just a bit mysterious and I like the shallow depth-of-field.




I love the capture of her just eyeing up the rest of her cookie!

And More Hats!

More Hats!

Hat Contest

If you have ever seen the movie "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, there was a seen at the polo match and during the intermission they went out on the course and stomped divots from the horses. We didn't go out on the course but I'm trying to give you an idea of the dress for this event which was similar to the movie. Men were to dress in polo or dress shirts and sport jackets, no jeans, dress slacks. The ladies in sun dresses and flats and the PERFECT hat. In fact, they had a Hat Contest for the ladies. That provided a lot of fun for photo-opps. There was an adult and a childs division, the first image is the first place adult hat. The rest of the hats were around the immediate area where we watched the races.

May 2, 2009

The first jewel of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, was held the first Saturday in May for three year old thoroughbreds. That race held at Church Hill Downs racetrack has been my focus for as long as I've owned thoroughbreds. This year, I set the VCR to tape the race. The reason you may ask? Sometime around 9 a.m., Saturday morning, my ride arrived and transported me south to the state of Virgina. We arrived in Great Meadow, The Plains around 11:30 a.m., the location of another horse event. That other event was the Virgina Gold Cup races a series of steeple chase races with ticket prices benefiting the Great Meadow Foundation. In the Metro-Washington area this continues to be an annual social event with nearly 45,000 peoples in attendance. It reminded me of an upscale tailgate party which spanned different socio-economical levels. I tried to capture a general flavor of the event. The race card had about six races for the day. I didn't get everything I intended because my ride decided to leave after the fouth race. However, I'm greatful for the opportunity to have witnessed my first steeple chase races and hopefully to have captured the flavor of this social event.





Even though it was an upscale tailgate party, not everyone put out china, candleabras,and crystal vases with fresh cut flowers! Some of us went to one of the vendors that supplied food for those that were not prepared for the event. I thought this next image was quite ironic, the number of times your told to stay off the grass and the signs were all over the grounds.