Dreams do come true: visiting Churchill Downs!

     A couple of years ago, I wrote a bucket list here on the blog. I was so inspired by actually writing out the items that I ended up creating it into a whole page of my blog, so that I could reference it in the future as I checked items off of it! Bucket list item #42 is to "Go to the Kentucky Derby." During the week of May 10th, 2015, I got two big steps closer to that dream!


     I am not a big fan of most spectator sports. I did not grow up in a household that was really big fans of any particular sports. Neither of my parents are fans of football, baseball or basketball. A few years back the Boston Bruins made it into the Stanley Cup finals for hockey (and ended up winning!), and my dad watched a few of the games on TV... and I honestly think that was the first time ever that a televised team sporting event (minus the Olympics or Super Bowl Half-Time Show) had been on in our house! Yet even though I was never exposed to it, something always captivated me about horse-racing. The beauty of the animals, the speed of the event, the thrill of the bets, and most importantly, getting dressed up in your finest attire, and topping off your outfit with a big hat!

   
     In the Carolinas, the biggest horse-racing event is the Carolina Cup, held in Camden, SC, annually in March. I have always wanted to go, but every year so far that I've been in college it hasn't coordinated with my schedule (it's on the senior year bucket list though!). During my sophomore year, in honor of the Carolina Cup and the Kentucky Derby, I dressed up Derby style for the Spring Formal dance that I got invited to at my former college!

     I never would have guessed that just over a year after this picture was taken, that I would be at Churchill Downs, the ultimate home of horse-racing in America, twice in one week!

     A couple of weeks ago I was in Kentucky, interning for the Fraternity Communications Association's annual conference. One of the evening events for all conference attendees, vendors and interns was to take in an evening of racing and dinner at Churchill Downs! We ate and watched races from Millionaire's Row, which is the private part of Churchill where some of the richest people in the country watch the Kentucky Derby each year from! It was an incredible and once-in-a-lifetime experience!

     But of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to head to Churchill Downs for a second time while I was in the area. I mean- since I couldn't make the Derby- why not visit twice on regular race days instead?!

     And to make it even better, my second visit to Churchill Downs was with one of my blog besties! My internship with the FCA ended late Friday night, and on Saturday morning my Kentucky blogging buddy Bailey from Becoming Bailey drove all the way to Louisville (in the rain!) to meet me at my hotel and pick me up for the races! We started our day with walking around the Louisville downtown area (and getting lunch at KFC- because when in Kentucky one must eat the Kentucky Fried Chicken!), but then we headed back over to the race track.

Sweet Bailey and I!

     Unfortunately, my Millionaire's Row status from the previous evening wasn't still valid so we had to settle for General Admission seats. ;-) But I quickly learned that there is no such thing as a bad seat at Churchill Downs! The General Admission seats that I had booked for us ended up having great views of the races, and it was really fun for me to experience a different side of Churchill Downs!! The rain didn't dull the fun and excitement of horse-racing!

     As we headed out, we passed by one of the stables where the horses that are about to go out are kept. Bailey and I enjoyed this strange sight!

     Is that broom yummy, Mr. Horse? :-)

     My time at Churchill Downs this year was an experience that I'll never forget! Being able to visit there during Derby month, and having one of those visit be combined with my passion for Greek Life and the other involve a blog bestie made for two incredible memories! 

     P.S. To read my guest blog post for the Alpha Delta Pi blog which gives more details about my time in Louisville and the FCA internship- CLICK HERE! :-)

     xoxo Miss ALK