The first Saturday in May was always special in our family. Dad was a horse trainer and this weekend was when the Kentucky Derby was held.
Ever since we were ten years old we would attend the event at the Twin Spires. It was a fitting name since my sister and I were twins.
Watching dad train these magnificent 3 year olds was amazing. We both would hang around at the track while he would get the horses ready to run. After a long day of running the horses he would let us wash and brush them. We didn't think of it as work or chores. We enjoyed being around him and the horses.
As the years progressed my sister and I would attend the various races, but it was always the Derby that had the most allure to us. The fancy hats, the dressing up. The large crowds. The excitement of the crowds cheering the horses on.
Anne and I would always dress up for the Derby. At first it was her wearing her Sunday dress and me in a suit. As we got older our outfits got closer in sync with the attire of the crowd.
Today's race was one of the most anticipated the past years. It was the first one post pandemic. There were easily 150,000 in attendance. The pageantry of the Derby had not been diminished the last two years. The big hats were back. The mint julips were fresh. The horses were ready to race. we had just celebrated our 18th birthday in February.
I had on a light blue pin striped suit while Anne had on a green cotillion dress and a matching hat. She was wearing fancy pumps because heels would not have been practical on the track.
Even though we were observers we still were helping dad with the horses. We'd help him prep the horses for the race and afterwards would drive the Gator on the track to help corral his ponies and get them back in the stables.