-The Kentucky Derby is the most pretentious sporting event in the world, and it deserves every bit of its arrogance. As always, May's first Saturday brings the Kentucky Derby this weekend. I wholeheartedly disagree with the confederacy, but I don't think anyone can argue that they throw the best parties. The 135th Kentucky Derby has one of the weakest fields ever, as favorites Quality Road and Square Eddie (how pretentious is it? the pre-game coverage is done by the New York times. They also cover sailing) have already dropped out. I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. The early favorite is I want Revenge at 3-1 coming out of the 13th gate. Now thats all well and good for the betters, but I don't think I'm alone in saying that the Kentucky Derby has very little to do with a horse race. Its about the painfully clear socio-economic segregation, and celebrating that divide.
Last year there were 155,000+ people at the Kentucky Derby. Most of those people will be in the infield. The Infield is a very similar situation to the very bottom compartment of any ship filled with immigrants on its way to America from Eastern Europe in the late 1800's (The Titanic "I'm rich you're poor forbidden love" story would work equally well at churchill downs). What I guess I'm trying to say is that it would cause an enormous stir if one of the dregs from the infield thought enough of himself to use a rich persons bathroom. How long would it take to get the dogs and the fire-hoses. Those who are fortunate enough to be in the grandstands would be offended to hear me call them fortunate, thats the type of wealth we're talking about. this isn't, "I'm blessed to have made this money, now let me give back to the community" money; this is, "Why is there a Latino Man (Its not necessarily the racial ignorance, its the confidence with which its expressed thats the issue) serving me my Mint Julep" money. This is strictly East Egg, and they have no qualms about flaunting it.
Look at what the people in attendance at the Kentucky Derby are wearing, thats the most heated competition you'll see that day. Why else would NBC have 6 hours of pre-race coverage when it only takes 17 seconds to put the horse into the gate (Horse's are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to interviews before a race)? The Amazing Technicolor Dream-coat wouldn't even be in the top 10 of best suit jackets at the race. There's a certain class of celebrity that are allowed to go to the derby. For example, even though everyone loves Shaq, I don't think he makes the cut; but you better believe Michael Does. If your going to pay attention to one thing at the race, make it the hats. My God the Hats! This I know is a competition. Its a one day flashback to times before women's rights when they were little more than an accessory to be compared and judged - and now I'm going to move on before I get a phone call from my mother....
The Derby itself is the first leg of the triple crown; with the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. No Horse has won all three races since Affirmed in 1978. A weak field can mean that there isn't a champion great enough to win all three, or that a mediocre horse can benefit from less competition (they still gave rings to the Rockets those two years that Jordan was retired i think...). But again, horse-racing isn't for everybody. But wishing you were part of the highest tiers of society is (each box seat comes with the right to have 5 people killed; and not even just minorities). So we'll watch, and we'll sigh longingly, and we'll throw some equal and an altoid in a shot of borboun then cringe as we drink our "mint juleps." But mostly we'll dream; that even if for only one day we could actually and truly be better than everyone else.
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