We did it...We went to the races!!!
What are these...John Deere Tractors...hmmmm!!!
We did NOT go to see the John Deere Tractor Races. We went to Keeneland to see the horse races. But between each race on the dirt, the row of big John Deere tractors turn up the dirt and make it ready for the next race. I just thought it would be very appropriate to publish it since we are definitely a John Deere family.
Miss Katelyn, Claude and I bought a program and settled in for a most delightful afternoon. The program helped us learn a little more about how the races are set up and about the horses and about betting. They had 9 races that afternoon. We watched 8 of them before heading home. Since this our absolute 1st time ever to go to the horse races, we started at the ticket counter asking for help in knowing what kind of ticket to buy. The nice man explained that we could buy a general admission ticket and if we wanted to upgrade to reserve seating we would go to another counter, give them our general admission tickets, and for a nominal fee they would upgrade the ticket to reserved seating. The general admission is ground level and beside the race track. These would have been wonderful tickets. They have benches and you can sit where ever you choose. Or you can bring your own lawn chair and sit in it in this section. You are in the sun all afternoon but a nice hat would have made that quite bearable. The general admission seats were $5 per adult. Claude paid the $5 for each of us and we headed to the next counter for reserved seat upgrades. I'm not ready to chance not having a nice place to sit. The nice lady here upgraded all of our seats for an additional $3 each. She made sure we were in Section F where she said we would have a good view of the racetrack finish lines. She was right and we were very happy with these seats. The 2nd tier of seating is the box seats. Then behind them are the stands of reserved seat (where we sat) and these are under the roof. No sun. On a hot day, this would be great. Yesterday was not that hot. We were in sweatshirts and Claude supplied us with hot chocolate to break the chill after a while. We were very impressed that for the price of a movie ticket we had an entire afternoon of fun. Our program listed each of the races and the horses that would be running. We each picked the horse we wanted to win. I picked by the name I liked. Katelyn was doing about that same strategy but a little more study. Claude studied the program well and picked the one he felt best about. Alas, Claude never picked a winner. Katelyn had a couple that were in the top 3. I picked the winner of the 8th race. We dined on barbecued brisket. Katelyn tried the general admission seating so she could be close to the action. We stayed in contact via cell phone and waves from Section F in the reserved seating. She was all grins. She did purchase a very cool light green t-shirt to remember this moment in history with. 
The 8th race Claude and Katelyn decided to bet on their horses. Katelyn picked her horse to place. Claude picked his horse to win. He put $5 on each of their horses. Gramma chose not to participate but got a great kick out of watching these two cheer on their horses. Katelyn's horse was the favored to win. As they came around the track and closed in on the finish line, Katelyn's horse was in the "win" position. She was the only one at the track going yelling, "slow down, hold back". We had explained that for her to win the horse had to come in 2nd, not first. When the race was over, her horse came in 2nd. She was jubilant. My camera ran out of batteries and I missed the arms in the air waving. But the grin was still there after I put new batteries in the camera.
I totally enjoyed being outside again in the fresh air. It was a perfectly beautiful day and just lots of fun. From watching the horses warm up, to them entering the track for their race and staying warm with the jockey on their back and the beginning and ending of the race horses being led by men on beautiful horses in proper English riding attire, to getting them in the starting gate, to everyone cheering for their horse as the run to the finish line, to the John Deere tractors clearing the dirt for the next race. The food was great and the company greater. It felt great to be out and about for the afternoon. But I did get back to the car and topple over on the back seat and sleep as we drove home.
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