Kentucky Rain

Arriving in Kentucky at Churchill Downs is always exciting because it's our first real stop of the trip.  This year we were blessed with an excellent tour guide!  He took us through the courtyard and explained the history of Churchill Downs and then even let us go out to the paddocks to see the horses making their way to the track with their owners!  Did you know that they check their gums for a serial number that is tattooed on?  Crazy!


After we watched the horses move through the paddock we headed straight out to the track where we had front row seats to see a high stakes horse race.  We watched and cheered as the horses made their way around the track!  For many, it was their very first horse racing experience! 

After the horse race we had some fun time to roam in the museum.  It was fun to see all the historical stuff, but it was even more fun to jump on a horse and actually race.

Check out all the fun below!  It was an outstanding first day!

Here you can see Ben, Steven, and Henry having fun in the gift shop trying on Derby Hats!

First of many group shots!

Inside the museum, the derby winners colors are on this jockey.

John and Jere are racing on the horses in the museum.  Looks like Jere is winning.

And the tour begins!

Horses in the paddock.

"Churchill Downs was cool because we got to see a race!" --Ben Adams

"The horse race at Churchill Downs was awesome!" --Baker Bedgood

Out on the TRACK! Let the race begin!

The infield shows the odds and stakes!

They call these seats millionaires row!

And they are off!

The horses are coming around towards the finish line!

More of the boys got in on the hat action!