Friday, April 29, 2011

A Day In The Life...

Thursday, April 28th 2011

5:30am - alarm goes off
5:45am - dressed and taking the dog for his walk
6:20am - car packed up with camera gear and computers.  Depart for my horses
6:35am - bring in my horses for the day and feed them
6:55am - leave the barn for Churchill Downs


8:10am - arrive at Churchill Downs and wait for the renovation break to end.
    Not certain what to think of the pink tractors...

8:30am - renovation break is over and for the next 15 minutes or so, the track is only open to those horses training for the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby along with their workmates.

Matt and I shoot some pretty pictures of pretty race horses...

11_0428_Derbyworks_ww-5029.jpg
Joyful Victory, Oaks contender exercises under Larry Jones.


11_0428_Derbyworks_ww-5115.jpg
Street Story, Oaks contender, does a timed work under jockey Robby Albarado.


11_0428_Derbyworks_ww-5194.jpg
Uncle Mo gallops the Churchill Downs track.

11_0428_Shackleford_ww_w-5168
My current equine crush, Shackleford, gallops in preparation for the Kentucky Derby.

8:50 am go to Churchill Downs media center to download and send out our photos to media outlets.

10:00am get back in car and head back home to Lexington. 

11:45am eat lunch, let dog out and take him for a short walk again.

12:30pm back in car and head to the Kentucky Horse Park for the Rolex 3-day eventing.  Take more pretty pictures



Admire other people's dogs hanging out at Rolex

Daisy the Great Dane leaning on her mom
3:15pm leave Rolex and head over to Keeneland for the Bewitch Stakes Race.  A mile and one half race on the turf for Fillies and Mares 4 yrs and older.

4:52pm is the race

Keertana wins with ease


Edit and send out race photos to race media.

6:00pm pack up and head over to barn to put my horses back out to their pasture

6:30pm get home, feed and let dog out.

6:45pm head over to Joseph-Beth Booksellers to see houseguest and friend Alex Brown speak about his book.  Alex is an excellent speaker!


7:45pm have dinner

9:00pm get back home

10:00pm bed.

Phew!

8 comments:

  1. I'd say that was a full day...Suddenly my trip to the local gas station for a burrito seems insignificant.

    I notice most of the pink on the tractors is on the interchangeable plastic/fiberglass/cheap material that will break at the slightest contact parts. I wonder if someone snapped them off to paint them, or if one can order pink tractor parts straight from John Deere. Can't imagine that order would fly off the shelves.

    Joseph Beth is a pretty fantastic bookstore. I buy more stuff at Half-Price Books across town, but I love JB's selection, and it's just cool to wander around in there.

    ...Man, I really need to move down to Lexington...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pink tractors! Maybe they support breast cancer research? Dragging for the cure?

    I hope Shackleford does well in the Derby. I loves me a blaze face :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an incredibly busy and interesting day. Love your pictures, especially the pink tractor :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! You certainly have built yourself a busy. equine-packed life! I'm jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What is the point of Street Story's beastplate? it look slike it is just hanging there, not tight enough to really do anything. I see this on a lot of racehorses, do you know why?
    You had a busy day! I am jealous you got to watch Rolex!!! Great pics as usual

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the picture of Joyful Victory, she looks phenomenal!
    Quick note, I'm pretty sure the second gray is Street Storm not Street Story.
    Shackleford is such a good looker...and training exceptionally well to boot!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dang, I'm with Frizzle! You were at three of the most awesome horse places on Earth, all in one day, looking through the viewfinder at gorgeous equines. Wow. I can't imagine a better day, personally, unless it involved actually riding my horse. You certainly didn't have time for that! :-)

    ReplyDelete