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If you have horse sense, you're probably getting pretty excited about the next couple of weeks, with Preakness coming up on May 21st and then Belmont on June 11th. The first of the Triple Crown races – the Kentucky Derby – was won by Animal Kingdom on Sunday. While most locals didn’t make the trip to the Bluegrass State, many did trek to Pimlico to share the day with other racing fans.
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While I am not a racing fan, I am a fan of the Plain White T's, who played a show in the infield from 4 to 6. I was surprised that it was rather sparsely attended, especially with beer and soft drinks included in the ticket price. However, sometimes it's nice to spend a leisurely afternoon on the lawn instead of being confined in a crowd. It's also nice to be able to see the band you paid money to watch without having to use a pair of binoculars.
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After the concert, my friends and I headed to the Terrace to watch the Derby on the JumboTron. Spectators surrounded us, taking advantage of the picnic fare up for sale, including the prerequisite mint juleps in their souvenir Derby glasses, and the Black Eyed Susans in glasses commemorating the upcoming Preakness. I'm sure the low key vibe at the track will be a bit more frantic come next weekend, but it's good to have a little excitement sometimes.
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Come out early on the 21st to get a good spot. The festivities include performances by Bruno Mars, Train, Phil Vassar, Puddle of Mudd and Mr. Greengenes plus a beer garden, cornhole tournament, NVL Pro Volleyball Tour and a Wagering 101 tent. Infield tickets are still available.
