[OnTrack]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

Considering that today is the Kentucky Derby, I've been wondering again waht exactly is a "Kentucky Colonel".....????

I had a customer once whose husband was born in Maine, was superintendent of schools in Connecticut.....retired to Florida....yet she would always tell me, throughout the years....before she passed away, that they would attend the Kentucky Derby every single year as her husband was a "Kentucky Colonel".........I figure it's some type of honorary title???? She lived a good long life until her late 90's....and had some memories to tell. We became penpals. As someone else mentioned, I too...have always enjoyed elderly people, for their wisdom.

Hope they have great weather in Kentucky today.

Kentucky Colonels (poke here)

Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation. The sitting governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky bestows the honor of a colonel's Commission, by issuance of letters patent.

After a person receives a commission, he or she is invited to join "The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels", which is an independent, non-profit charitable organization formally founded in 1932.[1] The Governor of Kentucky serves as the "Commander-in-chief" of the Honorable Order, and its board of trustees serves on a volunteer basis.[1] The stated mission of this organization is to aid and promote the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its citizens.[9] The organization raises money to support Kentucky charities and educational organizations, and to conduct other works that will help the citizens of Kentucky.

My wife and I had the good fortune of attending the 2008 Derby in royal fashion. It was an unforgettable trip.

We took a special train from Lexington (with a gourmet breakfast), that dropped us off right outside Churchill Downs and then returned to Lexington.

Here we are leaving.




Box seats on turn 1/2, gave a great view of the start.




The only bad thing is that as we were leaving, we were within 100 yards of the gunshot that put down the filly Eight Belles (who came in second).

Eight Belles(poke here)

The “worst part of horse racing was displayed” during Saturday’s 134th Kentucky Derby, as filly Eight Belles was “put down on the track shortly after finishing second,” according to Larry Stewart of the L.A. TIMES. Eight Belles suffered two compound fractured ankles, and on-call veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage said that “nothing could be done to save the horse.” Shortly after the equine ambulance arrived, “protective screens were brought out to block the view of what was about to take place and Eight Belles was euthanized.” The scene was “reminiscent of what happened” at the Breeders’ Cup at Monmouth Park in October when horse George Washington "had to be euthanized on the track" (L.A. TIMES, 5/4). Churchill Downs officials said that Eight Belles’ death was the “first fatality in the Derby in modern times.” Bramlage: “It was something I wouldn’t have even considered would have happened. I would have had no clue that anything was going wrong.” Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones: “There was no way to save her. She couldn’t even stand. There was no way to even think about trying to save her” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4). More Jones: “We’re used to trying to save them now. But when I did see her, there was no doubt it had to be done” (Baltimore SUN, 5/4).

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