HATS AND HORSES AT KENTUCKY DERBY
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanHats, Hats and more hats! Saturday, May 5th, was a day of big hats and fast horses as the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby took place in Churchill Downs for a record-breaking crowd. The weather couldn’t have been finer.
It has been a lifelong tradition to see who has the most unique and fashionable hat of the derby while sipping on savory mint juleps, iced drinks of bourbon, mint and sugar syrup.
This year the hats were quite a spectacle. Everything was coming up roses and pink pelicans as a woman’s face peeked out from behind the foliage.
Less eye-catching but ever so refreshing were the smaller straw hats warding off the hot sun.
More flowers and feathers adorned large floppy straw hats for a flavorful appeal.
Red and rambunctious with silver sequins and a ruffled trim was the hat worn by a lady in red walking with a gentleman in a peppermint striped suit.
A smiling blond in orange wowed the crowd in her fluffy white hat complete with brown trim and adorned with dainty flowers. It seemed to be quite a load on her head.
Balancing a ruffled black and white trim hat took concentration and grace but was well worth it to stand out in the bunch.
Purple and precious with a black thick trim and zebra feathers. It was trendy and stylish rolled into one for a winning combination.
A huge rosebush fitted firmly on a woman’s head with dangling pink buds. Is there life under there?
Eric Williams of Chicago seemed to be one of the most original with an antique camera fixated on his patriotic hat perched atop his head.
Colorful hats could be seen for miles and miles in a jam-packed crowd.
Celebrities got in on the action as well. Sweet Debra Messing was honored to wear the Grey Goose Cherry Noir-inspired hat and was dressed in a grey tailored dress adorned with a large pearl necklace. She looked absolutely ‘smashing’.
Dressed in a flaming red one-shouldered ruffled dress and red satin gloves, Mary J. Blige wore a netted red rose hat as the accessory of choice.
Tennis champions Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi were enthusiastic about watching a different sort of sport. Sports superstars Lindsey Vonn, Cleveland Brown tight end Benjamin Watson and Oakland Raider fullback Marcel Reece all came out to take part in the running of the Kentucky Derby.
Hot hunk, Kellan Lutz, of ‘Twilight’ fame, came out in an Oliver Twist derby cap looking highly handsome in a tailored shirt and tie worn with a grey fitted jacket.
Looking full of life in an overpowering hat was Cyndi Lauper. She was gloriously dressed in the newest floral rage.
As we all know, it was not just about fashion but there was a race to be run and #19 pulled up to the front and claimed the lead to become the victor. This horse’s name was ‘I’ll Have Another’. With over 165,000 fans cheering in the stands and on the sidelines, all of the horses put on a terrific show.
At the end of the day, a garland was draped over the winner and this is the tradition behind the nickname “Run for the Roses”.
PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images, Reuters and A/P
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