A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-03-05....A Day at the Races

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, Dutchess, Aquamarine, DollyCali ~

Break out your seersucker suits and your biggest brimmed hats and get ready for the 131st Running for the Roses, coming up this Saturday at Churchill Downs - it's Kentucky Derby time, so get ready for DERBY DAZE! Here’s a snapshot of what spectators will indulge in to celebrate the "most exciting two minutes in sports:"

• 120,000 Mint Juleps
• 7,000 lbs of Kentucky premium beef - NY Strips and Ribeyes
• 3,000 lbs of Kenny’s Country Cheese
• 63,000 jumbo shrimp
• 25,000 Derby Pies

The Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs

America's longest-running
continually held sporting event.

On May 17, 1875, the horse, Aristides, and his rider, Oliver Lewis, crossed the finish line ahead of the rest of the field at the first ever Kentucky Derby. The horse's owner, H.P. McGrath, and an esimated crowd of 10,000 in the stands looked on. Aristides, a Thoroughbred named after an ancient Greek general, earned extra alfalfa that day in Louisville. What would you have seen in Louisville that first race day?

You might have seen well-groomed Thoroughbreds--a cross between Arabian stallions and European mares--along with 15 fine jockeys, 14 of whom, including Oliver Lewis, were African American. You also would have seen cheering crowds sitting anxiously in the bleachers around the track built in 1874 by Meriweather Lewis Clark.

The name "Churchill Downs" was first used in 1883 in a report on the 9th Derby by the Louisville Commerical newspaper.

May 5, 1973, Secretariat - winning by 2½ lengths - set a record time of 1:59.4, the first horse to run the derby under 2 minutes. His record still stands.

In 2001, Monarchos, came close at 1:59.97. For a complete list of winners from the beginning, go HERE.

Tip Sheet
Odds-on Favorites

Check the link above for the latest odds for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool.

Did You Know?

A racehorse loses an average of between 15 and 25 pounds during a race.

The fastest Derby was in 1973, by Secretariat. His record of 1:59.4 still hasn't been beat.

Roses became part of the Derby in 1904 when they were presented to ladies attending a fashionable Louiseville Derby party. They were such a hit that the president of Churchill Downs adopted the rose as the race's official flower.

The distance of the Kentucky Derby was 1 1/2 miles from 1875-1895. Ever since it has been 1 1/4 miles.

In order to fit on racing sheets, no racehorse's name may contain more than 18 letters, according to horse-racing regulations.

These are the names of some of this year's contenders (you pick 'em by their names, by their odds, or by their 'looks'?):

Afleet Alex, Bandini, Bellamy Road, Blues and Royals, Closing Argument, Consolidator, Don't Get Mad, Flower Alley, Galloping Grocer, Giacomo, Going Wild, Greater Good, Greeley's Galaxy, High Fly, High Limit, Noble Causeway, Pavo, Rockport Harbor, Sun King, Survivalist, Sweet Catomine (f), Wild Desert, and Wilko.

Now the true Southern Belle knows that Derby Hats are very important, and the bigger, the better. One simply must not attend the Kentucky Derby in a Jackie O pillbox, and Heaven forbid if one should go bare-headed.....GASP!

I was so afraid all the good hats would already be gone since I didn't begin my search until day before yesterday. However, as luck would have it, I found *it*! I found the one. The winner - this will stand out for sure - I found *my* hat.

Now about those mint juleps.......



Links for the information and excerpts used in today's post:

~ www.americaslibrary.gov ~
~ http://www.derbypost.com ~
~ http://www.levyrestaurants.com ~
~ http://www.kentuckyderby.com ~

03-29-05 ~ Hall of Fame #11

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 05-02-05 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

[Billie]

Let's go to the races!

[Darksheare]

Morning!

[Dubya]

I din't race horses but this is my race car.
Eve and me raced all over the USA with our twin eng dragster.
I'm off to work back later.
Dub

[Auntbee]

Good morning!

[The Mayor]

May 3, 2005

Say The Word

Read:
Psalm 14

They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt. -Psalm 14:3

Bible In One Year: Psalm 67-69

People seldom use the word sin anymore. When we do something wrong, we say we showed "inappropriate behavior" or made a "tactical error" or "mistake." We may even say, "I have done a bad thing." It seems as if people have come to believe in their own innate goodness.

We do so in spite of overwhelming physical and spiritual evidence to the contrary. As I write, genocide is rampant in Sudan. Unbelievable atrocities have been endured in Bosnia and Rwanda. Who can forget the killing fields of Cambodia? And what about the millions of unborn babies killed in the US in the name of convenience? Evil has not dropped off the face of the earth.

As followers of Jesus, we must steadfastly resist the efforts of our world to minimize the reality of sin. We must agree with God that "there is none who does good, no, not one" (Psalm 14:3).

Recognizing the sins of nations is easier than admitting our own personal sin. But we need to confess the specific sins we commit against our holy God. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (1 John 1:10).

Call your sin sin and confess it to God. -Dave Egner

If we would know God's power to heal
And cleanse us from within,
We must acknowledge when we're wrong,
Confessing sin as sin. -Fasick

Jesus' blood can cleanse any sin, but is powerless to forgive an excuse.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Why Did Christ Have To Die?

[Darksheare]

Morning.

[GailA]

Good morning, instead of running off to my quilting guild meeting, I get to go to the eye doctor's for a routine checkup. Which means new glasses as I know my vision has gotten worse in the past year.

[Lakeside]

Your hat is lovely, dahling. Perfect.

[Aquamarine]

Authentic Derby Pie

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs; beaten
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbs bourbon
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Cream butter. Add sugar gradually while beating. Add beaten eggs, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and bourbon until well mixed. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Be careful not to overbake.

[DollyCali]

BILLIE !! BILLIE !! BILLIE!!!
A-W-E-S-O-M-E



Thank you for the lovely & informative presentation. Hmmm loose 15+ pounds per race??? where do I line up?

[Billie]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Mama_Bear; Dutchess; Aquamarine; The Mayor; DollyCali, and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maigrey...................cousin OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Diver Dave.......niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin.......niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon.............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law BeforeISleep...................son kimmie7......................brother Armymarinemom............3 sons american_ranger.............son LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.......................nephew Dubya............................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady.....................nephew Spruce.....................daughter Philman_36..............2 nephews bjcintennessee.......son, niece eaglesiniowa.....................son auboy.............................cousin Ladysmith..nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend Katydidnt..........................son MontanaCowgirlCop.......brother Colorado Slim................nephew Tapatio.........................2 nephews Alouette................................son Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................active duty LongCut..................active duty cjk..........................active duty Trish.......................active duty ODC-GIRL.................active duty AF_Blue..................active duty Notwithstanding.....active duty thumperusn.............active duty Q6-God.....................active duty Q6-God...................twin brother Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx..................active duty Old Sarge................active duty CGblue........................active duty bigghurtt ................active duty frankiep...................active duty

scubachick.........................husband ladtx................................2 sons Its_me_K.E.T...........................son gator girl.........................husband severa...............husband, brother Hostel.................................cousin MozartLover..............son, nephew LBGA........................................son katykelly................................son cookcounty............................son SpookBrat..............nephew, cousin Doug from Upland...........son-in-law Himyar....................................son boxerblues........................2 sons the piper....................................son sheeza................................husband kemathen7.........................husband Tiffee4Bob..........................boyfriend deadhead.............................cousin JimRobinson..................2 nephews TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Consort.......2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew dixie sass........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons homeschoolmama.................nephew kneezles.................................son Rose inRoseBear......cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy.........half-brother Atomic Conspiracy................nephew Atomic Conspiracy....................niece Sunflowergal.........................grandson visualops..............................cousin mrstank..............................husband MrsMike31........................husband spotbust1............................husband Leofl...........................................son chena............................................son campfollower............................fiance LUV W............................................son painter...................................nephew ProudAFDad...................................son TheMayor...........................friends'son mhking.....................................cousin Misty4jc................................husband Bykrbayb........................................son Hope and Glory.............................son ak_daddoo..................................nephew SilentServiceCPOWife...............husband Walkenfree.....2 grandsons, 3 nephews Walkenfree...................1 granddaughter ariamne...............................2 cousins Zechariah_8_13......brother-in-law, cousin DirtyHarryY2K............daughter, son-in-law nelibeli......................................nephew Skimask........................................son El Gato........................................nephew

[Billie]

Good morning, Darksheare! Are you a horseracing fan?

[Billie]

Om my gosh, Dubya! Really?! How neat! Thanks for the picture!

[Billie]

Good morning, Auntbee - nice seeing you here today. Got your hat already? :)

[Billie]

Good morning, Rus. Sorry to be late posting - I still had an hour and a half work on this opening this morning before I could post. Someday I may learn. :)

[Billie]

Hi, Gail, thanks for stopping in before leaving for the eye doctor.

[Billie]

Your hat is lovely, dahling. Perfect.

LOL! I feel so pretty in it. :)

[Billie]

So *that*'s Derby Pie! Egads, it sounds rich!

[Billie]

Thank you, Dolly - you always say the sweetest things and make all the time invested in these threads worthwhile! I know you're anxious to get started with your own originals!

It's funny, but I was toying with this theme last week, along with another that would be much quicker, but chose the Derby because I like horses, and I like horse racing, and we always watch the Kentucky Derby! Aquamarine must have been on the same wavelength, because she wrote me with an idea for today's post, and I'd already started gathering information for it! :)

Hmmm loose 15+ pounds per race??? where do I line up?

LOL!