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Niels Hoven

My Kentucky Derby experience

racehorse.jpgDerby Pie alone would have made this day worth it, but the fantastic day in the infield, the millionaire’s party, and the post-Derby VIP party were all quite memorable as well. Peyton Manning says I look like his sister’s boyfriend.

When you attend the derby, you can pay a ridiculous sum of money to sit safely in the grandstands, or you can pay the slightly less ridiculous sum of $40 to wallow in the frat party mudpit in the center of the track. I was in the infield, of course. Turn three, to be exact – frat party central (“turn three is the place to be!”). I had a mint julep, drank booze from ziplock bags (hide them in maxipads, no one looks there), saw several boobs, and even a horse or two. The experience was everything I had hoped for, and I even made $5 at the betting window.

Craig and swung by a party thrown by a very wealthy friend of his afterwards and then headed to the main strip of bars in Louisville, where covers ran up to $40 for Derby weekend. Craig talked us into the Makers Mark bar for free, following which I befriended a group of girls who got us into Saddle Ridge for free. We bounced between the two bars and the street until about 3 am (bars open until 6 am Derby weekend), when we found ourselves too exhausted to go on. But on our way out Craig recognized a girl he met last year who said she could get us past the $40 cover and dress code for Felt. And within an hour she upgraded us to the VIP party in the back where Peyton Manning told me I looked like his sister’s boyfriend.

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  • Alyson

    VIP for you two ANYTIME! We definitely had fun that night. I’d say the highlights were the “green” carpet, Peyton, playing pool in my office and you guys “stealing” my bag. Let me know when we can do it again!!