06/06/2026
I will forever by thankful to Kurtis Coady for inviting me to part of his Derby team of photographers. There are some amazing people out there for the entire week and especially on Oaks and Derby Day. And others who are trackside all year, traveling the country.
Some people may not realize that there are multiple days of racing during Derby week (and afterwards) with multiple races each day. The Oaks and the Derby get most of the attention of course, but the undercard races are also important in the thoroughbred racing community.
The turf races are some of my favorites. The dirt track is below me, so I stand about 2.5 feet above the actual track. But during the turf races, I am on the same level of ground as the racers albeit on a step stool. When the horses fly by I am able to feel their power come up from the ground and through my feet and rise inside of me. It is akin to a drumbeat echoing in my chest.
This year's Old Forester Turf Classic did not disappoint. The temperature was in the 50s. The sky was that bright color of blue that is indicative of cold temps aloft. Cotton ball clouds slowly made their way across the sky as if they wanted to view this incredible event. I was layered up in a sweater and hoodie, and my Coady cap ready to experience the thunder that only a horse on turf can create.
Equine athlete "Rhetorical" swept passed me as jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. pointed in victory toward the stands. I am sure the crowd roared, but all I heard was hoofbeats resounding in my ears. I swear the meter of his footfalls on the grass altered the rhythm of my own heart like an earthquake can change the course of a river.
As a woman of a certain age and experience, I can tell you without uncertainty, that time around horses, whether they be those who race or herd cattle or pull a carriage or are your best backyard buddy, will change your life. They are transformative. If you are lucky enough to spend any amount of time with them, my wish is that you allow them to enter your heart. lt will invigorate you.
I will never tire of days such as these.
