Smallish Kentucky Derby Party Features Craig’s Mint Juleps

We’re having a small gathering here tomorrow for the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby. I’ve prepared a few Kentucky-oriented dishes and drinks for the proceedings, including my inimitable recipe for the Mint Julep.

My wife and I bred Thoroughbreds for a couple of decades. We hoped each one of our babies, of which we put a couple of hundred on the ground over that period of time, would make its way to the Derby. None got anywhere near that far, but our friends and we had some fun while it lasted.

I’ll predict right now that Union Rags will win tomorrow. The breeder sold the horse, but then strangely began to have dreams that it would grow up to be a champion, and so she bought him back. That’s a story I like.

Of course, the story of the horse racing industry overall is one that no one can like. It’s seen its heyday, like so many others of the last few decades. A few years ago I wrote this essay presenting my analysis of the failure of horse racing, which I offer here for anyone who may be interested.