Derby season isn't just for horse races. There are plenty of other races to watch, even with the flooded-out Great Steamboat Race rescheduled to June. Rodents, wait staffs with wine and beds with wheels all have their day, even schoolchildren galloping in parking lots throughout the mythic region known as Kentuckiana.
St. Anthony School in Clarksville, Indiana is no exception. Its annual Kinderderby card of seven races brought out proud parents (including your correspondent) and grandparents to witness the drama of kindergarten jockeys, their homemade stick horses, and their eighth grade trainers.
The fifth grade students sang the National Anthem to the anticipating crowd, which included the first graders whose hats and ties crafted in Art Class classed up "Millionaires Row."
Unfortunately, I could never find the mutuel window or the mint julep stand.
One may chuckle at the sight, but I assure you this is no laughing matter. In the first race of the card, one jockey was disqualified for bumping another. Several other jockeys were disqualified from later trips around the fast blacktop course for failing to gallop, including my son who finished his heat first after literally throwing a shoe.
The Kinderderby, itself, featured the winners of the prior six heats. Dot with Emily Davis aboard won the race for trainer Camille Reyes. Just C, ridden by Briley Nichols and trained by Jessica Clark, placed. Lana Dobson on Bunny, conditioned by Alexis Christor, showed.
I am still trying to cash my winners...
