After days of rain, the wet stuff exited North Texas and dumped on Kentucky on Saturday, May 5. Now normally Kentucky’s weather woes wouldn’t bother North Texans a flip. But this Saturday was the Run for the Roses in Louisville and locals Lisa and Kenny Troutt had three ponies in the Kentucky Derby lineup.
Perhaps that fact plus the perfect, sunny day in North Texas had numerous Derby celebrations being held.
The Center for BrainHealth’s TAG-ers did a double play celebrating both the Derby and Cinco de Mayo at the Dallas Arboretum’s Camp House — Cinco de Derby to raise funds to support a cognitive training collaboration with the Dallas Police Department. To blend the two celebration, the scene was Derby dress and margaritas.
Luckily, Mother Nature cooperated because the crowd filled the Camp House’s backyard overlooking White Rock that provided the perfect backdrop for pictures.
When asked why Madeline Gabrielle, Claire Bauman and Sarah Ramras were there, TAG member Claire immediately responded, “To support the Center for BrainHealth. It’s a great organization. We’re trying to get everyone to think about brain health the same way they think about their teeth. You brush your teeth every day, but how often do you think about your brain?” She added that she had brought Madeline and Sarah along to consider joining the TAGs.
While the Joe Spano, Carlos Zarazua and Greg Gaught played ladder ball and Andrew Lupalovsky, Taylor Maduro, Sam McKenzie and Bessie Rose Woltz eyed the nearby jenga, the majority of the guests socialized in the long lines for beverages.
Some like Richard Meister were old hands at the track; others just wanted a reason to look adorable, cheer and party.
Looking quite dapper in his St. Patrick’s green jacket with a natty pocket square and windowpane trousers, Kenneth Barton said that this was his second TAG event. The first one was the happy hour “talking about this event.” The attraction to coming to day’s event was “Kentucky Derby, beautiful venue, open bar — easy sale.” When asked about the two drinks in his hands, he smiled saying, “One is vital to life and the other just makes life better.”
As the start time for the race near, some decided that the cooler confines of the Camp House’s air-conditioned living room with its huge screen TV were more agreeable that the outdoor setup.
While the horses paraded along the muddy track to the starting gate, the announcer’s presentation of the lineup was drowned out by the room full of chatter.
One fellow evidently felt right at home placing his beverage glasses on the Steinway piano. At one point someone pointed out that the placement of an icy, wet glass on a wood top was a Romper Room “No! No!” He was later seen setting the glass on the floor underneath the piano.
And speaking of the piano, Ryan Jones took his place at the ivories and played Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Pretty soon the sound of Billy Joel wannabes was heard filling the room, as the ponies continued their march in the mud.
Ryan then played “Your Song.” But as the horses and their jockeys entered the starting gates, one young bowtied chap, who had his money on what he hoped would be a dark horse entry, passed the word to silence the piano playing as his date fetched him a drink.
The moment the gates opened and the horses were off, the living room exploded with cheers. As the horses approached the finish line, it was obvious that the bowtied fellow’s horse hadn’t done so well, as he howled something that rhymes with “Bucket, bucket, bucket!”
No sooner had the final horse crossed the finish line than the SRO living room was vacated with the crowd returning to the bar line up or to check the silent auction or each other.
For more looks at the TAG Derby darlings, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.