Classic, a very good read. I would never have thought the Kentucky Derby was such a crazy time. I thought it was people sipping Mint Julups watching the race. Seems the race is just a minor distraction to the real action.
It's an 8 hour day with about 10 minutes of racing. Lots of different experiences to be had. The big party is in the infield. The people in the stands might sit and drink mint julips, but theres still lots going on, the biggest is usually watching the horses get ready at the paddock.
It used to be getting in the gate would get you access to the entire grounds, except the private suites. So you could pay for the infield and go sit in seats in the stands no one was using, and people with paid seats could still join the fun in the infield (there's tunnels under the track). This was the first year they blocked access between the stands and the infield (access was limited to those with seats in a corporate tent). I didn't go this year, but I imagine it changed the atmosphere quite a bit. It's also getting more expensive, just for the infield, drawing a different crowd. Things really changed after 9/11 when Chirchill Downs experimented with how much they could limit people bringing in. That didn't really have an effect on what alcohol got past security, but made it a lot harder to bring in snacks, etc. So you had to buy their food, making it for a more expensive day and discuraging some people from coming. And they've been slowly making it more and more expensive every year. Today, you can't even bring a good camera in without a special permit. It's really changed the environment from a cheap, fun day to someplace you go to spend a lot of money.
They list "Live and historical wagering" as a line item-- comingling revenue to hide that parimutuel wagering continues to tank/shift towards their preferred/higher margin gaming business. Appendix of their 10-K shows $66MM revenue for all live/simulcast racing in 2022, vs $375MM for historical racing and $755MM for gaming.
If they don't get slot approval from the state legislatures, they just sell the property to be redeveloped, like Hollywood/Arlington/Calder.
[1] https://www.kentuckyderby.com/blog/style/the-kentucky-derby-...
Its sometimes kind of remarkable with a general admission ticket it can be hard to find a vantage point to watch the race.
It's a great drink.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mint-julep-r...
http://www.thebucknerhome.com/julep/recipe.html
(No peaches here either)
The "ice" as fine as snow is particularly difficult. You'll want a triple-stitched bag, one that can take heavy pounding. You will also want dry ice. First, because it makes the water ice more brittle, and the second because it keeps your snow crisp, rather than dissolving into a slush. I suspect that there is a machine better suited to the task but I've not gone that far.
The mint is more subtle than suspected. Many "muddle" the mint, which is to say crush it with a muddler. This does release the mint oils, but it also releases the more vegetable tastes, particularly the chlorophyll, which alters the flavor profile. No, what is better is to slap the mint across the palm of your hand. This, apparently opens the pores of the mint leaves and allows the oils out while keeping the rest in. I also "round" the mint flavor by adding both spearmint and wintergreen.
My other changes are perhaps a little archaic, personal, even radical, but the first two ought ought to improve any julep.
Liqueurs can also be fairly approximated as "sugar and a little water" with flavoring. So, not all that different.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mint_julep - Mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, consisting primarily of bourbon, sugar, water, crushed or shaved ice, and fresh mint.
...
> No water
The crushed ice melts and dilutes the drink, as is the case in nearly all cocktails.
I've been to a bunch of events, including the Indy 500, Times Square for NYE, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and by far people were more sloppy drunk at the Kentucky Derby.
0: https://www.thehayeslawoffice.com/blog/2020/02/indianas-sund...
1: https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/pla...