When Pockets heard it was Kentucky Derby Day this past Saturday, she went ponkers. Only a ponkey can go ponkers.
You should have heard her.
“OH MY GWAD! I MUST GO! NOWNOWNOW! IT’S KENTUCKY DUHBY DAY!!!! I WANNA WEAH A HAT! I WANNA DWINK A MINT JOOWUP! I WANNA BE A WACEHOSS!!”
It was a gorgeous, breezy, spring Saturday on the funny farm. We were all laughing hard, trying to imagine ‘Pockets the racehorse’. Elizabeth was here at her home-away-from-home to work and play with her Pips. My neighbor Suzanne, had also come over for a weekend visit. She loves to walk the Pips and is now officially ‘Mama S’. She sure earned it on Saturday.
When Pockets expressed her great Derby destination desires, we tried to explain how long a trailer ride it would be to Louisville, Kentucky.
I said, “Remember that four hour round trip trailer ride to the vet the other day? Well sextuple that.”
Pockets said, “I HATE IT WHEN YOU TALK DUHTY!”
Oh never mind.
We agreed we’d have our own Kentucky Derby Day right here on the farm. That pawky ponkey knows how to cast a spell! I love this new word I learned…
pawk·y
(pô′kē) adj. pawk·i·er, pawk·i·est Chiefly British. Sly and cunning, often in a humorous manner (see the pawky ponkey make her mamas swoon)
I photographed the Kentucky Derby three years in a row, back in the 90’s. I was with a group of photographers shooting for the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. Usually I was assigned a spot on the track near the starting gate, which meant I’d shoot the very start of the race and then the last turn before the final stretch to the finish line. It was a thrilling event to photograph, although you sure didn’t want to blow it.
The most fun of course, was spending the entire day at Churchill Downs with access to almost anywhere.
…but Pockets much preferred the striking ‘one ear out’ look…
“I WANNA MINT JOOWUP!”
Elizabeth tried to get her mind on other things. “Howzabout a carrot?”
“NO CARROT! I WANNA MINT JOOWEP!!”
Things got on the verge of ugly when Mama E ‘borrowed’ her hat and shades…
After that, Pockets went off on her own in search of a mint julep…
I swear we did not give that ponkey a mint julep…although it may appear as such…
“WEAD MY EAW…ONE MINT JOOWUP PWEESE!!!!”
Well at least pull up your socks and put your bonnet on straight!
“MINT JOOWUP NOW!”
Straighten up you PAWKY PONKEY! Let’s go to the races!
‘IS DIS DA STAHTING GATE?” (BIG snort)
“OK OK…I’M WEADY TO BE A WACEHOSS!”
Elizabeth had been training Pockets to follow the carrot stick…
Sometimes the races get off to a slow start…
…and the trainer gets more of a workout…
Go Elizabeth! Git along Lil Ponkey!!!!
Pockets was curious. She was just warming up. “WAT WONG WIF YOU?”
Suzanne to the rescue…that girl is an athlete!!!
Hither and yon they ran…at least as ‘yon’ as you can get in a round pen…
Pockets had long since tossed the hat…then the socks…then the shades. Meanwhile Mama S put on her Derby hat. It’s a Run for the Carrots!
GO POCKETS!
GO!!!!
RACE OVER!!! POCKETS CAUGHT THE CARROT STICK! WOOT!
It had been a marvelous Derby Day. Everyone was exhausted. Or so we thought.
“PWEESE CAN I HAVE A MINT JOOWUP?”