Street Sense storms to Kentucky triumph
Kentucky Derby contenders race down the front side during the running of the 133rd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday. Inset: Queen Elizabeth II looks on as "Street Sense" crosses the finish line to win. This is the first time ever the Queen has been to the Kentucky Derby. |
The queen, an avid horse enthusiast, got her first look at the historic track, a racing icon best known for its twin spires and hospitality on Derby Day when mint juleps flow and fancy hats are in fashion. The British monarch, on a six-day trip to the United States, was among 156,635 fans on hand on Saturday, the third-largest crowd in Derby history.
Arriving about 2 1/2 hours before the Derby, the queen took a keen interest in the race. From a vantage point overhead, she looked over the horses as they were they were being saddled.
"She took extremely close interest in the horses," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said, on customary condition of anonymity.
The queen later watched from a balcony as Street Sense came from next-to-last in the 20-horse field to win the Derby, the first leg of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown.
"Like every other racegoer, the queen was impressed by the excellent race," the palace spokesperson said.
Asked if the queen had made any wagers, the palace spokesman replied, "Not to the best of my knowledge."
Her presence even came up in the post-Derby news conference. Asked what it was like to win in front of royalty, jockey Calvin Borel joked, "It meant everything in the world."
The queen wore a fine wool coat of lime green, with a matching silk dress in a small floral print and a lime green hat with fuchsia trim. She was accompanied by Will Farish, a former ambassador to Britain, as she entered a private suite to applause.
Agencies
(China Daily 05/07/2007 page6)
