Bourbon/Whiskey IV

Seemed appropriate to post this postcard from Labrot & Graham Distillery as an add-on to the bourbon series, especially immediately on the heels of a Churchill Downs posting, as, according to my mom "If you want to impress your friends at a Derby party, serve Woodford Reserve Bourbon from this plant."

Horse Racing Venues - IV

A month ago, I posted a short series on racetracks, including one in which I wrote about Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.  This is such a better postcard shot, I decided to add it to the series.

Horse Racing Venues - III

If not an entire postcard, the above is at least a half a postcard of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, and among the most famous horse racing tracks in the US, if not the entire horse racing world.  It is also known for being the first race course to host a Rolling Stones concert in 2006.

This short series on race tracks led me to wonder about horse racing elsewhere in the world.  Turns out thoroughbred breeding started in England, and expanded to France, the US, Argentina, and much later, Japan.   There are race tracks (frequently called "hippodromos" in non-English speaking countries) in at least 44 countries.  (For a complete list, see here.)  Given the specialist postcard collections I've stumbled across, I don't doubt that somewhere there is a deltiologist specializing in race courses worldwide.

P.S.  It's Postcard Friendship Friday.  The big question is, how did we get to another Friday so fast?

Horse Racing Venues - A Short Series

A shout out to my client, Michelle, who recently returned from a visit to her family, and brought me back a couple of postcards, including one of the Saratoga Race Course.  It inspired me to indulge in a "race track" series, although it might be a pretty short series.

Saratoga is the oldest sporting venue in the USA, opening in its current location in 1864.  Its most well-known race is the Travers Stakes which is the oldest thoroughbred race in the country.  Saratoga's nicknames provide a glimpse into its history:  "The Spa" and "The Graveyard of Favorites".  The Spa refers to the nearby hot springs.  There's actually a mineral springs located in the picnic grounds which produces potable water.  "The Graveyard of Favorites" is a reminder of significant  upsets that occurred here: "Man o' War suffered his only defeat in 21 starts while racing at Saratoga; Secretariat was defeated ... by Onion after winning the Triple Crown; and Gallant Fox was beaten by 100-1 longshot Jim Dandy in the 1930 Travers Stakes."

Note:  I don't think I have a postcard from Churchill Downs (Kentucky Derby) in my collection - I  have to check.  However, I have already posted one with the recipe for a Mint Julep, the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, here.