May 4, 2025 • 31 mins
In this episode Hess and Delbert discuss the Kentucky Derby, and what it means to Kentucky. They talk about how the Derby represents what is great about Kentucky and it represents what can be the best about our country. People from all walks of life and backgrounds come together to celebrate. Louisville works hard to welcome people from the world. Delbert and Hess reminisce about funny times in their past attending the Derby. Horse Racing is a teamwork that makes success, like all things in life, it is about connection and that is the most important thing.
Update on my friend José and his cancer treatments. After the first rounds of chemo, after new scans--the good news is that the tumor in the colon has shrunk, but they have increased in his liver. His oncologist has increasd the power of the chemo to help irradicate it elsewhere. Thank you so much for your support to Jose!
https://gofund.me/e6f61999
In addition to being a podcast host, Hess is also an LCSW--if you'd like to learn more about her work as a therapist, check it out at www.jessicabollinger.com
One of her mission's is for all of our lights to shine--when we see each other and allow ourself to be seen--and we can say to the person in front of us, There You Are! the world will be an amazing place!
Delbert is a realtor in Louisville, KY, and you can find her at Kentucky Select Properties
Her philanthropic work to continue her sister Carole and niece Meghan is Carole's Kitchen. Blessings in a Backpack helps feed the many hungry students in our schools. The instagram account is: https://www.instagram.com/caroleskitchen.nonprofit?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Hess (00:01):
Hey everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning inand listening to our podcast.
Let me tell you this about that.
is Hess.
Delbert (00:12):
Good morning.
It's me, Delbert live from thegreen couch looking out my big
window, and it is the day afterthe Kentucky Derby.
Wow.
What a race.
What a day.
Hess (00:27):
It was wonderful.
So it's kinda it's kinda likethat day after where you say, I
should, I wish.
I would've bet.
But if wishes were horses,beggars would ride.
Delbert (00:37):
I did bet on Owen because of the connection that
you had with Owen Almighty.
I bet on him across the board.
Of course, he came in fifth.
Hess (00:47):
And fifth was not bad.
In a field of
Delbert (00:49):
Whoa.
I thought I was so proud of him.
I didn't even mind losing that$2across the board bet.
And I bet on all secretariatsdescendants too in some kind of
order.
But I must have bet journalismto across the board too.
'cause I won$5 on the, on myTwins Fires app.
I had$5 more when I woke up thismorning.
Hess (01:10):
Yeah, because journalism came in second.
Delbert (01:13):
Sovereignty, wow.
Another beautiful story that Ididn't know anything about until
they came across the finish lineand that Sweet Jockey Jr.
Raises his hands up to heaven.
Wow.
What a beautiful moment.
And he's kissing the horse andthey're just.
Covered in mud, and I keptthinking, I hope the mud doesn't
get in that horse's eyes.
(01:33):
But it didn't.
He had these big, beautiful eyeswith these big, long eyelashes
and he did get a bath before hegot his bundle of roses.
Hess (01:41):
His roses.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They have a big five gallonbucket of water and the grooms
will get'em washed off.
And there was even somebody thatI saw a veterinarian on their
back was hosing them
Delbert (01:53):
I saw that.
I saw him hosing him off.
He's that feels good.
All.
Hess (01:58):
And a lot of you probably know this, but some of you might
not.
So I'm gonna say the jockey willhave about five or six goggles
on the, their helmet, right overtheir brim, and they will.
They will excuse me.
They put on all these goggles,right?
They have'em all on before theystart the race.
(02:20):
They pull the goggles down overtheir eyes, and as they can't
see, they reach their hand upand they pull the top goggle
down.
They pull the top goggle downoff their eyes,
Delbert (02:31):
Whoa.
That'd be fun to see how many hewent through.
Hess (02:34):
Right now, and you're making a point like, the horse
doing?
Because they're not wearinggoggles, are they squinting with
all this mud going up in theirface?
Delbert (02:43):
He didn't have any, he had a lot on his snout, but he
didn't have any around his eyes.
Maybe his big beautiful ears andhis big beautiful eyelids and
eyelid.
I noticed that he had real.
Beautiful big eyelashes becauseI was staring at his face to
make sure he didn't have mud inhis eyes, and he didn't.
So I don't know.
(03:04):
That's one.
That's one.
Sometimes they put the little,blinkers on'em if they're too
social,
Hess (03:09):
yeah.
There's all different kinds ofreasons for the blinkers,
Delbert, where they might shysomething or from
Delbert (03:15):
Yeah.
Hess (03:15):
they can still see really well but something might not
scare'em from the side.
That might help'em focus more.
And some might even have what'scalled a shadow roll cavason and
across their nose.
And that might help'em also notshy about something that might
be close to them or upunderneath them.
Delbert (03:39):
Tess.
You're always teaching.
You are a teacher in your heart.
You really are.
Hess (03:44):
You don't know what you don't know, and I'm still
learning.
Delbert.
I was helping in the barn thismorning'cause we have somebody
new, really cool guy thatstarted with us for on Sundays.
'cause our Jose is fightingcancer and I've got a link down
below on our podcast to GoFundMefor Jose for his stage four
colon cancer.
(04:06):
Anyway Jardiel wonderful, andwhen we were leading the two
horses up from the paddock, abig fox ran out of our little
hay shed that's at the end ofthe barn.
It was just magnificent to seethat.
Delbert (04:18):
I told Hess, I said, oh man, you are gonna have good
luck today.
A Fox's good luck.
And they're so sweet too.
Really they're so beautiful.
Hess (04:29):
Tell us what you know about sovereignty.
You
Delbert (04:32):
Oh, shoot.
I don't know.
I really just loved the jockey.
I just loved the way that he wasjust so sweet and kissed his
horse and pointed up to heavenand was talking to his mama on
the phone.
But let me tell you this aboutthat, and then a lot more about
sovereignty than I do.
This is what I, this is myfeeling about the Kentucky
(04:52):
Derby.
'cause my heart just goes pitterpatter all week, so it's the
eyes of the world are onLouisville, and we just work in
this beautiful chaos together tomake'em feel welcome.
Every louisvillian, their desireis for people everywhere from
(05:14):
all over the world to feelwelcome and have the best
experience they can.
And when you look.
At the TV and see all of thosepeople dressed all different
ways.
I was telling my grandkids, Isaid, the Darling Society.
I said, if the world could justbe like the Kentucky Derby, I.
(05:35):
It would be awesome becausethere's no wrong way to dress.
Everybody expresses themselvesin all these beautiful colors,
these fantastic hats that theymake.
And you could see a guy with twofeet of a twin spires with
horses going around it, as a hatwith a pair of overalls on, and
then look over and some womandressed to the nines, but, and
(05:57):
so there's no wrong way.
Everybody celebrates andexpresses themselves in their
own way.
And so I just love that aboutthe city of Louisville.
And I was saying to mygrandkids, I said, there's a
quote from Jesse Stuart thatsays if the United States was a
body, Kentucky would be theheart.
(06:18):
And they said, oh no darling.
It's so beautiful here.
It's so sensory.
Kentucky has to be the eyes.
Hess (06:27):
Wow.
Delbert (06:28):
So that's what I know.
That's how I feel, like we saidlast week mayor Farsley a long
time ago, really worked topromote the Derby.
Whenever he would travelsomewhere, he would have him
play my old Kentucky home whenhe was in any restaurant or bar.
And, he planned it for thisfirst day in May.
'cause before it rotated arounda little bit.
(06:50):
And he wanted it to have a setday, first Saturday in May
because everything's in bloom.
And it's just so beautiful here.
It really is a feast for youreyes.
Last night I, the other night Iwas walking home from an Oaks
party and the sky was literallypale, lavender or lilac, and the
smell of lilac was in the air.
(07:12):
It is just.
Just extraordinary.
Hess (07:15):
Everybody.
Dresses in bright, there's a lotof bright colors you can wear
anything.
And a lot of people are just alldressed up.
And the derby hats are the I sawthis one picture where this gal
with the derby hat, or they weretalking about their outfits and
her hat was like$150 in herdress was like$40.
The hats.
(07:35):
The hats are just cool and fun.
And there's articles with justpictures of hats.
one of my theories about thehats Delbert sometimes that a
lot of the hats are just reallyhuge.
That even though there might be150,000 people there at the
Derby, and it's pretty crowdedthat the hat, having a big old
hat on gives you that spacewhere it helps you.
(07:57):
It helps give you a little bitmore square footage
Delbert (08:01):
It does.
It does.
And it keeps the sun off or therain off a little bit and it
does.
It sets up like a little bit ofa boundary for you, for sure.
For sure.
Hess (08:12):
And then some hats are just a big flower that's just
Delbert (08:15):
Yes, the fascinator, it's like a headband with a big
flower or decorator andeverybody just gets so creative
and a lot of people make theirown, it's just so fun.
All the excitement leading up toit.
So today's like our day afterChristmas, or a really big
holiday here in Louisville.
We're tired.
(08:35):
Yeah.
But we're.
Hess (08:37):
like Boxing Day in England after Christmas, day after
Christmas is Boxing Day.
Yeah.
Or you can wear just a clear,you a lot of clear ponchos you
put on over your outfit And wewere about 10,000 short, about
146-147 thousand at this year'sderby.
Last year was a big derby.
It was the hundred 50th.
Last year was 157,000.
(09:00):
So just about 10,000 less with alot of downpours, heavy
downpours.
Delbert (09:05):
right,
Hess (09:06):
but it doesn't matter.
It
Delbert (09:07):
No,
Hess (09:08):
You just wear clear poncho
Delbert (09:09):
there are a lot of people with a clear poncho on
and they still had their hat on.
They were dancing in the rain.
I just love that.
It just beautiful, the spirit ofit all.
It's hard to explain.
Irvine.
S Cobb said, until you've goneto Kentucky and behold with your
own eyes, the derby, you ain'tnever been nowhere and you ain't
(09:32):
seen nothing.
Hess (09:35):
I love
Delbert (09:36):
He's a writer from Paducah, Kentucky, and I'm gonna
get some of his books.
I saw that quote and then Ilooked up what he had written
and it's a lot about laughterand living your life.
Exit.
Laughing.
It's one of his I'm gonna read,I'm gonna read, that's a new
goal of mine.
I'm gonna take it to the beachwith us Hess
Hess (09:54):
Good deal.
You can give me some more quotesfrom'em.
Yeah.
So it's just a fantastic day andit's like we've said it's two
minutes.
Secretariat has the all timeworld record for.
Oh gosh, 50 years of a littleshy of two minutes, maybe 1 59
(10:14):
or something.
It was run yesterday and about 20 2, and it was a pretty fast
pace because
Delbert (10:20):
Yes.
Hess (10:20):
to dig into that mud.
We'd gotten over an inch of rainand they had to get their wheels
going on the mud.
Delbert (10:26):
Yeah, it was a fast race considering the track
conditions.
So Hess and I are just always soproud of the derby because it's
our hometown, first of all.
And then I tell you all the timethat my mamo and papa lived down
by Churchill Downs.
So as a child I used to walkthere with my great-grandmother.
I used to walk to the track, thechurch where my parents got
(10:48):
married and where I went to massa lot with my grandmother is
holy name.
And it's, if you're at thetrack, you just look left and
there's that beautiful.
Beautiful brick porcelain churchwith the terracotta roof.
That's where my family's lot ofour religious history is.
So I just, when I'm there I justfeel so much of my ancestors and
(11:12):
it's just it's almost aspiritual experience for me to
be there.
Hess (11:18):
Yeah.
And Delbert growing up.
So we we just, I just turned 67.
Delbert turned 67 in January.
We've known each other since thefirst grade.
Went to grade school and highschool together.
That's why we're together nowdoing this.
And so we were in high schoolwhen they were about to run the
hundredth derby,
Delbert (11:39):
Right.
Hess (11:40):
and that was gonna be a big, huge deal.
And we've talked about my cousinDewey that brought Delbert and I
together.
'cause Dewey told Delbert on thefirst grade on the first day of
kindergarten.
Hey, you're late.
You're, you haven't been herefor five days.
We're on the letter E and theword is the picture's.
Elephant, E for elephant.
(12:02):
Anyway, Dewey Delbert, this is aDewey story is so it was gonna
be, it was gonna be the 99thDerby we're like freshman or
sophomores or something, andDewey says I want the first
derby that I go to be thehundredth, I really wanna go to
this year's derby, so I'm gonnago, but I'm gonna pretend I
(12:23):
didn't go
Delbert (12:26):
And she did.
And she did.
Hess (12:28):
right.
Delbert (12:29):
And my dad would not let me go to the infield because
he worked for Todd Hollenback,he was our county judge.
And I.
And he was on the police meritboard.
So he just knew all thesestories of what happened in the
infield back then.
We had streakers climb up theflagpole and, but, so he's no,
not my oldest daughter.
(12:50):
You're not going to the infield.
So he bought for the hundredth,he bought me and three of my
friends a box for the hundredth,and we went in police cars.
Right behind my dad and hisfriends.
We had three police cars.
Two of them were packed with hisfriends and me and my friends
are in the police cruiser.
(13:12):
And we've got bottles of Bacardistrapped inside of our big bell
bottoms.
Riding,
Hess (13:19):
your
Delbert (13:19):
flying, yeah.
Flying down the expressway inthis police car with a siren on
it.
Hess (13:25):
Oh my gosh.
Delbert (13:26):
So that was my first derby, was the hundredth.
And it was Dewey's also'causeshe forgot about the 99th.
Hess (13:33):
What what two friends did you take with you?
Delbert (13:36):
So it was Karen Barnett and we called her Barney.
There were so many Karens in ourclass.
All of them had nicknames.
And then Teri Raidt, her cousin,and Molly Bergner.
Do you remember Molly?
Hess (13:47):
Oh, yeah.
Redheaded
Delbert (13:49):
I love Molly.
And, my dad would come downevery so often and say, you
girls need a Coke?
And that's what we weredrinking, Bacardi and Coke.
We'd say, yes, please.
We were being so good.
But anyway, that was my firstderby and that was just a
wonderful experience.
I do prefer a seat over theinfield.
I did get to finally go to theinfield later when I was in
(14:09):
college and,
Hess (14:10):
right.
Delbert (14:11):
A lot of chicken fights in the mud when it rains there.
A lot of they do the blanketslike a trampoline and throw
people up in the blanket.
Yeah.
But there's Hess wouldn't drinkanything when she was in the
infield because there thebathroom lines were so long.
And I'm like, Hess, why didn'tyou ask me?
I just go in the men's room,they're in and out.
Hess (14:31):
I felt like I'd seen things like I'd never seen
before.
Delbert (14:36):
You felt
Hess (14:36):
a, yeah.
Delbert (14:37):
like Bob?
Yeah.
Hess (14:38):
Yeah.
And to me and the way that Isaid it back then,'cause the
Vietnam War was going on, Isaid, I feel like I've been to
Vietnam.
I've seen things I thought I'dnever seen before.
Delbert (14:49):
You were traumatized.
Hess (14:51):
And you, and in that infield, it was a huge pack.
Now it's not so much now becausethey have other things in So
much now, but it was like$10 togo to the infield and now it's
$110 to get in the in field.
Delbert (15:04):
And you'd walk through that tunnel with your wagon,
with your booze, like underneatha watermelon or something, or
you'd soak a watermelon.
Hess (15:11):
Right.
Delbert (15:12):
I.
And I, okay, so here's anotherfunny infield story.
I was at Nonie's House the othernight, and that's when I walked
home with that Lilac sky and shereminded me of a time that these
Trinity guys that we knew hadone of their friends, they put
him in a wheelchair with ablanket over him, and he had a
pony keg in between his legs.
Hess (15:33):
Oh my gosh.
Delbert (15:34):
Now that is ingenious.
Hess (15:37):
they didn't catch
Delbert (15:37):
No Uhuh.
So I had forgotten about thatand we were trying to remember
which friend it was that did it.
So any pods out there listeningfrom Louisville, let us know.
If you remember that it was inthe 1970s and you'd walk through
that tunnel, that big longtunnel to get to the infield and
everybody'd sing and yeah, sosuper fun.
Hess (16:00):
Yeah.
And I didn't wanna drink anyfluids'cause the lines to the
bathrooms were so long.
It's crazy.
And so I went once in collegebecause somebody I met in
college had never been, and Ithought, okay, I'll take you to
the Derby infield, but it's.
It's wild.
So I'm, that's the only twotimes I've been to the Derby.
I don't really do crowds, butDelbert, I just ate it up
(16:24):
yesterday at watching it on TVand watching all the stories,
and I would then have mycomputer and then I'd research
the stories and stuff.
And it was just it was just, Ijust really eat it up.
There's such good.
There's such good stories and Iguess it's kinda like watching
the Olympics where everybody'sgiven the background
Delbert (16:45):
Yes and for every horse, it seems like there's
almost a hundred.
Just beautiful, fantasticstories.
What did you, I know youresearched sovereignty.
What, what did, what do you knowabout.
Hess (16:58):
It's the first win by Ga Dolphin Farms.
I.
And that he was, he's a homebread the trainer, 71 years old.
And it's his first real winbecause he won back in 2019 with
Country House There was adisqualification of maximum
security'cause he didn't passsome kind of drug test at the
(17:20):
end.
So
Delbert (17:22):
Who was that?
Mott was the trainer.
Hess (17:25):
The story was the citizen bull horse the jockey of that
horse had a really cool story.
He came over and immigrated fromMexico in, and he started
working for a deli in SouthernCalifornia.
And one of his great childhoodmemories was a horse that his
(17:46):
grandfather had given him thathe rode.
the woman that owned this delinamed Terry, TERI, Terry she had
like dressage horses and sherode, so she took him with her.
She took him to the barn whereshe had her horses and he would
ride around and love the horses.
(18:06):
So she connected him to become arider, start working with
somebody to exercise horses.
so that was a really cool storybecause she loved this guy so
much and she helped to get himstarted as a jockey, and he did
really well.
And she just passed away acouple week, a couple months ago
(18:28):
from cancer and that was justreally hard on this jockey
because he loved her so much.
And just, that's so cool.
And another the horse that wonthe Kentucky Oaks, the trainer
of it.
When somebody says, what's thislike for you?
He goes, oh, it's just a team.
I'm thinking about the people atthe track that are feeding the
(18:50):
horses right now, or the peopleat the training center, they're
feeding.
And I couldn't bring them here.
That it's this whole web ofpeople that help.
Make this happen.
The hot walkers that walk thehorse after they've exercised
the grooms, the groom, thehorses the exercise riders, the
jockeys, the trainers.
(19:11):
There's just so much of a teamof people.
Delbert (19:15):
It is, it's so beautiful.
It's so much about humanity andour connection to the earth and
the care.
I love how much all the jockeysand the grooms and the walkers
and the trainers and everybodythat's on the backside love
these animals and adore them.
And I was telling Hess one of myfavorite places to be when the
(19:39):
weather's nice ist just rightout on the rail.
To just be close to all thatenergy, the energy of that
working.
Team of the jockey and the horseand the athleticism and the
sportsmanship is just a sight tobeholden.
When you're close to it.
You just see how much they loveto run and their muscles and
(20:00):
their determination and I getlike such a rush of energy.
I don't even have to bet on'em.
I just like to go down close andwatch'em run.
It's just a thrill.
It really is just a thrill.
I told Hess yesterday, I can'tremember if I told you this or
The Darling Society, but theysaid, darling, that's the
funniest story.
You gotta tell it on yourpodcast.
(20:22):
So I.
I went to the track when therbywas first a thing.
Oh, and by the way, kids haveschool on Thursday, which in
Kentucky, in Louisville, thatday of Derby week is Therby.
And so they have it that day andthey have a little parade.
They build all these littlefloats with shoe boxes and
tissue paper, and they makehats, and they paraded through
(20:45):
the school.
My youngest went to St.
James and they used to walk downto the little park that was
right down the street and paradethrough the park and, anyway
they, but they don't have schoolon Oaks Day, so Friday's kind of
a holiday in Louisville, sonobody has school.
But I went to Therby one yearwhen it was like maybe 2015 when
it was first becoming a thingand popular.
(21:06):
And I went with a friend ofmine, Becky b Leal, that was a
lender, and I used her all thetime.
We were like a really good.
Girl team, she did the financeand I found the house and went
with her and a bunch of herfriends, and they had this
friend that was just really goodat connecting with people and
finding things.
And so they tell me this story,like he's always in the know.
(21:26):
He always, so he comes up andwe're sitting there watching the
next race and he says, Hey, Ijust met this nicest group of
people.
They're having a little partyand their champagne and fingers
sandwiches, anybody hungry?
And I'm like, I could go for afinger sandwich and some
champagne.
So I go down there with him andwe're just having a little
fingers, food and drink achampagne and this lovely little
(21:47):
setup.
And all of a sudden somebodycomes in the room and says,
everybody get to the box.
The race is starting.
And I'm like.
Scooby Doo.
I'm like, I've got a half asandwich in my mouth and I'm
like, us, point.
And they're like, yes, come on,let's go.
So we go with'em, we run up tothe box and we get to the box
and the race starts and theystart going crazy, and so we're
(22:09):
cheering with them.
We're like, okay, yeah, we don'tknow what's going on, but yay,
this is great.
So then they go the horses comeacross the finish line and they
just erupt.
Their horse wins.
So we're like in a owner's boxwith everybody that's involved
with the horse.
And there's so many people, theyhave no idea who we are.
They're like everybody to thewinner's circle.
I felt like Kramer when he wentto the Tony's on Seinfeld.
(22:33):
And so we're like us and they'relike, yeah, everybody, let's go.
So our friends see us on theJumbotron Circle.
We have.
Hess (22:42):
Is funny
Delbert (22:43):
only been in the winner circle twice, but that was like,
and you know what the thing isnobody cared.
They're like, yes, come on, youwere with us.
Let's go.
So I love that comradery.
You witnessed it, you're here,you just came for a sandwich,
but you got to witness the wholething.
So anyway that's just what's sobeautiful and I think in general
what you love about the horsecommunity.
(23:05):
Exactly.
Hess (23:07):
it's the people, and that's what it's about.
Delbert (23:11):
Andy did such a great job presenting the trophy and
promoting Kentucky.
This week, as always, I.
Hess (23:20):
he sure
Delbert (23:21):
We love our governor.
He does a podcast as well.
He's awesome.
Listen to him.
It's very uplifting, it's verypositive, and it's the reason
that Hess and I started ourpodcast just to lift people up,
make you smile, give yousomething to think about and go
about your week with yourspirits lifted.
Hess (23:42):
So thanks so much for listening today.
If you didn't know anythingabout the Derby, maybe you know
a little bit more now.
It's just something that we'reso proud of.
And this is Derby weekend.
The first weekend in May,Delbert, this is funny.
About 15 years ago, I had to godo a training in San Antonio
(24:03):
first weekend in May.
And I'm like, that's Derbyweekend.
You just call it Derby weekend'cause it's the first weekend in
May.
It's just something that wechronicle things by
Delbert (24:13):
Right.
Hess (24:14):
I'm at this, I'm at this training and I'm like, my
brain's thinking about thederby.
And I said, okay y'all, it'sSaturday at five 30 today we
gotta take a break and go to thelobby and watch the race.
Delbert (24:27):
Did they let you do it?
Hess (24:30):
Oh yeah.
Every, everybody that attendedthat workshop knew about the
derby after that weekend.
Delbert (24:36):
There you go.
Hess (24:36):
It's when we plant our tomatoes, plant the tomatoes
till the week after the derby.
It's a point in time.
Delbert (24:43):
It's our benchmark.
Exactly.
And how you chronicle your time.
What derby was that When we didda, we love our state.
We encourage people to come toKentucky and see all its beauty.
We have so many beauty beautifulrivers and lakes and parks and
of course, experience ChurchillDowns and.
(25:04):
Go to Lexington.
See some of the beautiful farmsthere that stretch between
Louisville and Lexington.
I never mind coming to Lexington'cause it's such a beautiful
drive.
Drive over the Kentucky Riverand pass through some of that
farm country with that bluegrass.
Hess (25:21):
Yep.
We're lucky'cause we're fromKentucky.
Delbert (25:23):
Lucky in Kentucky.
Hess (25:25):
Yeah.
So whether you had a winner ornot yesterday, whatever your day
is, and it's still rainy ordreary just, what can you do to
brighten your day and thinkabout some colorful things and
you just adapt.
You put a clear poncho over youroutfit and go,
Delbert (25:43):
Exactly.
Hess (25:45):
yeah.
Y'all, thanks so much forlistening today.
We love you.
We meet every Sunday morning andwe talk about things.
We talk about our week.
We talk about what we're, what'shappened, what we're looking
forward to, and it.
my spirits and we hope thislifts yours.
So peace and love.
Delbert (26:05):
Peace and love.
Friends, we love you.
Hey everybody.
Thank you so much for tuning inand listening to our podcast.
Let me tell you this about that.
is Hess.
Delbert (00:12):
Good morning.
It's me, Delbert live from thegreen couch looking out my big
window, and it is the day afterthe Kentucky Derby.
Wow.
What a race.
What a day.
Hess (00:27):
It was wonderful.
So it's kinda it's kinda likethat day after where you say, I
should, I wish.
I would've bet.
But if wishes were horses,beggars would ride.
Delbert (00:37):
I did bet on Owen because of the connection that
you had with Owen Almighty.
I bet on him across the board.
Of course, he came in fifth.
Hess (00:47):
And fifth was not bad.
In a field of
Delbert (00:49):
Whoa.
I thought I was so proud of him.
I didn't even mind losing that$2across the board bet.
And I bet on all secretariatsdescendants too in some kind of
order.
But I must have bet journalismto across the board too.
'cause I won$5 on the, on myTwins Fires app.
I had$5 more when I woke up thismorning.
Hess (01:10):
Yeah, because journalism came in second.
Delbert (01:13):
Sovereignty, wow.
Another beautiful story that Ididn't know anything about until
they came across the finish lineand that Sweet Jockey Jr.
Raises his hands up to heaven.
Wow.
What a beautiful moment.
And he's kissing the horse andthey're just.
Covered in mud, and I keptthinking, I hope the mud doesn't
get in that horse's eyes.
(01:33):
But it didn't.
He had these big, beautiful eyeswith these big, long eyelashes
and he did get a bath before hegot his bundle of roses.
Hess (01:41):
His roses.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They have a big five gallonbucket of water and the grooms
will get'em washed off.
And there was even somebody thatI saw a veterinarian on their
back was hosing them
Delbert (01:53):
I saw that.
I saw him hosing him off.
He's that feels good.
All.
Hess (01:58):
And a lot of you probably know this, but some of you might
not.
So I'm gonna say the jockey willhave about five or six goggles
on the, their helmet, right overtheir brim, and they will.
They will excuse me.
They put on all these goggles,right?
They have'em all on before theystart the race.
(02:20):
They pull the goggles down overtheir eyes, and as they can't
see, they reach their hand upand they pull the top goggle
down.
They pull the top goggle downoff their eyes,
Delbert (02:31):
Whoa.
That'd be fun to see how many hewent through.
Hess (02:34):
Right now, and you're making a point like, the horse
doing?
Because they're not wearinggoggles, are they squinting with
all this mud going up in theirface?
Delbert (02:43):
He didn't have any, he had a lot on his snout, but he
didn't have any around his eyes.
Maybe his big beautiful ears andhis big beautiful eyelids and
eyelid.
I noticed that he had real.
Beautiful big eyelashes becauseI was staring at his face to
make sure he didn't have mud inhis eyes, and he didn't.
So I don't know.
(03:04):
That's one.
That's one.
Sometimes they put the little,blinkers on'em if they're too
social,
Hess (03:09):
yeah.
There's all different kinds ofreasons for the blinkers,
Delbert, where they might shysomething or from
Delbert (03:15):
Yeah.
Hess (03:15):
they can still see really well but something might not
scare'em from the side.
That might help'em focus more.
And some might even have what'scalled a shadow roll cavason and
across their nose.
And that might help'em also notshy about something that might
be close to them or upunderneath them.
Delbert (03:39):
Tess.
You're always teaching.
You are a teacher in your heart.
You really are.
Hess (03:44):
You don't know what you don't know, and I'm still
learning.
Delbert.
I was helping in the barn thismorning'cause we have somebody
new, really cool guy thatstarted with us for on Sundays.
'cause our Jose is fightingcancer and I've got a link down
below on our podcast to GoFundMefor Jose for his stage four
colon cancer.
(04:06):
Anyway Jardiel wonderful, andwhen we were leading the two
horses up from the paddock, abig fox ran out of our little
hay shed that's at the end ofthe barn.
It was just magnificent to seethat.
Delbert (04:18):
I told Hess, I said, oh man, you are gonna have good
luck today.
A Fox's good luck.
And they're so sweet too.
Really they're so beautiful.
Hess (04:29):
Tell us what you know about sovereignty.
You
Delbert (04:32):
Oh, shoot.
I don't know.
I really just loved the jockey.
I just loved the way that he wasjust so sweet and kissed his
horse and pointed up to heavenand was talking to his mama on
the phone.
But let me tell you this aboutthat, and then a lot more about
sovereignty than I do.
This is what I, this is myfeeling about the Kentucky
(04:52):
Derby.
'cause my heart just goes pitterpatter all week, so it's the
eyes of the world are onLouisville, and we just work in
this beautiful chaos together tomake'em feel welcome.
Every louisvillian, their desireis for people everywhere from
(05:14):
all over the world to feelwelcome and have the best
experience they can.
And when you look.
At the TV and see all of thosepeople dressed all different
ways.
I was telling my grandkids, Isaid, the Darling Society.
I said, if the world could justbe like the Kentucky Derby, I.
(05:35):
It would be awesome becausethere's no wrong way to dress.
Everybody expresses themselvesin all these beautiful colors,
these fantastic hats that theymake.
And you could see a guy with twofeet of a twin spires with
horses going around it, as a hatwith a pair of overalls on, and
then look over and some womandressed to the nines, but, and
(05:57):
so there's no wrong way.
Everybody celebrates andexpresses themselves in their
own way.
And so I just love that aboutthe city of Louisville.
And I was saying to mygrandkids, I said, there's a
quote from Jesse Stuart thatsays if the United States was a
body, Kentucky would be theheart.
(06:18):
And they said, oh no darling.
It's so beautiful here.
It's so sensory.
Kentucky has to be the eyes.
Hess (06:27):
Wow.
Delbert (06:28):
So that's what I know.
That's how I feel, like we saidlast week mayor Farsley a long
time ago, really worked topromote the Derby.
Whenever he would travelsomewhere, he would have him
play my old Kentucky home whenhe was in any restaurant or bar.
And, he planned it for thisfirst day in May.
'cause before it rotated arounda little bit.
(06:50):
And he wanted it to have a setday, first Saturday in May
because everything's in bloom.
And it's just so beautiful here.
It really is a feast for youreyes.
Last night I, the other night Iwas walking home from an Oaks
party and the sky was literallypale, lavender or lilac, and the
smell of lilac was in the air.
(07:12):
It is just.
Just extraordinary.
Hess (07:15):
Everybody.
Dresses in bright, there's a lotof bright colors you can wear
anything.
And a lot of people are just alldressed up.
And the derby hats are the I sawthis one picture where this gal
with the derby hat, or they weretalking about their outfits and
her hat was like$150 in herdress was like$40.
The hats.
(07:35):
The hats are just cool and fun.
And there's articles with justpictures of hats.
one of my theories about thehats Delbert sometimes that a
lot of the hats are just reallyhuge.
That even though there might be150,000 people there at the
Derby, and it's pretty crowdedthat the hat, having a big old
hat on gives you that spacewhere it helps you.
(07:57):
It helps give you a little bitmore square footage
Delbert (08:01):
It does.
It does.
And it keeps the sun off or therain off a little bit and it
does.
It sets up like a little bit ofa boundary for you, for sure.
For sure.
Hess (08:12):
And then some hats are just a big flower that's just
Delbert (08:15):
Yes, the fascinator, it's like a headband with a big
flower or decorator andeverybody just gets so creative
and a lot of people make theirown, it's just so fun.
All the excitement leading up toit.
So today's like our day afterChristmas, or a really big
holiday here in Louisville.
We're tired.
(08:35):
Yeah.
But we're.
Hess (08:37):
like Boxing Day in England after Christmas, day after
Christmas is Boxing Day.
Yeah.
Or you can wear just a clear,you a lot of clear ponchos you
put on over your outfit And wewere about 10,000 short, about
146-147 thousand at this year'sderby.
Last year was a big derby.
It was the hundred 50th.
Last year was 157,000.
(09:00):
So just about 10,000 less with alot of downpours, heavy
downpours.
Delbert (09:05):
right,
Hess (09:06):
but it doesn't matter.
It
Delbert (09:07):
No,
Hess (09:08):
You just wear clear poncho
Delbert (09:09):
there are a lot of people with a clear poncho on
and they still had their hat on.
They were dancing in the rain.
I just love that.
It just beautiful, the spirit ofit all.
It's hard to explain.
Irvine.
S Cobb said, until you've goneto Kentucky and behold with your
own eyes, the derby, you ain'tnever been nowhere and you ain't
(09:32):
seen nothing.
Hess (09:35):
I love
Delbert (09:36):
He's a writer from Paducah, Kentucky, and I'm gonna
get some of his books.
I saw that quote and then Ilooked up what he had written
and it's a lot about laughterand living your life.
Exit.
Laughing.
It's one of his I'm gonna read,I'm gonna read, that's a new
goal of mine.
I'm gonna take it to the beachwith us Hess
Hess (09:54):
Good deal.
You can give me some more quotesfrom'em.
Yeah.
So it's just a fantastic day andit's like we've said it's two
minutes.
Secretariat has the all timeworld record for.
Oh gosh, 50 years of a littleshy of two minutes, maybe 1 59
(10:14):
or something.
It was run yesterday and about 20 2, and it was a pretty fast
pace because
Delbert (10:20):
Yes.
Hess (10:20):
to dig into that mud.
We'd gotten over an inch of rainand they had to get their wheels
going on the mud.
Delbert (10:26):
Yeah, it was a fast race considering the track
conditions.
So Hess and I are just always soproud of the derby because it's
our hometown, first of all.
And then I tell you all the timethat my mamo and papa lived down
by Churchill Downs.
So as a child I used to walkthere with my great-grandmother.
I used to walk to the track, thechurch where my parents got
(10:48):
married and where I went to massa lot with my grandmother is
holy name.
And it's, if you're at thetrack, you just look left and
there's that beautiful.
Beautiful brick porcelain churchwith the terracotta roof.
That's where my family's lot ofour religious history is.
So I just, when I'm there I justfeel so much of my ancestors and
(11:12):
it's just it's almost aspiritual experience for me to
be there.
Hess (11:18):
Yeah.
And Delbert growing up.
So we we just, I just turned 67.
Delbert turned 67 in January.
We've known each other since thefirst grade.
Went to grade school and highschool together.
That's why we're together nowdoing this.
And so we were in high schoolwhen they were about to run the
hundredth derby,
Delbert (11:39):
Right.
Hess (11:40):
and that was gonna be a big, huge deal.
And we've talked about my cousinDewey that brought Delbert and I
together.
'cause Dewey told Delbert on thefirst grade on the first day of
kindergarten.
Hey, you're late.
You're, you haven't been herefor five days.
We're on the letter E and theword is the picture's.
Elephant, E for elephant.
(12:02):
Anyway, Dewey Delbert, this is aDewey story is so it was gonna
be, it was gonna be the 99thDerby we're like freshman or
sophomores or something, andDewey says I want the first
derby that I go to be thehundredth, I really wanna go to
this year's derby, so I'm gonnago, but I'm gonna pretend I
(12:23):
didn't go
Delbert (12:26):
And she did.
And she did.
Hess (12:28):
right.
Delbert (12:29):
And my dad would not let me go to the infield because
he worked for Todd Hollenback,he was our county judge.
And I.
And he was on the police meritboard.
So he just knew all thesestories of what happened in the
infield back then.
We had streakers climb up theflagpole and, but, so he's no,
not my oldest daughter.
(12:50):
You're not going to the infield.
So he bought for the hundredth,he bought me and three of my
friends a box for the hundredth,and we went in police cars.
Right behind my dad and hisfriends.
We had three police cars.
Two of them were packed with hisfriends and me and my friends
are in the police cruiser.
(13:12):
And we've got bottles of Bacardistrapped inside of our big bell
bottoms.
Riding,
Hess (13:19):
your
Delbert (13:19):
flying, yeah.
Flying down the expressway inthis police car with a siren on
it.
Hess (13:25):
Oh my gosh.
Delbert (13:26):
So that was my first derby, was the hundredth.
And it was Dewey's also'causeshe forgot about the 99th.
Hess (13:33):
What what two friends did you take with you?
Delbert (13:36):
So it was Karen Barnett and we called her Barney.
There were so many Karens in ourclass.
All of them had nicknames.
And then Teri Raidt, her cousin,and Molly Bergner.
Do you remember Molly?
Hess (13:47):
Oh, yeah.
Redheaded
Delbert (13:49):
I love Molly.
And, my dad would come downevery so often and say, you
girls need a Coke?
And that's what we weredrinking, Bacardi and Coke.
We'd say, yes, please.
We were being so good.
But anyway, that was my firstderby and that was just a
wonderful experience.
I do prefer a seat over theinfield.
I did get to finally go to theinfield later when I was in
(14:09):
college and,
Hess (14:10):
right.
Delbert (14:11):
A lot of chicken fights in the mud when it rains there.
A lot of they do the blanketslike a trampoline and throw
people up in the blanket.
Yeah.
But there's Hess wouldn't drinkanything when she was in the
infield because there thebathroom lines were so long.
And I'm like, Hess, why didn'tyou ask me?
I just go in the men's room,they're in and out.
Hess (14:31):
I felt like I'd seen things like I'd never seen
before.
Delbert (14:36):
You felt
Hess (14:36):
a, yeah.
Delbert (14:37):
like Bob?
Yeah.
Hess (14:38):
Yeah.
And to me and the way that Isaid it back then,'cause the
Vietnam War was going on, Isaid, I feel like I've been to
Vietnam.
I've seen things I thought I'dnever seen before.
Delbert (14:49):
You were traumatized.
Hess (14:51):
And you, and in that infield, it was a huge pack.
Now it's not so much now becausethey have other things in So
much now, but it was like$10 togo to the infield and now it's
$110 to get in the in field.
Delbert (15:04):
And you'd walk through that tunnel with your wagon,
with your booze, like underneatha watermelon or something, or
you'd soak a watermelon.
Hess (15:11):
Right.
Delbert (15:12):
I.
And I, okay, so here's anotherfunny infield story.
I was at Nonie's House the othernight, and that's when I walked
home with that Lilac sky and shereminded me of a time that these
Trinity guys that we knew hadone of their friends, they put
him in a wheelchair with ablanket over him, and he had a
pony keg in between his legs.
Hess (15:33):
Oh my gosh.
Delbert (15:34):
Now that is ingenious.
Hess (15:37):
they didn't catch
Delbert (15:37):
No Uhuh.
So I had forgotten about thatand we were trying to remember
which friend it was that did it.
So any pods out there listeningfrom Louisville, let us know.
If you remember that it was inthe 1970s and you'd walk through
that tunnel, that big longtunnel to get to the infield and
everybody'd sing and yeah, sosuper fun.
Hess (16:00):
Yeah.
And I didn't wanna drink anyfluids'cause the lines to the
bathrooms were so long.
It's crazy.
And so I went once in collegebecause somebody I met in
college had never been, and Ithought, okay, I'll take you to
the Derby infield, but it's.
It's wild.
So I'm, that's the only twotimes I've been to the Derby.
I don't really do crowds, butDelbert, I just ate it up
(16:24):
yesterday at watching it on TVand watching all the stories,
and I would then have mycomputer and then I'd research
the stories and stuff.
And it was just it was just, Ijust really eat it up.
There's such good.
There's such good stories and Iguess it's kinda like watching
the Olympics where everybody'sgiven the background
Delbert (16:45):
Yes and for every horse, it seems like there's
almost a hundred.
Just beautiful, fantasticstories.
What did you, I know youresearched sovereignty.
What, what did, what do you knowabout.
Hess (16:58):
It's the first win by Ga Dolphin Farms.
I.
And that he was, he's a homebread the trainer, 71 years old.
And it's his first real winbecause he won back in 2019 with
Country House There was adisqualification of maximum
security'cause he didn't passsome kind of drug test at the
(17:20):
end.
So
Delbert (17:22):
Who was that?
Mott was the trainer.
Hess (17:25):
The story was the citizen bull horse the jockey of that
horse had a really cool story.
He came over and immigrated fromMexico in, and he started
working for a deli in SouthernCalifornia.
And one of his great childhoodmemories was a horse that his
(17:46):
grandfather had given him thathe rode.
the woman that owned this delinamed Terry, TERI, Terry she had
like dressage horses and sherode, so she took him with her.
She took him to the barn whereshe had her horses and he would
ride around and love the horses.
(18:06):
So she connected him to become arider, start working with
somebody to exercise horses.
so that was a really cool storybecause she loved this guy so
much and she helped to get himstarted as a jockey, and he did
really well.
And she just passed away acouple week, a couple months ago
(18:28):
from cancer and that was justreally hard on this jockey
because he loved her so much.
And just, that's so cool.
And another the horse that wonthe Kentucky Oaks, the trainer
of it.
When somebody says, what's thislike for you?
He goes, oh, it's just a team.
I'm thinking about the people atthe track that are feeding the
(18:50):
horses right now, or the peopleat the training center, they're
feeding.
And I couldn't bring them here.
That it's this whole web ofpeople that help.
Make this happen.
The hot walkers that walk thehorse after they've exercised
the grooms, the groom, thehorses the exercise riders, the
jockeys, the trainers.
(19:11):
There's just so much of a teamof people.
Delbert (19:15):
It is, it's so beautiful.
It's so much about humanity andour connection to the earth and
the care.
I love how much all the jockeysand the grooms and the walkers
and the trainers and everybodythat's on the backside love
these animals and adore them.
And I was telling Hess one of myfavorite places to be when the
(19:39):
weather's nice ist just rightout on the rail.
To just be close to all thatenergy, the energy of that
working.
Team of the jockey and the horseand the athleticism and the
sportsmanship is just a sight tobeholden.
When you're close to it.
You just see how much they loveto run and their muscles and
(20:00):
their determination and I getlike such a rush of energy.
I don't even have to bet on'em.
I just like to go down close andwatch'em run.
It's just a thrill.
It really is just a thrill.
I told Hess yesterday, I can'tremember if I told you this or
The Darling Society, but theysaid, darling, that's the
funniest story.
You gotta tell it on yourpodcast.
(20:22):
So I.
I went to the track when therbywas first a thing.
Oh, and by the way, kids haveschool on Thursday, which in
Kentucky, in Louisville, thatday of Derby week is Therby.
And so they have it that day andthey have a little parade.
They build all these littlefloats with shoe boxes and
tissue paper, and they makehats, and they paraded through
(20:45):
the school.
My youngest went to St.
James and they used to walk downto the little park that was
right down the street and paradethrough the park and, anyway
they, but they don't have schoolon Oaks Day, so Friday's kind of
a holiday in Louisville, sonobody has school.
But I went to Therby one yearwhen it was like maybe 2015 when
it was first becoming a thingand popular.
(21:06):
And I went with a friend ofmine, Becky b Leal, that was a
lender, and I used her all thetime.
We were like a really good.
Girl team, she did the financeand I found the house and went
with her and a bunch of herfriends, and they had this
friend that was just really goodat connecting with people and
finding things.
And so they tell me this story,like he's always in the know.
(21:26):
He always, so he comes up andwe're sitting there watching the
next race and he says, Hey, Ijust met this nicest group of
people.
They're having a little partyand their champagne and fingers
sandwiches, anybody hungry?
And I'm like, I could go for afinger sandwich and some
champagne.
So I go down there with him andwe're just having a little
fingers, food and drink achampagne and this lovely little
(21:47):
setup.
And all of a sudden somebodycomes in the room and says,
everybody get to the box.
The race is starting.
And I'm like.
Scooby Doo.
I'm like, I've got a half asandwich in my mouth and I'm
like, us, point.
And they're like, yes, come on,let's go.
So we go with'em, we run up tothe box and we get to the box
and the race starts and theystart going crazy, and so we're
(22:09):
cheering with them.
We're like, okay, yeah, we don'tknow what's going on, but yay,
this is great.
So then they go the horses comeacross the finish line and they
just erupt.
Their horse wins.
So we're like in a owner's boxwith everybody that's involved
with the horse.
And there's so many people, theyhave no idea who we are.
They're like everybody to thewinner's circle.
I felt like Kramer when he wentto the Tony's on Seinfeld.
(22:33):
And so we're like us and they'relike, yeah, everybody, let's go.
So our friends see us on theJumbotron Circle.
We have.
Hess (22:42):
Is funny
Delbert (22:43):
only been in the winner circle twice, but that was like,
and you know what the thing isnobody cared.
They're like, yes, come on, youwere with us.
Let's go.
So I love that comradery.
You witnessed it, you're here,you just came for a sandwich,
but you got to witness the wholething.
So anyway that's just what's sobeautiful and I think in general
what you love about the horsecommunity.
(23:05):
Exactly.
Hess (23:07):
it's the people, and that's what it's about.
Delbert (23:11):
Andy did such a great job presenting the trophy and
promoting Kentucky.
This week, as always, I.
Hess (23:20):
he sure
Delbert (23:21):
We love our governor.
He does a podcast as well.
He's awesome.
Listen to him.
It's very uplifting, it's verypositive, and it's the reason
that Hess and I started ourpodcast just to lift people up,
make you smile, give yousomething to think about and go
about your week with yourspirits lifted.
Hess (23:42):
So thanks so much for listening today.
If you didn't know anythingabout the Derby, maybe you know
a little bit more now.
It's just something that we'reso proud of.
And this is Derby weekend.
The first weekend in May,Delbert, this is funny.
About 15 years ago, I had to godo a training in San Antonio
(24:03):
first weekend in May.
And I'm like, that's Derbyweekend.
You just call it Derby weekend'cause it's the first weekend in
May.
It's just something that wechronicle things by
Delbert (24:13):
Right.
Hess (24:14):
I'm at this, I'm at this training and I'm like, my
brain's thinking about thederby.
And I said, okay y'all, it'sSaturday at five 30 today we
gotta take a break and go to thelobby and watch the race.
Delbert (24:27):
Did they let you do it?
Hess (24:30):
Oh yeah.
Every, everybody that attendedthat workshop knew about the
derby after that weekend.
Delbert (24:36):
There you go.
Hess (24:36):
It's when we plant our tomatoes, plant the tomatoes
till the week after the derby.
It's a point in time.
Delbert (24:43):
It's our benchmark.
Exactly.
And how you chronicle your time.
What derby was that When we didda, we love our state.
We encourage people to come toKentucky and see all its beauty.
We have so many beauty beautifulrivers and lakes and parks and
of course, experience ChurchillDowns and.
(25:04):
Go to Lexington.
See some of the beautiful farmsthere that stretch between
Louisville and Lexington.
I never mind coming to Lexington'cause it's such a beautiful
drive.
Drive over the Kentucky Riverand pass through some of that
farm country with that bluegrass.
Hess (25:21):
Yep.
We're lucky'cause we're fromKentucky.
Delbert (25:23):
Lucky in Kentucky.
Hess (25:25):
Yeah.
So whether you had a winner ornot yesterday, whatever your day
is, and it's still rainy ordreary just, what can you do to
brighten your day and thinkabout some colorful things and
you just adapt.
You put a clear poncho over youroutfit and go,
Delbert (25:43):
Exactly.
Hess (25:45):
yeah.
Y'all, thanks so much forlistening today.
We love you.
We meet every Sunday morning andwe talk about things.
We talk about our week.
We talk about what we're, what'shappened, what we're looking
forward to, and it.
my spirits and we hope thislifts yours.
So peace and love.
Delbert (26:05):
Peace and love.
Friends, we love you.
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