No Conflict - Gefilte Fish In Louisville - אלה ברכב ואלה בסוסים - The Most Exciting - Despair To Elation- Out Of Body Experience

The story of an Orthodox Jewish man who has the dubious zchus to own the horse that won the Kentucky derby [which I only heard of five minutes prior to posting this]. From the New Jersey Standard.

I wouldn't believe it - if I didn't read it myself.

Beyond my comprehension.


What is it like being Orthodox Jews at the Kentucky Derby? “There is no conflict,” Ms. --- said. “Most of our big races are on Saturdays, so we walk to the track.”

They stay at a hotel in Louisville, which is an easy walk on race day, and get kosher meals, including full Shabbat dinners, from a caterer, “but for the Preakness and the Belmont we can’t walk from any hotel, so we rent a trailer.” It’s not just a regular old RV; “It is 45 feet long, has two bathrooms, has a full kitchen and dining area, and sleeps six to eight people.

“Shabbes is still Shabbes. You are still getting gefilte fish for dinner,” she said.

.....

“The crowds are roaring as you are passing by. People are yelling ‘Go, American Pharoah, we love you!’ They are trying to pat you. They wave at you. You talk to them. They are screaming and hooting. There are zillions of TV cameras.

“It is fun. It is exciting. It is exhilarating. It is show time.

“Everyone dresses up. I wore a pink suit with a hat. I don’t wear heels, but a lot of people do.

“You go to the paddock, and every owner is in front of his horse. It is jam packed. The horses go into the carrel to be saddled. The jockey, Victor Espinoza, is a great guy. I said, ‘Come on, I promise you a home-cooked meal if you bring this home to me.’ And he said, ‘Mrs. ----, just sit back and watch the show.’”

The race finally started. “It is only two minutes — but it is the most exciting two minutes in sports history every year,” Ms. ---- said.

“They are coming down the stretch, and I see Firing Line and Dortmund coming down, and I see American Pharoah coming, and he’s behind them, and then they are neck and neck, and I say that I can’t. I can’t do this again. I can’t come in second again. The other times we lost at the wire. And I become hysterical. And I start to cry, this emotion of ohmigod.

“And then the next thing I know, I hear that American Pharoah and Victor Espinosa have won the Kentucky Derby.

“And then you go in five seconds from despair to elation. It was an out-of-body experience. It was crazy. And then they hustle you off to get your trophies.

The owner of this horse is a multi-multi guzillionaire from Teaneck. I am SURE he gives lots of money to tzdaka. May he keep winning and donate everything to Torah and chesed - like to the Yeshiva Gedola D'skype and other worthy causes.