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The Queen stood for what seemed
hours while Barbaro
was honored after they had had
to put him down. Why
do they race them so young?
Money. She wore a lime-
green outfit, even her shoes
matched. Her hat was no
surprise to those of us
who remember half a century
of royal millinery
adorned with clusters of cherries
or sprouts of fake ivy.
Her keen eye for the horses
was dispassionate but
the announcement that she rides
her horse on weekends spoke to me.
Weekends!
Is there so much to do
Monday through Friday when
you’re Queen? Dutifully standing
through all the lesser races
and taking the steps without
a hand on railings, that is
queenly. But some wicked
Wednesday I’d like to see
Her Majesty, entourage and all
in the saddle.
The Kentucky Derby by Maxine Kumin
