HOW THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS CELEBRATED ON THE QUEEN MARY 2

As far as I know, the only evidence of the Queen Mary 2 celebrating the Kentucky Derby is me having two mint juleps, and taste-testing Woodward Reserve and Makers Mark Kentucky bourbons.  No Old Forrester on the ship.  Also I don't hold much hope for the sports channels to show the derby.  All they play are soccer, auto/bike racing, darts, with an occasional NBA game.

While testing Kentucky whiskies, I also saw a Japanese scotch.  So I tried it too.

Post-time for this 150th Kentucky Derby is 6:57 PM ET today.  

• The heavy favorite is Sierra Leone at 3-1.  He is a late closer, and there are 20 other horses running, so that could be a major problem.  Starts out of gate 2.
• I like longer shots, and my favorite is Forever Young (right), a 10-1 shot from Japan out of the 11th position.  He has never lost yet.

Last night was Gala Evening Attire night, so I had on my ascot set.  For those who don't know, ascots are making a fashion comeback.

• The origins date back to the late 19th cetury when it was worn by fashionable British gentlemen to formal daytime events such as horse races and weddings.

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  In fact, the ascot comes from the Royal Ascot horse race.
• You might ask, what is the difference between an ascot and a cravat?  An ascot looks like the above, and more specifically, should be 50 inches in length from tip to tip, 1-inch wide at the neckband and 3 inches wide.  A cravat is any cloth tied around the neck for decorative purposes.
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  Actually, this all stated millennia ago when cravats were normal wear for men.
• Women, of course can also embrace this classic accessory.
• How to purchase an ascot.
• Go to Amazon.com.
• Pick what you want.
• Price ranges from $10 to $25 each.
• You should get a matching handkerchief, also called pocket square.
• How to tie an ascot.

Tonight was the second gala tuxedo night, so I again wore my ascot, with matching handkerchief.

This was a special dinner tonight at the Steakhouse, for which we had to each pay $50 more.  Choice of steaks.

Even choice of knives.

My meal, ribeye with red and white wines, plus an assortment of fries and onion rings.  This was a splurge, for I usually avoid these.  The french fries were great, and so were the onion rings.  I thought the third one was to be a special kind of potato chip because the menu said triple fried chips.  Turned out to be the British version of chunky fries that come with fish and chips.

The steak came from the UK, and was worth the extra expenditure.  Alas, wasted a lot at the end.  One can eat only so much. 

Ended with cheeses.

However, the night was just beginning, for we next went to their night club, called G32.

As there will be no night life tomorrow (ship arrives into New York early in the morning on Sunday), we went back to our favorite bar, the Commodore Lounge.  But the pianist had just ended his evening.  Had a glass of Dalmore scotch.

Walked a decent 5040 steps, almost all of that after dinner.

One more day left on the Queen Mary 2.

Oh, the first new Cunard ship in 14 years, the MS Queen Anne, started her maiden voyage from Southampton last night, a send-off with spectacular fireworks.

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