LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The excitement of Churchill Downs joined by the spirit of Thanksgiving. Tori Hall came with her family, and friends so close, they're practically family too. Nora Gorfinkel is like her cousin.
With help from the adults, they enjoyed a few victories on Thursday.
"We both have been seeing a lot of winning," Gorfinkel said. "I think we had maybe like, four or five wins with some horses and—Oh yeah! I have like $14."
Hall saw her neighbor there too—Greg Blasi, an outrider who leads and wrangles the horses. It's like a lot of other Thanksgivings, even when it comes to the buffet.
"Turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, ham, salad," Hall went down the list.
Further down the track, Sienna Duvall added one more item to the list.
"And margaritas," she said, laughing. "Period."
Duvall spent her third year with the Robinsons, who came from Lebanon, Kentucky. One of them hollered out with a printed bet in-hand, "we're a bunch of losers!"
But despite the losses, Duvall's gained some memories.
"It's just being around people," she said. "It doesn't matter what day it is. It's just being around family and friends, it's all that matters. The week of, you just be around people you like."
It's a feeling Ayanna Whitmore shares as well. She came from the East Coast with her mother and aunt.
"First-timers, out in Kentucky, coming from the Bronx, our first race. I get to spend it with my family, which is literally the best part." she said.
Coming from the west, Neal and Carol Yowell made the Derby City their last stop as part of their Thanksgiving tradition—a road trip, coming all the way from Manitou Springs, Colorado, giving thanks for Louisville.
"Thank you for your hospitality," they said, talking over each other a little. "Everyone here has been really wonderful and very kind."
As for their winnings, Neal said they "won enough to go home on," then laughed.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.