Big day on St. John today, Derby time! Billed as the “greatest 2 minutes in sports,” it’s a whole day affair at Skinny Legs bar in Coral Bay. Locals don their best island hat creations and hit the bar, which is redesigned with a betting booth, and a tangible sense of anticipation.
Novice horse race watchers gamble with abandon, making choices based on clever horse names or favorite numbers. The race itself is a quick release from a long day of drinking mint juleps out of a plastic cup, or as way like to say, Caribbean Crystal.
No Virgin Islands contenders this year, but back in 2013 St. Croix native Kevin Krigger rode Goldencents. While he didn’t win, island fans clinked (clacked?) glasses and toasted his persistent spirit and charm.