Kentucky Derby
Club Enjoys Hats & Horses on Overnight Drive to Winnemucca
by Marcus Dodson, Newsletter Editor
On the first weekend of May, 18 members of the Sierra Nevada Section of the Mercedes®-Benz Club of America gathered together for a Kentucky Derby Party, hosted by Sue and Marc Dodson. Ten cars made the trek from Mercedes-Benz of Reno to the Winnemucca Inn and Casino for this year’s first overnight driving event.
There was drizzling rain for part of the Saturday morning drive, but traffic was light and the roads were clear. On the way, the group stopped in Lovelock for lunch at the Cowpoke Cafe. The club enjoyed old-fashioned country cooking at this local greasy spoon, including burgers, patty melts, French dips, Philly cheese steaks, chicken sandwiches, jumbo beef hot dogs, curly fries, onion rings, and more.
Once back on the road, it was an hour-long drive to the Winnemucca Inn and Casino. After guests were given time to freshen up, everyone gathered in Sue and Marc Dodson’s suite for appetizers and drinks. As expected, everyone brought their favorite Kentucky Derby hats, which ran the gamut from cowboy hats to lobster-shaped hats.
Club members were encouraged to bring a dish to share, and the selections were fantastic. Appetizers included deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, hummus, chips and dip, mixed nuts, and a spectacular homemade baklava. Mint juleps, wine, and water were available for everyone to enjoy.
Guests were able to watch the Kentucky Derby on the large television in the Dodsons’ hotel suite. The group mingled and enjoyed each other’s company while pre-race sports commentaries played in the background. Once the race began, it was an exciting two minutes for everyone in the suite. It was an epic finish between the champion horses, and Mage was the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby. The final results included Two Phil’s in second place, Angel of Empire in third place, Disarm in fourth place, and Hit Show in fifth place.
Mage is characterized as a playful foal and comes from a line of champion-bred horses. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to ride the horse,” said Mage’s Jockey, Javier Castellano. “The whole team gave me the opportunity to ride in the biggest race in the world. I had a lot of confidence in myself that this year would be the year. This horse was unbelievable today.”
Similarly to last year’s Kentucky Derby Party, Marc Dodson had guests pull random contenders from an appropriately themed hat, and this year’s winner was Christy Dodson. She took home the grand prize, which was a Nevada-made bottle of whiskey. Surely she’ll be thanking Mage when she’s pouring a dram of her prized whiskey.
After the greatest two minutes in sports were over, club members enjoyed a short drive to The Martin Hotel in Winnemucca. Members got a VIP ride in the casino’s shuttle bus. Since 1898, The Martin Hotel has been serving traditional Basque food. Much the same as Reno and Gardnerville’s Basque dining rooms, The Martin Hotel serves all of its dinners in a traditional family style, which includes homemade soup, salad, beans, bread, French fries, and bread pudding. For this evening’s dinner, the Sierra Nevada Section was given a private dining room and its own dedicated server.
On Sunday, club members joined up at The Griddle in Winnemucca for a hearty breakfast before the relaxing drive back to Reno. Much the same as last year, this was one of the club’s favorite events of the year, and everyone was already talking about next year’s Kentucky Derby Party.