REEL SOUTH | The Derby | PBS

[crowd chattering] - Marcus Doerson, I'm a barback at Churchill Downs. Had a great day. Work with some great people, people I never worked with before. And met some people that I

didn't expect to meet. This is my second year doing it. Working here at the Churchill Downs. And I think I'm gonna come back next year, because, you know, this is what they give

us. This is what you do, you come make that money. Hard work, this is what hard work does. Getting up at 4:30 in the morning, coming in here and, and having fun with people that you

don't know and do know. This is what life is about, right here. [rhythmic music] [water splashing] [birds chirping] [engine buzzing] - Oh, I'm from Chicago and I was here last year

for Derby, too. And I like to help here, it's, like, pretty fun, yeah. I'm Serbian, yeah, I'm from Europe, Eastern Europe. - Oh, I like America better, honestly. You have

more freedom and liberty, it's like, different. You know, our government is so corrupted, and it's so bad, it's like, really bad. It's so hard to find jobs and it's

so hard to make a living, yeah. [engine rumbling] [rock music] [dog barking] - I'm still in school, I'm still accumulating debt, so I'm still parking cars. And I remember my

first year I got out here and I started doing this. I was really very hesitant because I thought, oh you know, maybe I shouldn't be doing that, you know, 'cause how does it look?

And I was watching them all, you know, yelling, "Parking," and having fun, they were having fun. And they were in need of money, I knew some of these people. I knew they were in

need of money. And then I thought, well, I'm in need of money, too. And I'm fun, and I like to have fun. And I enjoy the Derby, and all the excitement and everything. And I

thought, well, I'm gonna try this, too. And now, I really, really look forward to this. [plane engine rumbling] It was like, a lot of these people, we don't know them. They're

from out of town, but while they're here, they're community, they're family. They're part of the festivity, you know. And you ask them, "How'd you do?

"Did you win anything, did you have fun?" As to where if you were just walking down the street, you know, some other little town where there was nothing going on, those people may

not even speak to you. Derby always brings everybody together. [people cheering] I think a lot of that's alcohol. [laughs] But I'm happy, so. Are you happy? [sirens wailing] [birds

chirping] Well, I went to the infield one time when I was younger. Course, I was in, in my early 20s then, too. And I didn't mind the mud and the floppy hat and carrying my shoes.

[laughs] I was one of them! - [Crowd] USA USA USA USA! USA USA USA! [crowd chattering] - [Woman] Thank you! - Just don't get the throw-up shots in there. - [Woman] She's a model! -

[Man] High school students are somehow getting all the booze. - [Man] I just drink for Derby, you know. It's really, they'll just do it before. They get a little bit too trashed,

'cause they wanna laugh throughout the entire day, you know? So they'll drink before and so nobody's, nobody's able to find anything on them. But they'll be drunk

throughout the entire day because they drink too much beforehand, you know? As long as you're able to present yourself in a decent manner, you're good. [crowd chattering] [woman

cheering] [cheering] ["Take Me Out to the Ballgame"] [crowd chattering] - Hi! - Oh my god! [clapping] Yes to the dress! Yes to the dress! [crowd chattering] [crowd chattering] -

[Man] Completely indifferent whether I win or lose. Brought that cash to enjoy myself and completely indifferent to the outcome. [crowd chattering] - [Man] Remington found your patience to

be disarming, at the same time, enjoyable. We're here, we're gonna talk, it's gonna be completely anonymous. And if you want a perspective on the Derby and extrapolating on

that on life, let's do it. - [Man] We flew in this morning from New York. We were escorted directly to Millionaire's Row entrance, we came up, we immediately were situated and

indulged in our day, versus. the reality of the infield and the rest of Churchill Downs. We're at the same event; it's quite different. I think they're here enjoying

themselves, but it's certainly porta potty versus a gentlemen serving you the towels to wash your hands after you've gone to the restroom. It's very easy to say that you work

hard and good things happen, there are people who work very hard and don't get lucky, and that the marriage of luck and hard work should ultimately yield a good outcome. I think a lot

of people sitting up here probably had more luck to start and played on that luck, and, you know, you have to be, you have to recognize that. That the hands that were dealt up here were

better hands than the infield. That's the reality of it. ["Call to Post"] [gentle music] - [Man] We had Derby parties at my grandmother's house as a kid. We all meet up

and just enjoy ourselves, watch the race. But as I got older, you know, I just come to enjoy it with my friends and work. - [Catherine] You see, they all look so pretty when you first see

them going past. And they're all prim and proper and clean. And then, they come back and they're carrying their shoes, and their hats are all floppy and a mess. - [Man] It's a

very different experience, being on the sixth floor versus, you know, being in the infield and walking through mud. It's very different. - [Man] I will say one thing, though. Listening

to him speak, I can now safely say, the more I think about it: the Kentucky Derby, as a day, as a weekend, as a long, you know, multi-century tradition at this point, simultaneously

represents everything that is good and bad in this country, all at once. [crowd chattering] - This is what you do, you come make that money. Hard work, this is what hard work does. Getting

up at 4:30 in the morning, coming in here and having fun with people you don't know and do know. This is what life is about, right here. You know. Had a great day today. Had a great

weekend, had a great week, out here at Kentucky Derby. We hope y'all come to the next Derby. I hope I see you here, I'll serve you your next drink. That's right. 2018.

[laughs] [upbeat music] ♪ [crickets chirping]