LOUISVILLE — On a picture-perfect Thurby, Sanela Graziose and her friends snapped some photos and checked out the newly redesigned paddock at Churchill Downs.  

What You Need To Know

  •  Thurby drew a record crowd to Churchill Downs

  •  Race fans and vendors of all walks of life bring their unique stories with them to the track

  •  Sanela Graziose was taking in a beautiful day, celebrating her beating cancer in the past year

  • Nichelle Watson, known in Louisville as "The Seafood Lady" is dishing up her grandfather's recipe for shrimp and grits for thousands of race fans

It’s gorgeous,” the Louisville woman said. “It’s really fancy. We’re trying to figure out, how does one get in,” she said with a laugh.

She wasn’t thinking much about the horses yet; instead, pausing to reflect on how far she’d come.  

“For me, it’s been a really difficult year,” Graziose said. “I finished treatment for breast cancer, so this time last year I was in a chemo chair, so I’m just really excited to be here ... really excited to be here!” 

As she and her friends celebrated the milestone, Graziose couldn’t stop smiling, and offered this:

“Enjoy a beautiful day and being healthy.” 

We found Nichelle Watson doing just that, dishing up shrimp and grits for the crowd.

Watson is known in Louisville as “The Seafood Lady.”

This was her first year bringing her food truck team to the track, and she was taking it all in.

“This is really exciting to me, to see so many people come out in support of this event, this large sporting event, and it’s all about horses,” said Watson. “It’s so exciting. It’s so cool. I really love that Louisville has an event like this that can bring the community together as well as bring people from other places.” 

Watson planned to serve 5,000 orders of her grandfather’s recipe by the end of Derby Week.

“Straight from Grandfather to Churchill Downs,” said Watson.

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