LOUISVILLE, Ky. —  Dorothy Davis hoped she'd make it to the Kentucky Derby before she turned 100. She did _ by a month.

"It's even more beautiful than I imagined," she said today, from a balcony that overlooked the famed twin spires. "All the colors. I couldn't have visualized it."

There were 157,770 people at Churchill Downs, give or take a few folks in their finery, and it's safe to say none was more excited than this lovely little lady.

Then again, she couldn't relax too much and soak in the scene. She had a job to do.

A newspaper reporter for much of her life _ her stories have appeared in the Hartford Courant and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, among others _ she was here to file a story for the Hudson Register-Star in upstate New York.

"I hope to write how tradition can be beautiful," she said.

Wearing a wide-brim orange hat, Davis came with her granddaughter, Cassandra Bates. They took the train from her home in New York to Chicago, then drove down through Fort Knox to Louisville.

"It's been worth every minute," Davis said.

Davis said she started writing about sports during the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, and that she'd always wanted to cover the Kentucky Derby.

And there she was this afternoon, on the balcony outside the press box. Even with the likes of Chelsea Clinton, Michael Irvin and Hugh Hefner's girlfriends around, among others, Davis was quite a celebrity.

Very spry, she was. Even though they gave her a wheelchair, she insisted on standing up every time someone wanted to speak with her.

Am betting, by the way, she writes a pretty good story.

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Just wondering: Aside from places with a major pro franchise, is there any city in America with such a prominent sports connection as Louisville?

There's the Kentucky Derby, of course. Rick Pitino and his pressing Cardinals are always contenders. The U of L football team has done well lately. Now add the Muhammad Ali Center here in his hometown and the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. Plus, the Ryder Cup is coming this September.

It all kind of hit me coming in from the airport this week. Right in front of me was Freedom Hall _ growing up on the East Coast, we used to listen to the WHAS radio broadcasts of Artis Gilmore and the Kentucky Colonels. Just a thing we did as kids. Anyhow, I made a quick detour and got inside for a quick look around. Old, cramped and kinda musty _ and probably a perfect place to watch hoops.

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Speaking of cooped-up spots, Steve Buttleman held down tight quarters at Churchill Downs. Then again, he had enough room for the only thing he really needed: his bugle.

When he's in his office on the far side of the track, he's often on his computer. Checking e-mail, the weather radar and eBay, he kidded this week.

Then 10 or so times a day, it's time for the real work _ blowing that bugle for the "Call to the Post."

I was listening to hear whether he hit any especially high notes. He was very consistent all afternoon. Am thinking that's what you want in a bugler.

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