Petition to get this at all race tracks. Since the Kentucky Derby, I have been on a kick of horse racing. As a self-proclaimed horse girl, becoming infatuated with a sector of the sport is nothing new for me. However, given that racing is not the kind of equestrian sport I partake in, this newfound interest in racing and tracking thoroughbred lineages in my free time is new for me. A huge reason for my newfound interest is that Toby Keith‘s horse, Render Judgement, ran in the 151st Kentucky Derby. According to Keith’s family, it was a lifelong dream of Keith’s to have a horse in the race, and Render Judgement was the first in Keith’s career to make it to the Derby. “It was Toby’s dream….Render Judgment is going to the Kentucky Derby. He worked so hard to finally have one there! Toby will have the best seat in the house to watch.” It was Toby’s dream….Render Judgement is going to the @KentuckyDerby. He worked so hard to finally have one there! Toby will have the best seat in the house to watch. pic.twitter.com/g3efRad4IH — Toby Keith (@tobykeith) April 26, 2025 Although Render Judgement suffered a hoof crack and did not have the finish Keith and his family would have hoped for, coming in 17th, it was still incredible to see the country music crossover in the Derby. In his decades of horse racing, it was the first of Toby’s horses to “Run for the Roses.” Since the big race, much of my social media feeds have been filled with racing content, and it appears that Churchill Downs was not the only race track with the spirit of Toby Keith present. Since the Derby, a race track in Grand Prairie, Texas, called Lone Star Race Track, has been honoring the Big Dog Daddy during the Call to the Post. Lone Star’s “Cowboy Bugler” honored Toby Keith on a recent race day, incorporating his hit “Red Solo Cup” in the Call to the Post. The sounding of the brass instrument signals that it’s time for the horses to gather at the paddock’s exit before parading to the start gates, and also serves as a 5-10 minute warning for the start of the race. While we all know how the traditional Call to the Post goes, this bugler added some flair, weaving the melody of “Red Solo Cups'” chorus into the tune. It’s pretty sick, I’m not going to lie. And it gets you in the mood to scream at the horses you bet on, hoping they cross the finish line light years ahead of their competitors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Whiskey Riff (@whiskeyriff) Without surprise, the comments section on the original video filled up with folks noting how much Toby Keith would have loved this. Amen to that. “Toby would have LOVED that. R.I.P. TOBY KEITH.” “Solo cup coming around the last turn with a two-length lead.” “This made me choke up, man. I just know Toby was grinning and smiling big at this.” “What a wonderful tribute to Toby.” “I love it when you play little extra things at the end. I’m a regular there and thank you SO much.” “He smiled BIG over that. I just know!” “Beautiful! That brought tears to my eyes.” “Why am I crying?” “That was great!” “I know Toby heard that.” I think more Calls to the Post need this Toby Keith flair. Cheers to the Big Dog Daddy, may his legacy never be forgotten. Fire up “Red Solo Cup” before you go. The post Texas Race Track’s Bugler Incorporates Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” Into The Call To Post first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population." A chameleon rolls its eyes. Giphy SWR Kindernetz Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves." Sam Elliott gives a tip of his cowboy hat. Giphy, Sam Elliott, Grit TV People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.) See on Instagram Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'" @theweirdocoach Anyone else? #adhdawareness #adhdinwomen #neurodivergent Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."

Single parents are caretakers of their children's hearts in a unique way. When a separation or divorce befalls a family, the fallout can leave many parents struggling to pick up the pieces of their own broken hearts and their kids'.Instagrammer and single mom Mely (@allthingsmely) shared a vulnerable video of how she's helping heal her young daughter's heart after her father left their family. During the tender conversation, her daughter expressed her sadness, and Mely reminds her of her love and worth while allowing space for her to express her emotions."To every mom healing little hearts while healing her own: you are not alone. I see you," she wrote in the video's caption. She added, "Being a solo mom is tender, exhausting and beautiful all at once and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done." See on Instagram The video is taken in the family's bathroom after bath time, and Mely gets down on eye-level with her daughter who is wrapped in her robe and crying to her. Mely says to her in Spanish, "It's okay to feel sad. It's okay," she says. "But I want you to know that you are SO LOVED. You are special. You are worthy of time, love and respect. You are so worthy of it all. You are worthy of it simply because you exist. It's okay to be sad. And mommy will always be here. I love you." See on Instagram At the end of the video, she hugs and kisses her daughter in a sweet embrace. In the video's caption, she shared more about the pain her daughter is feeling: "The ache of absence is something I carried in silence for years, trying to protect my kids from it. But now, it’s more visible than ever through the physical distance and indifference of someone who was supposed to love us, cherish us and protect us," she wrote. While Mely is dealing with her own emotional pain from separation, she shares that, "I can only imagine how confusing and painful it must be for a child (especially a 4 year old) to feel like she’s not being chosen or fully adored. But I see her pain. I feel it too." See on Instagram She adds that the reason she is sharing the video is so that "every single mama out there feels a little less alone in this journey," before ending the post with a powerful sentiment. "I pray my kids grow up knowing that their mom chose courage. That she knew her worth and walked away from a life of emotional neglect and betrayal. That they are worthy of a love that’s present, consistent and safe. And that their hearts deserve to be cherished every day of their lives."The emotional video had many people expressing praise for Mely in the comments. "This is so beautiful ? I don’t know who needed to hear this most, you or your little one ❤️?," one wrote. Another added, "I Love this!!!!! Every child needs their mother’s there for reassurance ?❤️??✨?????????." And another touched viewer commented, "Remember this goes for you too Mama, heal the little girl in you ??."

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