6 Reasons Why The Kentucky Derby Is Our Favorite Event Of The Year
Giddy up! Everyoneβs favorite horse race takes place this Saturday, May 1, and hereβs why itβs one of our favorite events.
Grab your bonnet, mint julep and letβs go,
The Last Nightβs Game Team
Blink and youβll miss it
The Derby is often referred to as the βmost exciting two minutes in sportsβ because thatβs how long it takes for the horses to run the 1ΒΌ mile track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. Itβs the first race of the famed Triple Crown. It's followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. SHORT AND SWEET
The names of the horses
Whatβs in a name? Well, try naming a horse β itβs not as easy as it seems. There are so many rules set forth by the Jockey Club to abide by when naming a horse. Of course, nothing racy is approved, but names like Sexy Pork Chop, Hoochiecoochiemama, Bodacious Tatas and Hardawn (say it aloud) have slipped past the reviewers. WEβD PAY TO HEAR ANNOUNCERS READ THOSE NAMES ON TV
The outfits
After last yearβs Derby was postponed until September and with only a few fans, this yearβs race will include fans, albeit a smaller than usual crowd. Around 45,000 fans will don their Derby hats to watch the race. (Normal capacity is 165,000). Speaking of Derby hats, the long-standing tradition started with a goal to have high-class spectators attend the race. The Derby hat as we know it didnβt come around until the 1960s when fashion norms loosened up and big, bright and festive colors were socially acceptable. THE BEST CELEBRITY DERBY HATS
PS - If youβre attending a Derby party and need something to wear, check our friend Amy Ann over at Straight A Style for some Derby dress ideas.
Place your bets
The horses in the Derby are all three-year-old males. Youβll never see a horse win the Derby twice because theyβre only allowed to race when theyβre three, and thatβs it. Keep an eye on the favorite in the Derby, Essential Quality. Other horses with cool stories (or names) include Hot Rod Charlie, owned by a few former Brown football players who named their horse after a drinking game they played in college. Then thereβs Midnight Bourbon, which hopefully, unlike choosing a bourbon as the clock strikes twelve, is a good choice. COCKTAILS ANYONE?
Curious how one bets on horses? It's simple - let us show you how. PONIES 101
Lifestyles of the rich and famous (horses)
Ever wonder how these high-priced horses get from one race to another? Air Horse One. No, really. They fly on a Boeing 727 cargo plane nicknamed βAir Horse One.β Itβs equipped with stalls built around the horse and even inflight snacks. Tex Sutton Equine Air transports about 2,500 horses per year. AND YOU THOUGHT BUSINESS CLASS WAS EXPENSIVE.
COCKTAILS GALORE
The mint julep has been the official cocktail of the Derby since 1938. The drink is made with Woodford Reserve bourbon (the official sponsor of this yearβs event). On a normal year, over 120,000 juleps are sold every year at the Derby. BOTTOMS UP
