The Race

Often referred to as the greatest two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby runs every spring at Churchill Downs dirt track in Louisville, Kentucky.

The race consists of a maximum of 20 horses all stampeding their way around the track running one lap which is equal to a mile and a quarter. The race spans all the way back to 1875 and has run every year since bringing strong and storied traditions along the way.

It is hard to say why the Kentucky Derby feels so special but something about the uniqueness of the event and the thrill of the horses running as fast as they can, brings a wave of emotion to everyone watching. 

The Horses

Those horses running in the event are all three-year-old thoroughbreds that were trained to run from the moment they were born to the time the gates open at the derby. The horses weigh anywhere from 1,000-1,200 pounds and run near 37 mph at their top speeds.

The unfortunate case for many young horses is any injury, slight inconvenience or out of the ordinary thing to happen basically disqualifies the horse from the race. Not because the horse wouldn’t be allowed, but because the horse would no longer be able to compete at the highest level anymore. Finding a horse to stay healthy and be trained is rare but leads to an exciting eventful race. 

The winning purse of the race is 3 million dollars to the owner, but often it isn’t as much about the money as it is about winning the prestigious award. The satisfaction for the horse to stand where all the legends before it stood is worth more than any dollar amount.

Betting

One of the coolest features of the Kentucky Derby is the betting on the horses. Picking the outright winner, picking the top three, top five and the order are all options and many love to do this just for fun but some have won life changing money.

However, the only place to bet on the Kentucky Derby is at the Kentucky Derby itself. No online apps are used, but instead you go up to a booth, say what you want and then get your ticket printed off and handed to you which you turn in later if you won.

Mint Juleps

When at the Kentucky Derby, head over the bar and there will be an option for a mint julep, the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. A mint julep is Kentucky bourbon mixed with syrup and mint and put on ice in a souvenir cup. 

Now a mint julep has always been a part of the Kentucky Derby with it first being made from all the cheap excess bourbon that no one wanted to drink. At the first derby, the first customers liked the julep so much that it eventually became the official drink of the Kentucky Derby and now on race day sells over 120,000 cups. 

Fashion

Of course, the Kentucky Derby isn’t the event that it is without the fashion that brings celebrities and people from all over. Usually men will wear modern but bold southern charmed suits and a fedora, while women wear long dresses with artistic hats and add a flair to their hair. 

The dress code for the viewers comes from the dress code of England horse races where people would often wear outfits similar to what is seen today. This tradition goes all the way back to the start of the derby and is one of the most unique things to happen at an American event.

Run for the Roses

One of the more stunning visuals is the blanket of roses that is placed on the winning horse after the race is over. The blanket often contains over 500 roses and weighs 40 pounds and hence gives the Kentucky Derby its nickname, “the run for the roses.”

The blanket is a sign of freedom and heart which the winning horse shows to win the Kentucky Derby. The tradition began all the way back in 1896 and remains one of the more empowerful views when placed upon the horse. 

History 

As mentioned before, the Kentucky Derby holds immense traditions that have held over time, spanning over 150 years. However, the reasons those traditions remain important are from the horses that ran the races and get people to come back.

Horses that inspired movies like Secretariat who holds the record for fastest time at the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat also had a heart that was double the size which is an amazing tale told every year at the derby. 

Rich Strike in 2021 had the longest shot to win the derby of all horses and won after an amazing comeback that had everyone emotional. Rich Strike, lost all of his mates in a barn fire and was the only one to survive and came out on top leaving not one dry eye among his owners. 

Motivating, inspiring stories come every year from the Kentucky Derby with more waiting in the balance of the greatest two minutes of sports.