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dent of Churchill Downs, dubbed the
race the “Run for the Roses.”
The original Kentucky Derby trophy
was designed by George Lewis Graff
for Lemon & Son Jewelers of
Louisville. The 22-inch tall, 14 karat
gold cup, weighing in at 56 ounces
excluding the marble base, is topped
by an 18-karat gold horse and rider,
and two 18-karat horseshoe-shaped
handles. Over the years, its value has
grown to more than $60,000. For the
125th anniversary of the Derby, a new
trophy was created with the horseshoes
facing upwards, to yield to the
old superstition that luck will not be
able to run out of it. The new trophy
was also bedecked with diamonds
inside the horseshoe and a bed of
roses made of rubies.
The trophy is not the only collectible
at the Derby. Every year Churchill
Downs selects an artist to paint an
interpretation of the Derby. A print
series of the painting is sold throughout
the event and reproduced on
24
t-shirts and other souvenirs of
the event.
The Traditions
To top it all off, the array of hats at the
Kentucky Derby has become a mindful
tradition. From the expensive to the
eccentric, hat designs brim with creative
ideas. Some believe that their hat
will bring their horse luck, and some
just have a penchant for running rampant
with a glue gun. Hats have sported
lace, flowers, plastic horses, and even
replicas of Churchill Downs itself.
After the race, Derby aficionados can
visit the Kentucky Derby Museum,
to view the film “The Greatest Race”
which places the viewer right in the
path of Derby action. Interactive
activities offer a jockey’s eye view
of a race. Visitors can also take a
guided walking tour of Churchill
Downs and the museum’s paddock
area. The Kentucky Derby offers
action for everyone, whether on the
infield having fun, nursing a mint
julep, or actually watching the race. ■
On the first Saturday in May, there is no other place on earth like Churchill Downs in
Louisville, Kentucky. For here on this famous mile oval, America’s best three-year-old
thoroughbreds convene to run the world’s best-known horse race — the Kentucky Derby.
THE MINT JULEP
Official Drink of the
Kentucky Derby
During such exhilarating activities, the spectators
are known to work up quite a thirst. For
more than a century, the mint julep has been
the traditional beverage of the Kentucky
Derby. More than 80,000 mint juleps are
served over a two-day period at the Kentucky
Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, necessitating
8,000 quarts of julep mix, 150 bushels of
mint, and 60 tons of shaved ice. The drink
has become such a classic that the turf stakes
race run on Derby Day, the Woodford Reserve
Turf Classic, is sponsored by Woodford
Reserve Bourbon, the ingredient used for
mixing an authentic mint julep.
The julep began centuries ago as an Arabic
drink called the “julab” made with water and
rose petals. Because the drink’s aroma was
so refreshing and delicate, people believed
that it would enhance their quality-of-life. As
the drink’s popularity trickled to the
Mediterranean, mint replaced the rose
petals, and the mint julep quickly spread
across Europe. Americans added American
whiskey to the mix, and over the years, sipping
a mint julep out of a silver cup became
a tradition for Derby-lovers everywhere.
Recipe for a Mint Julep
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Kentucky Bourbon
Silver julep cups
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and
water together for five minutes. Cool and
place in a covered container with six or eight
sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate
overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling
a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one
tablespoon of mint syrup and two ounces of
Kentucky Bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon
to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a
sprig of fresh mint.