The Mint Julep—made with bourbon, sugar, mint and crushed ice—has been served during the Kentucky Derby for nearly 100 years. Almost 120,000 of them are consumed at Churchill Downs during the course of the weekend.
Considered the official hotel of the Kentucky Derby, The Galt House is the only property in downtown Louisville that has views of the Ohio River.
Spectators flock to Churchill Downs on the day before the Derby for the Kentucky Oaks, a race consisting of three-year-old female horses. But the action on the pink carpet is equally entertaining—each year, Longines hosts a Fashion Contest for attendees to showcase their ensembles.
Photo by Diane Bondareff /AP Images for Longines.
In keeping with the Derby’s nickname “The Run for the Roses,” red roses can be seen all throughout the city. Bouquets welcome guests at the airport’s arrival gate, and Derby spectators often dress according to the theme.
Horses are paraded around Churchill Downs’ Paddock Area for VIP guests and owners prior to the race.
The experience is designed to get the horses acclimated to the sights, sounds and roar of the crowd, which typically amounts to 150,000 spectators.
The best seats are unquestionably those in The Mansion, an uber-exclusive clubhouse that spans 10,000-square-feet and costs upwards of $10,000 per “invite-only” ticket. At this year’s race, Mansion guests included Ted Cruz, Tony Romo, Kate Upton and Adrian Grenier.
Mansion guests smoked hand-rolled cigars on the Veranda, six floors above the track.
A dress made entirely from Kentucky license plates—one of the many art installations on display inside The Mansion.
A-listers who didn’t snag a spot in The Mansion tend to view the races from The Turf Club, seen here.
Following the race, the winning jockey Mario Gutierrez receives a silver trophy, while the winning owner gets one that’s gold—and double the size. The owner, trainer and jockey also receive a watch from Longines, the Official Watch and Timekeeper of the Kentucky Derby.
Photo by Diane Bondareff /AP Images for Longines.
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