Kentucky Derby Tickets

Kentucky Derby is a hugely popular stakes race which is held annually in Louisville. It is famously referred to as an exciting “two minutes in sports”. In the United States this is the first part of the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing. The Derby draws thousands of people every year from all over the globe.

Kentucky was a well known hub for horse breeding as well as racing in the eighteenth century. The fields in the region of Blue grass were considered good for producing excellent race horses. It was Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark who was instrumental in setting up the Louisville Jockey Club with the aim of gathering money to build superior racing facilities in the outskirts of the city. The racetrack came to be known as Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby first ran a distance of 2.4 km in the track. The distance is the same as the Grand prix de Paris and the Epsom Derby. The distance was brought down to 2 km in 1896. It was in May 1875 that the first Derby took off. There were fifteen three year old horses who contested the race.

The first race that was held there was successful but there were financial difficulties. In 1902 Col. Matt Winn took over the facility and it was under his control that the race track prospered and Kentucky Derby became the preeminent horse race in the country of America.

Between the years of 1875 to 1902 African American jockeys were winners in 15 out of a total of 28 runnings of the derby. In 1892, African American "Lonnie" Clayton was the youngest rider to emerge a winner in the derby. The 1904 Kentucky derby was won by a woman named Laska Durnell. In 1915 Regret was the first filly who won the race. In 1917 the winner was "Omar Khayyam" who was the first offshore horse to win the Derby.

The participants in Kentucky Derby are restricted to horses that are three year old. In 1952 there was the national coverage of the derby for the first time. In 2004, it was given out that the jockeys would be allowed to wear advertising logos of the corporate on their attire. In 2005, the money distribution system among the horses changed. The horse which finished fifth was also included while the money was being distributed.

There are quite a few traditions that are important in Kentucky derby. Mint Julep, comprising mint, sugar syrup and bourbon is the conventional drink of the derby. Burgoo is the traditional dish made of pork, vegetables, chicken and beef and is served at the time of the Kentucky derby. The revelers mostly gather in the infield to witness the race. There is the "millionaire's row" which is an expensive seating arrangement that attracts the rich and the famous. They come dressed elaborately and stylishly. The University of Louisville marching band plays the music of Stephen Foster’s "my old Kentucky home" when the horses parade in front of the stands. The Kentucky derby is often called "the run for the roses". This is so because of the tradition of awarding a blanket of 554 roses to the winner.

In 2007 the Kentucky derby happened in the month of May. It was the 133rd running of the Derby. The special guest on the occasion was Elizabeth II. There was a record attendance of 156,635 people which is reported to be the third largest in the history of Kentucky Derby.