10,000 bottles of bourbon; 1,000 to 2,250 pounds of mint and 475,000 pounds of ice – together these ingredients comprise the 120,000 to 127,000 Mint Juleps served each year at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby. …accompanied by the extravagant hats which have become one of the event’s biggest traditions!

The idea for the Kentucky Derby originated with Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of explorer William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition). Having traveled to Europe, Clark was inspired by prestigious races like England’s Epsom Derby and aimed to create a similar elite event in America to showcase Kentucky’s renowned Thoroughbred breeding industry.

The Louisville Jockey Club, later renamed Churchill Downs, opened on May 17, 1875, and the 1^st Kentucky Derby was one of four races that day. The race that day was contested over 1.5 miles – the same distance as the English Derby – by 15 three-year-old horses and in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 spectators! (In 1896, the distance was shortened to the current 1 ¼ miles (10 furlongs).

The Kentucky Derby has survived world wars, the Great Depression and has never been cancelled due to weather (though postponed twice!). Annual attendance is usually between 150,000 and 170,000, making it larger than the Super Bowl or World Series in single-day crowds. For our Kentucky readers, your state has produced more than 77% of all Derby winners, far more than any other state. (Only 6 foreign-bred horses have ever won)

Some little-known facts:

• The Derby’s nickname, The Run for the Roses”, is derived from the winner’s receipt of a blanket of more than 400 roses, weighing about 40 pounds!
• The first purse in 1875 was $2,850 … today it’s worth millions.
• “Favorites” win only about 1/3 of the time, which is low compared to other races.
• The Mint Julep was only invented in 1938.
• All modern thoroughbred racehorses can trace their lineage back to just three foundation sires from the 17^th and 18^th
• Only 3 fillies have won the Kentucky Derby
• Only 13 Derby winners have gone on to win the Triple Crown

The Derby continues to highlight Kentucky’s central role in American Thoroughbred racing. The 152^nd Kentucky Derby is scheduled for May 2, 2026, and what began as a local Louisville event has become a global cultural phenomenon that you can enjoy “live” in your favorite chair.