Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2021 and has been updated.
It’s Kentucky Derby time! And that means we get to see lots of colorful hats and fashions, celebrities who will enjoy the race — and did I forget the actual horses who will compete at Churchill Downs?
That means you might be at home making the classic bourbon cocktail known as a Mint Julep.
If you’re not experienced at making cocktails, fear not. That’s what I’m here for — and I have made this recipe every year with much success, which is basically just like this version from Real Simple (and when I say basically, I mean that I ignore the measurements, eyeball it and taste along the way):
Take a tall glass, mix some sugar with a little water at the bottom (if you want to go a step further to make a simple syrup by boiling water and sugar, go ahead! Here’s a good recipe).
Real Simple calls for you to “Clap … 6 mint leaves in your palms to release the herb’s oils, then add them.” I’ve never tried the clapping part, but I will this year!
Put some ice in your glass (the traditional one calls for crushed ice).
A quick search of “Marcus Freeman is everywhere” on Twitter shows that the Notre Dame head football coach certainly isn’t scared to get up and go. One minute he’s in South Bend and the next he’s at the White House. Whether its recruiting, doing public speaking, or something in-between, Freeman is certainly active.
During the first week of May, Notre Dame’s athletic webpage started a blog to track Freeman’s whereabouts (written by Katy Lonergan) as he is booked with events nationwide this month that aren’t directly related to on-the-field activities.
So far we’ve seen Freeman be the keynote speaker at a number of Notre Dame alumni group events, tour the Under Armour headquarters, and go fishing with his starting quarterback while in the south east.
Where was Freeman to start this weekend? Well, things began in Florida to benefit an incredible charitable cause before ending at the 149th Kentucky Derby. Check out the latest below.
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes officially delivered the “riders up” call at the 149th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6.
If you’re in the Kansas City area, however, you might have missed the iconic moment involving the reigning NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion at Churchill Downs. That’s because some severe weather alerts in Nodaway and Gentry counties had Kansas City’s NBC affiliate, KSHB-TV, switched over for a weather update.
For Ch. 41 viewers in KC, a tornado warning in Nodaway and Gentry counties shares the stage with Patrick Mahomes at Kentucky Derby. Be safe up there, people. pic.twitter.com/v3Dl6W1f27
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) May 6, 2023
Don’t fret, though. We’ve got you covered with a video at the top of the page.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the city of Louisville, the commonwealth of Kentucky and sports fans worldwide have been waiting for this moment,” Mahomes said. “Riders up!”
A spell-binding call from Mahomes leading up to Mage, a horse with 17-1 odds, winning the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby.
Can you figure out who is in Louisville and who is in London?
Saturday, fans gathered in both London, England and Louisville, Kentucky for a couple of fancy, well-dressed events. Across the pond, people gathered to celebrate the coronation of King Charles as he officially ascended to the throne. In the midwest, fans of horse racing descended upon Churchill Downs to see who would emerge victorious after the “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” at the Kentucky Derby.
So it’s a good time to update the odds that were set on Monday after the post position draw. These will continue to change right up until the moments before the horses and jockeys line up in the starting gates, so this is more of a snapshot of how things are changing.
The 2023 Kentucky Derby is here, with a bunch of thoroughbreds running for a chance at glory (and a chance at a Triple Crown). Whether you’re betting on the race or just watching for fun (and, say, rooting for the horse with the best name), it’s always a spectacle from Churchill Downs in Louisville.
If you’re watching the events on NBC or Peacock on Saturday, you may be wondering: Who are the announcers, analysts and more?
Grab a mint julep, it’s time for the 2023 Kentucky Derby. This annual event brings the world together for “the most exciting two minutes in sports” at Churchill Downs’ dirt track in Louisville.
It’s been more than 140 years since the inaugural race — Saturday’s race will be the 149th running — and you’d think reporters would have covered every angle of the event, from the horses’ names and odds to jockeys and trainers to Triple Crown winners.
But there’s one community whose perspective on the Kentucky Derby has gone largely unexplored. That community is horse girls.
No, these aren’t half-girl, half-horse hybrids. Humanity hasn’t created centaurs… yet. Instead, horse girls are simply girls who love horses.
People outside of equestrian circles may not realize how developed horse girl subculture is. There are horse girl movies, books, clothes, websites and so much more. In the small Georgia town I grew up in, horse girls qualified as their own clique in school. Similar to University of Georgia fans wearing team jerseys to bond with other fans, horse girls identified each other through horse-themed clothes and flocked to each other in the cafeteria.
The phenomenon is so well established that BuzzFeed was able to compile a post full of horse girl memes. Urban Dictionary also has several definitions for “horse girl.” Many girls (and women) just adore horses. And like anything people love, from sports to bands, there is merch, media and more catered to it.
For self-described horse girls like Reddit user iDieFirst, riding horses and watching the Derby are family traditions. For others, the Derby is more of a casual event.
“I think it’s a really cool thing to watch, whether you know anything about horses or not,” said Lauren Davoodi, a rider at ISE Equine Endeavors in Parker, Texas. “There’s also a lot of amazing history behind the Derby and the Triple Crown, and you can learn a lot just by reading about the races or seeing posts online. It’s really amazing to see how much love and effort the riders and trainers involved put into their horses.”
In contrast, some horse fans, like childhood horse girl and current art educator Anna Moon, have never even watched the Derby. Similarly, Savannah Kawahata, veterinary medicine student at UC Davis and “lapsed horse girl,” has also never tuned in to the race.
“I’ve never had the attention span for watching professional sports,” Kawahata said.
“I don’t think horse racing, at least in the U.S., is done in a particularly healthy or sustainable way with concern for the animal’s well-being, so I don’t love it as a whole,” Kawahata adds. “That being said, I’m sure this level of racing is leaps and bounds improved over the tracks I’ve seen.”
While opinions on the Derby vary, there are some key sentiments that horse enthusiasts want people to know. When it comes to animal health, Moon wants Derby watchers to understand how the sport impacts horses.
“I think attendees should know it’s a dangerous sport, that’s about entertaining humans and not a love for the creatures,” Moon said. “I was pretty scarred as a child to learn just how dangerous racing was for the horses, how it’s nearly impossible to rehabilitate horses from injuries or doping abuse.”
Like dogs bred for specific qualities, horses bred for racing display strong talents in some areas and major drawbacks in others.
As a 2020 episode of the Scientific American podcast Science, Quickly explains, “Breeding pairs are chosen for their athletic prowess and competitive behavior.” This system can and has resulted in “significant inbreeding” and related health issues.
While this raises concerns about the ethics of horse racing, it also pushes back against claims that horses are forced to race.
“A common argument I hear against the Derby and racing in general is that the horses are forced to run,” Davoodi said, “and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Race horses, especially the ones that are good enough to make it to the Derby, love their jobs.
“They’re like bird hunting dogs — they’re bred to do one thing, and that’s all they want to do. If a horse doesn’t want to run, it won’t run, and there’s nothing you can do to make it.”
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2022 and has been updated.
The Kentucky Derby is here, and that means the attempt to win the Triple Crown will begin with whoever takes home the Run for the Roses in 2023.
Of course, that attempt to win all three — the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont — felt way more impossible just a decade ago, when the last Triple Crown winner was in 1978.
In the last eight years, we’ve seen TWO horses complete the three wins. We’ll see if this is a trend or an exception as the years go on.
Before Saturday’s race, here’s a look at the 13 horses who took home the Triple Crown:
