Robert & Renee’ Price (26296)
Kentucky Thoroughbreds – Presidents
Ahh springtime in Kentucky. Every year on the first Saturday in May the fastest two minutes in sports takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. In fact, Churchill Downs will be celebrating its 150th anniversary of the “Run for the Roses” on May 4th, 2024.
Here are a few interesting facts about the Kentucky Derby that you might not know. Only three-year-old horses are allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby. All thoroughbred horses have the same birthday- January 1st. It doesn’t matter what day a horse was born during the year. A thoroughbred racehorse’s age is marked on New Year’s Day to make it easier to track its bloodlines.
The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the coveted Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby has never been canceled or postponed due to inclement weather. Only three fillies (female horses) have won the derby: Regret in 1915, Genuine Risk in 1980 and Winning Colors in 1980.
The total purse for the 150th derby has been raised to $5 million for 1st – 5th place finishers (up from $3 million in 2023). Secretariat remains the fastest horse in Kentucky Derby history. His 1973 record time of 1:59.40 has never been broken.
More winning horses have come from Kentucky than any other state or country. This should come as no surprise considering the state’s expertise in the field. The thoroughbred industry is one of Kentucky’s largest economic sectors. It’s easy to see why with all the beautiful horse farms dotting the landscape between Louisville and Lexington.
Any visit to our state would not be complete without visiting the Kentucky Derby, the Derby Museum and a few of our beautiful thoroughbred horse farms.
Additionally, the Kentucky Derby Festival is a two-week annual festival of daily fun and excitement leading up to race day. This year makes the Kentucky Derby even more fun and memorable by attending as many festival events as possible.
Some of the more popular Festival events include:
*Thunder Over Louisville- April 20 (World’s largest fireworks display and air show-downtown)
*The Great Balloon Fest- April 25-27 (Fairgrounds 30-40 balloons)
*The Great Steamboat Race- May 1st (Ohio River)
*The Pegasus Parade- April 28 (Downtown on Broadway)
For more events and information, Google the Kentucky Derby Festival. The purchase of a Derby Festival lapel pin ($7) is all you’ll need to gain entrance into most events.
An abundance of area campgrounds is available, but you’d better make your reservations soon. Over 250,000 people visit Louisville every year to attend the derby and derby festival events.
Springtime in Kentucky doesn’t get any better than May 4th, 2024. The people are so nice and friendly, and everyone is treated like a VIP. Don’t forget that Louisville marks the beginning of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. From the birthplace of Bourbon, you’ll be able to explore your way through countless Kentucky distilleries and wineries.
Come see what Kentucky has to offer… you’ll be glad you did. We can be reached by email: Renee.Price@expresspros.com or Robert.Price@expresspros.com.
PS: As a follow up to my previous Special Interest article in the March/April Legacy magazine would you please consider making a small donation to St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Hospital by using the QR Code below? Simply scan the QR code and donate any amount. 100% of your donation goes straight to St. Jude Hospital. Please help us help the children and families of St. Jude Hospital.