Derby Traditions

Mint Julep Drink

According to records at the (Kentucky) Derby museum, the Mint Julep became the traditional and signature beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby in 1938 when the drink was served in signature glasses and sold for 75c each.

In May 2006, Churchill Downs served custom-made mint juleps at a cost of $1000 each at the Kentucky Derby. The mint juleps were served in gold-plated cups with silver straws, and were made from Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint imported from Ireland, ice from the Bavarian Alps, and sugar from Australia. The proceeds were used to support charitable causes dedicated to retired race horses. (www.wikipedia.org). 

Each year, almost 120,000 ‘Early Times Mint Juleps’ are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. This requires over 10,000 bottles of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 1,000 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 60,000 pounds of ice.

Victoria’s Flower

The official flower for the Victorian Derby is the cornflower.

Black and White

Amongst the many traditions of the Derby such as the distance and its heritage as a race for three year old horses only), also comes the use of black and white as the Derby colours. The Earl of Derby’s traditional racing colours (those worn by the jockey) were black with a white cap. However that was to change in a small but highly significant way in 1924.

Like many sporting quirks, this stems from superstition, when back in 1924 Lord Derby's Sansovino was set to run in the Derby. Jockey Tommy Weston was getting changed to ride in Lord Derby's colours when he nervously got part of the white stock he was wearing around his neck caught around the black button on his jacket - so it ended up looking like he had one white button. Of course, the horse won the Derby and Lord Derby's silks have unofficially carried the white button ever since.

Fashion and racing are inextricably entwined and there is no more fashionable event than the Derby.  The English Derby attracts the rich and famous, all dressed ‘to the nines’ for a day of elegance, opulence, style and glamour with the traditions of the Earl’s black and white colours carried through in the theme of the day. At all racecourses around the world that host a derby, the element of fashion is a major theme of the day.

‘Run for the Roses’ / Red Roses

The official place of the red rose and the tradition of draping a garland of red roses over the winning horse’s neck at the Kentucky Derby was inspired from when a New York socialite created a sensation by handing out red roses to ladies at a fashionable Louisville Derby party after the Kentucky Derby in 1883.

In 1904 the red rose became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby and in 1925 New York sports journalist (later to be Churchill Downs’ president) Bill Corum strengthened this tradition by dubbing the Kentucky Derby the ‘Run for the Roses’.

Every year since 1932, 544 red roses have been sewn into a garland with the seal of the Commonwealth on one end and Churchill Downs’ famous twin spires with the year of the race on the other.  Each garland is also adorned with a ‘crown’ of roses, ribbon and fern which represents the ‘struggle and heart necessary to reach the winners’ circle’ (www.kentuckyderby.com). (A garland is draped over the neck of the winning horse after it returns to the Birdcage).