The Kentucky Derby is Saturday - For a Little Insight on the Race and how to Make a Mint Julep, Read on...

May 4th (this coming Saturday) is the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby. The following day (May 5th) is Cinco de Mayo. Last year, the Derby and Cinco de Mayo were on the same day. Thank heaven that’s not the case this year. Whiskey and tequila on the same day – not a good idea!!! Or at least that’s what a friend told me.  

But first, let me tip my hat to the young ladies (otherwise known as fillies) that will be running the day before at the 144th running of the Kentucky Oaks. That’s right, I said 144th! The Oaks was founded one year after the Derby by the same person who founded the Kentucky Derby – Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark - or Lutie, as he was called. Lutie had quite an interesting past, including who he descended from (look at his last name – Lewis Clark). If you have an interest, it would be worth it to click on the link provided.

The Kentucky Oaks is a race for three-year-old fillies and occurs the first Friday of May. Fans of thoroughbred racing and many who were born in Kentucky know what a big race this is – a Grade I race at a distance of 1 1/8 miles – quite the test for youngsters! It’s been around since 1875 and has an impressive list of winners including Untapable, Rachel Alexandra (one of my all-time favorites) and Silverbulletday. And though the Oaks may be slightly less well known than its kindred, the Kentucky Derby, roughly 115,000 people will stroll through the gates of Churchill Downs, many clad in pink, to watch the fillies have their day. Having been to both races (the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby) several times, I can’t say that I truly prefer one over the other. The atmosphere is very similar - the Oaks has a few less people (which means faster betting lines, food and drink lines, etc.).   

Now let’s move on to the Derby….

In college, I worked for a horse farm that up until American Pharoah in 2015, and subsequently Justify in 2018, had the last two Triple Crown winners – Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978).   Seattle Slew was a spoiled mess. He had the largest paddock of any horse at the farm, was treated liked royalty and knew that he was “the man.” He also was a stud – quite literally! The real money in the horse industry comes from breeding and he became one of the best Sires of all time. To breed with Seattle Slew, an owner would have to put up a lot of dough. The mare got up to three chances to get pregnant. If she got pregnant, they would have to put up more dough to keep the foal – I know, right? 

Most people I know who travel to Kentucky nowadays are going for the Bourbon Trail, which I certainly understand. But if you want to enrich the experience, I strongly recommend adding a thoroughbred horse farm tour to the mix. Thoroughbred horses are truly majestic, powerful and beautiful creatures; and the farms where they are stabled offer a beautiful backdrop to pamper and protect some of the country’s most valuable animals. But behind all the beauty, make no mistake – it’s a business, and you’ll learn a lot more about it if you decide to take a tour. 

But enough about that. Let me tell you a few things you may not know about the Kentucky Derby and then I’ll leave you with my personal Mint Julep recipe.

Kentucky Derby Factoids

1.     The Kentucky Derby is always run on the first Saturday of May. Now that you know that, you can put a reminder on your calendar for next year.

2.     The Derby is also called the Run for the Roses for the blanket of roses that are draped over the winner.

3.     The Derby is hailed as the “most exciting two minutes in sports.” Why two minutes? Because that’s typically the time it takes the horses to run the 1 ? mile race – two minutes and change.

4.     There have only been two confirmed horses to run the race in under two minutes – Monarchos in 2001 and Secretariat in 1973; although many people believe that Sham also ran the Derby in just under two minutes. Sham ran second to Secretariat but at the time, races were not measured in 1/100th of a second. Secretariat, on the other hand, still holds the record for the fastest time ever at 1:59 2/5.  (BTW...the Sham section is an update provided by one of my closest friends, David Mills. An earlier version of this article stated definitively that only two horses had run the race in under two minutes).

5.     Only three-year olds run in the Kentucky Derby, so they’ve only got one shot. A horse can’t run the race when he/she’s two or four – only three.

6.     All thoroughbred horses in the Northern Hemisphere are given a birth date of January 1 which means you could have a horse born on December 31 that turns one year old the next day. 

7.     The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown, with the other two legs being the Preakness and Belmont respectively. The Belmont is the longest race at 1 ? miles with the Preakness being the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 1 3/16.

8.     Most (not all) thoroughbred horse races are between six furlongs and one mile and one sixteenth. The Derby is a step up to 1 ? miles and likely the biggest challenge the horses will have faced to date. 

9.     It’s not a heat (yes, I’ve been asked that question before). Horses do not race earlier in the day to compete to race in the Derby later in the day. A full gallop for 1 ? miles carrying 126 lbs is taxing, so there are weeks and sometimes months between races for each horse. 

10.  The field for the Derby caps at 20 horses. Other horses may be “eligible” to run but can only do so if another horse scratches (aka drops out of the race).

So hopefully that was helpful.

Now let’s get to the burning question on many peoples’ minds….Who’s going to win the Kentucky Derby? I have no flipping idea! But I do like to bet on the guy in the title picture for this article. And if you thought that was me – you’re not alone. Do you know how many times I’ve been told, “hey man, you look just like Bob Baffert.” What I’m wondering is has anyone ever told Bob, “hey man, you look just like Jim Simpson.” Ok, probably not – but a guy can dream.

But seriously, Bob is a world-renowned horse trainer and has won the Kentucky Derby five times including the last two triple crown winners (mentioned above); he’s won the Preakness seven times, Belmont three times and the Oaks three times – not bad! He will be fielding as many as three Derby horses this year provided nothing happens between now and race day. 

So here’s the other burning question that’s on your mind…What’s in a Mint Julep and how do I make one?      

This is my personal recipe that I’ve served to literally hundreds of people over the years. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Kentucky Whiskey (I use Maker’s Mark)

Mint

Simple syrup steeped in mint

Shaved ice

Powdered sugar

Step 1: Make the simple syrup the night before. Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves. Once it does, put a bunch of mint in the pot and steep it for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Remove the mint from the pot and strain out any small pieces. Put the simple syrup in a sealed glass container and allow it to chill overnight.

Step 3: On Derby day, fill a narrow, tall glass with shaved ice (don’t skip this step, the shaved ice is important), and add a tiny bit of powdered sugar (less than what would fit in a thimble).

Step 4: This next step is a matter of personal taste. Add one to two parts whiskey to one part mint syrup (I prefer two parts whiskey to one part syrup – anything much less and you’re really drinking a mint slushy). Fill the glass to about ? the way up. 

Step 5: Take a bar spoon and tamp down the ice repeatedly until the glass begins to frost.

Step 6: Add a mint sprig and enjoy! 

In the meantime, enjoy the Kentucky Oaks, enjoy the Kentucky Derby and hopefully a Mint Julep from the recipe above. And as post time for the big race nears, pick a horse you like; spot the colors of your Jockey’s silks; watch your horse break from the gate; follow its position; listen to its thundering hooves; get lost in the moment; and as it makes the final turn for home, feel free to scream at the top of your lungs….”GO BABY GO!”