Kentucky Derby Traditions: History of the Run for the Roses, Mint Julep, Hats
The Kentucky Derby is widely hailed as "the most exciting two minutes in sports." Learn more about the traditions behind this successful horse race held every year on the first Saturday in May.
Quick Reference: Kentucky Derby Traditions at a Glance
- When: the first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Founded: first run May 17, 1875, by Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of explorer William Clark.
- The race: a 1.25-mile (10 furlong) dirt track sprint, run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Roughly two minutes from gate to wire.
- Garland of roses: the winner is draped in a blanket of more than 400 red roses, hence “Run for the Roses.”
- Anthem: “My Old Kentucky Home” plays as the field walks onto the track.
- Drink: the official mint julep, served in a silver or pewter cup over crushed ice. Roughly 120,000 are served on Derby weekend.
- The Triple Crown: Derby (May) leads to Preakness (mid-May) and Belmont Stakes (early June).
When the Farmers’ Almanac celebrated its 57th anniversary in 1875, plans were being made to open the now-legendary Churchill Downs horse race course in Louisville, Kentucky, and run the very first Kentucky Derby. Today, the Kentucky Derby is America’s oldest continuously run horse race, and the Kentucky Derby traditions that surround it have hardened into a kind of national springtime ritual: hats, juleps, roses, and “My Old Kentucky Home.” It is an unparalleled event, a must-see happening, and a unique lifetime experience sought out by people from around the globe.
For an independent reference on the race’s history, see Encyclopaedia Britannica’s overview of the Kentucky Derby.
The First Saturday in May
When the Kentucky Derby is run on the first Saturday in May, few people stop to wonder just how this two-minute horse race evolved into a world-renowned event. The founder of the track and the Derby was Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., grandson of the great explorer William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. Having toured Europe and studied the great horse races, Clark was impressed by the Epsom Derby in England and the Grand Prix de Paris, sponsored by the French Jockey Club. He organized the Louisville Jockey Club and built a European-style horse racecourse on the farm of his uncles, John and Henry Churchill.
Churchill Downs, as it became named, hosts many horse races every year, as well as many exciting nonequine events, yet nothing comes close to the excitement, magic, and allure of the Kentucky Derby itself. The Twin Spires of the grandstand, added in 1895, became the visual signature of the track and remain one of the most recognized silhouettes in American sport.
For the first 27 years of operation, Churchill Downs never made a profit. In 1902, a marketing genius named Colonel Martin J. “Matt” Winn (June 30, 1861, to October 6, 1949), a tailor by trade, was drafted by local businessmen to take the helm of the Downs and have it turn a profit. It did so the next year and every year thereafter. Winn’s ultimate goal was to make the Kentucky Derby a memorable, unique, and must-see event. Until the day he died in 1949, Winn was relentless in his marketing and promotion, which paid off then and still does today.
Kentucky Derby Traditions
Part of Winn’s marketing success was inventing several Derby rituals that have become integral parts of the event. The “garland of roses” draped over the Derby winner and the handsome gold trophy are a few examples. The singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” as the first Derby contender sets hoof on the track before the race was also the brainchild of Matt Winn. The annual collectible official Derby mint julep glass was first produced in 1938. Winn was also responsible for picking the first Saturday in May to hold the Kentucky Derby. He was concerned with the weather and thought May offered a good chance for fair conditions in Kentucky. (Perhaps he checked the Farmers’ Almanac? We will never know. See what we are forecasting for Derby Day here.)
Today, the public still enjoys many Derby traditions: sipping mint juleps (recipe below), eating “hot browns,” wearing fancy hats, and serving slices of Derby-Pie as they watch the race. The “Run For The Roses” continues to be a uniquely American tradition that is seen by millions of people worldwide.
Kentucky Derby Traditions, at a Glance
| Tradition | First appeared | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Run for the Roses | 1896 (roses), 1932 (garland) | Blanket of 400+ red roses draped over the winning horse |
| “My Old Kentucky Home” anthem | 1921 | Played as the field walks onto the track for the post parade |
| Official mint julep | 1938 (collectible glass) | Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, mint, crushed ice, in a silver cup |
| Fancy Derby hats | Early 20th century | Worn by women (and increasingly men) in Millionaires Row and the infield |
| Hot Brown sandwich | 1926 (Brown Hotel, Louisville) | Open-faced turkey, bacon, and Mornay sauce sandwich |
| Derby-Pie | 1954 (Kern’s Kitchen, Prospect, KY) | Chocolate-walnut tart, trademarked dessert of Derby weekend |
| Garland of roses & gold trophy | 1924 (current trophy design) | Presented in the winner’s circle along with the rose blanket |
| Triple Crown sequence | 1875 / 1873 / 1867 | Derby (KY) > Preakness (MD) > Belmont (NY), five weeks total |
Classic Mint Julep
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- sprigs of fresh mint
- crushed ice
- Kentucky Bourbon
Start by making a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes.
Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight.
Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon of the mint syrup and two ounces of Kentucky Bourbon.
Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
If you are growing the mint for that julep, our notes on clever ways to use mint show how to keep a steady supply through May and June.
Kentucky Derby Traditions FAQ
When is the Kentucky Derby held each year?
The Kentucky Derby is run on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The post time for the main race is in the early evening, but Derby Day is an all-day program with multiple races on the card.
Why is the Kentucky Derby called the “Run for the Roses”?
Roses became the official Derby flower in 1896, and a draped garland of more than 400 red roses has been presented to the winning horse in the winner’s circle since 1932. The phrase “Run for the Roses” stuck and has been the race’s marketing line ever since.
What is the official Kentucky Derby drink?
The mint julep, made with Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, fresh mint, and crushed ice, traditionally served in a silver or pewter julep cup. The collectible official Derby mint julep glass debuted in 1938. Churchill Downs reports roughly 120,000 juleps served during Derby weekend.
What is “My Old Kentucky Home” and when is it sung?
It is the official state song of Kentucky, written by Stephen Foster in 1853. At the Derby it is played by the University of Louisville Marching Band as the field of horses walks onto the track for the post parade, just before the start of the race. The tradition dates to 1921 and is one of the most recognizable moments in American sport.
What is the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing?
The American Triple Crown is the sequence of three races won by the same three-year-old in a single year: the Kentucky Derby in early May, the Preakness Stakes (Pimlico, Maryland) two weeks later, and the Belmont Stakes (Belmont Park, New York) three weeks after that. Sir Barton was the first Triple Crown winner in 1919; Justify (2018) is the most recent at the time of writing.
What is the dress code for the Kentucky Derby?
There is no strict dress code, but the tradition runs to “Derby chic”: for women, a full hat or fascinator paired with a sundress or a fitted suit; for men, a seersucker or linen suit, often in pastel, with a bow tie. The infield is more casual and the box seats are more formal, but the hats are universal.
What is a Hot Brown, and what is Derby-Pie?
The Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich invented in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville: turkey on toasted bread, smothered with Mornay sauce and topped with bacon, then broiled. Derby-Pie is a trademarked chocolate-walnut tart created by Kern’s Kitchen in Prospect, Kentucky in 1954. Both are fixtures of Derby-weekend kitchens.
For related almanac-side reading, see our piece on improving your luck (Friday the 13th edition), which pairs nicely with picking a long-shot horse, and foods named after people, the family the Derby-Pie sits in.
What are your Kentucky Derby traditions? Tell us in the comments below.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
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I am a former resident of Kentucky and must say the mint julep is awful even when served in the silver cup.
I get a drink every year (collector) and pour the drink out after the first sip.
Hi Lee,
Thanks for sharing! I’ve never had one but would like to go to the race one year! Love that you collect the cups!
We tried the Mint Juleps at the 142nd derby in 2016. In our opinion…..nasty!
A group of friends are going to a local event in our community that will have all the elements of the great race. Most of us will be dressed for the occasion.
Cherie, it was quite a race, no? You witnessed history with that disqualification!
We don’t drink alcohol..so I use sparkling water…you can use sparkling lime drink. Very refreshing.
My husband and I have been to the race several times – it’s such a thrill and very fun to bet on the races. The downside is that it’s such a spectacle that it’s become too expensive; only general admission tickets (no seat) are affordable. And parking is a huge problem; you have to park blocks away and walk or ride a bus. When it’s over there are thousands of people walking to their cars; people you can’t get around, tired people, drunk people, and it takes FOREVER to get back to your car. So, unless you have thousands to spend on great seas and a hotel limo to drop you off and pick you up… watch it on TV and bet from your phone.
My sister’s and our husbands make bets on who is going to win. It’s like a game with us. Our father used to watch the Derby with us when we were girls.
What a fun tradition! It was quite a race!
My husband and I have watched for a long time, we always have champagne and a great time.
IT WAS SO GUCCI
My husband and I dress for the Kentucky Derby from head to toe. We make mint juleps and finger food that we enjoy before, during and after the race that we watch on the television.