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Join me, Bobby Flay as I'm honored to be your 2008 Celebrity Host for bringing the Kentucky Derby home. Throwing this party will be easy as Derby Pie® with entertaining tips, traditions, recipes and decor themes - all with a distinctively Southern flair! Your party will rival all the style, excitement and enthusiasm you'll find at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Referred to as"The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," the Kentucky Derby has captivated race fans the world over since its inaugural running in 1875. Over the last 130-plus years, the race has become bound by numerous traditions, including an official drink (the bourbon-based Mint Julep); the display of elaborate women’s hats; the working-class excess of the infield; the blanket of 554 red roses awarded to the winner; and the University of Louisville marching band grinding out Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home.” In short, the Derby is an American institution, and one of the country’s greatest traditions.

In preparation for yet another historic American horse race, we present 10 things you didn’t know about the Kentucky Derby.

1- Black jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derbys 10 years after the Civil War, the majority of both riders and trainers in horse racing were black. They included jockey Oliver Smith, who won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875, racing against a field composed almost entirely of other black riders. Contrary to other American athletics at the time, these black jockeys would go on to play a major role in the early years of their sport, riding15 horses to victory between 1875 and 1902.

2- It has connections to expedition leaders Lewis & Clark Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., a grandson of William Clark, founded the Louisville Jockey Club in 1874, after trips to England’s Epsom Derby and France’s Grand Prix de Paris. He did so by leasing 80 acres of land from his uncles, John and Henry Churchill -- which, in a nutshell, is how the famous track earned its name.

3- It pioneered testing for steroids Long before doping accusations would hit Major League Baseball, officials at the Kentucky Derby had their own doping headaches to deal with. For instance, in 1968, Dancer’s Image took first in the Derby, but a post-race urinalysis on the winning horse found traces of the non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone. While the drug's use was legal at other tracks, it was illegal at Churchill Downs. Dancer’s Image was disqualified into last place, making Forward Pass the winner.

The decision was upheld by the highest court in Kentucky, but because Churchill Downs later approved use of the drug, the disqualification of Dancer’s Image continues to be one of the more controversial decisions in American sports history. Currently, the official website of the Kentucky Derby lists both horses as winners.

4- The winner with the worst pre-race odds was 1913’s Donerail Those who chose to bet on Donerail at the 39th Derby in 1913 knew full-well the stallion was a long shot -- it was pegged with staggering 91-to-1 odds -- but for those who took a chance, Donerail set a track record and let them cash in. Case in point: A straight $2 bet paid $184.90. 2005’s winner Giacomo had the second worst odds at 50-to-1, paying $102.60 on a $2 bet.

A number of U.S. presidents have attended the running, including Truman, Johnson, Ford, Reagan, Carter, and Bush Sr., though none attended while they were actually president. Only Richard Nixon can claim as much, first attending while on the campaign trail in 1968, and then fulfilling a campaign promise when he attended again in 1969 -- a race also attended by fellow Republicans and future presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. 6- Its solid-gold trophy is the only such annually awarded trophy in American sports Since 1924, the winner of the Kentucky Derby has been awarded an impressive prize: A trophy made of 14 karat gold, standing 22 inches tall, weighing 56 ounces (without its base), and is almost fully crafted by hand -- it is unmatched in American sports. One of the only changes made to the trophy since 1924 is the direction of the 18-karat gold horseshoe: In 1999, officials turned the horseshoe to face up, falling in line with superstitions concerning horseshoes that are turned downward.

7- It gave birth to Hunter S. Thompson's “Gonzo journalism” Gonzo journalism is a subjective, first-person style of reporting that defies normal journalistic convention by including the reporter in the story. Pioneer Hunter S. Thompson attended the 1970 Kentucky Derby and hung out in the famous and decidedly middle-class infield. In order to meet a deadline for Scanlon’s Monthly, he reportedly gathered together sheets from his notebook and submitted them one by one, titling the piece “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved.” An editor from the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine and friend of Thompson coined the term when he called the piece itself “pure Gonzo journalism.”

8- Its thoroughbreds share one of three ancestors Although the term “thoroughbred” is sometimes used to connote any purebred horse, the thoroughbred is its own breed, and every one of them can have their lineage traced back to one of three mega-studs -- Byerly Turk, Godolphin Barb and Darley Arabian -- imported from North Africa and the Middle East into England in the 17th and 18th centuries. In fact, an article in the New Scientist claims that 95% of thoroughbreds racing today can trace their Y chromosome straight back to Darley Arabian.

9- Only three horses have finished the Derby in under two minutes What the 4-minute mile used to be in track & field, the 2-minute 1¼ mile remains, in the Kentucky Derby, a near-impossible standard. Since the Derby switched from the 1½-mile race to the shorter 1¼ mile in 1896, the 2-minute barrier has only been broken three times. The first -- and the fastest race in Derby history -- belongs to Triple Crown-winner Secretariat in 1973, whose 1:59.40 time beat out Sham, who ran the race in 1:59.80. The last time a sub-two-minute race happened was in 2001, when Monarchos ran a 1:59.97 to win.

10- No horse coming from the 17th or 19th post position has ever won the Derby Over 133 years, the question of successful post positions was bound to come up. The Derby currently features 20 post positions, not all of which are occupied at race time. Posts 1 and 5 have produced the most winners -- 12 each -- followed closely by positions 4 and 10, each with 10 winners. Thus far, the 17th and 19th positions have been the only ones that have failed to produce a winner.

Like most regional cuisines, Kentucky's cooking has had many influences. Native Americans, there when the first settlers arrived, introduced corn and many of their uses for it with cornmeal, grits, hominy. Settlers from the British Isles brought farming principles and techniques for preserving ham and distilling whiskey. African Americans played an important part in the development, serving as cooks in the South. Their use of seasonings, a variety of greens, and okra, all have direct links to Africa.

The varied regions of Kentucky have contributed their own unique foods and dishes to the state's culinary evolution. Louisville's influences come from its grand hotels, mix of ethnic backgrounds, and foods associated with the Kentucky Derby. Central Kentucky has contributed its farm-style cooking, while Appalachia gave rise to the simple "country dishes", due to subsistence farming and isolation. The Western part of the state is noted for its unique style of barbecue, which often features mutton.

Many of the fine regional dishes were refined in Kentucky inns. Some of the early inns are still in operation today. Bardstown's Old Talbott Tavern, Berea's Boone Tavern, and Harrodsburg's Beaumont Inn are a few examples. Restaurant dining, especially in Louisville and Lexington, has developed over the years to rival that of any other metropolitan area.

Many Kentuckians have contributed to the culinary arts. Duncan Hines was one of the first to compile a dining guide that became widely accepted, and is probably most remembered for lending his name to the one of the earliest cake mixes. Dean Fearing, from Ashland, wrote the cookbook Mansion on Turtle Creek, and is widely regarded as the Chef responsible for starting many of the Southwestern food trends in America. Other authors like Camille Glenn, Cissy Gregg, and Marion Flexner have produced wonderful classic cookbooks, helping preserve the heritage of Kentucky cuisine.

Celebrate the "Run for the Roses" with Kentucky's signature foods. You don’t have to know a thing about horses to enjoy the Kentucky Derby. It’s got more excitement packed into one short race than any other sporting event.

For your Derby party, serve a traditional Kentucky staple – burgoo. By definition, burgoo is a mish-mash of everything and anything you have in your frig and pantry.

Mint Juleps 4 handfuls of mint leaves 1 1/3 cup sugar 4 cups water 8 ounces bourbon Crushed ice Working in batches, bruise the mint leaves in a bowl, slightly crushing leaves with a mortar/pestle or the rounded handle of a rolling pin. Combine crushed leaves, sugar and water in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes. Strain. Fill 4 silver julep cups with crushed ice. Add 2 ounces of bourbon to each cup. Pour equal amounts of syrup into each cup. Stir rapidly until outside of cup gets frosty. Rub fresh mint around the rim of the cup.

Benedictine Sandwich Appetizers 1 large cucumber 8 ounces cream cheese 2 tablespoons grated onion 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1/8 teaspoon salt Dash green food coloring Peel, seed and grate the cucumber. Drain by pressing grated cucumber between paper towels. Place in food processor along with cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise and salt. Add food coloring, one drop at a time, until mixture is light, bright green. Spread mixture between two pieces of white, crustless bread and cut into triangle sandwiches.

2 pounds pork shank 2 pounds beef shank 3 pound roasting chicken 8 quarts water 1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 ½ pounds onions, diced 6 carrots, chopped 2 green peppers, chopped 2 cups chopped cabbage 1 quart tomato puree 2 cups corn kernels 2 red chili peppers 2 cups diced okra 2 cups lima beans 1 cup diced celery ¼ cup chopped parsley ½ teaspoon thyme ½ teaspoon oregano Salt and cayenne pepper to taste Put pork, beef, whole chicken and water in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender and falling off bones. Remove meat from the pot. Let it cool and then remove meat from bones. Combine meat, potatoes, onions, carrots, green pepper, cabbage, tomato puree, corn, chili peppers, okra, lima beans and celery in pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours or until thickened. Add parsley, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper and oregano in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup light corn syrup ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup chopped walnuts ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ tablespoons bourbon ¼ teaspoon vanilla 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 9-inch deep dish pie crust, unbaked Combine all ingredients in a bowl and pour into pie crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 more minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Tips: The actual Kentucky Derby race is only about 2 minutes long, so don't get so caught up in the festivities that you miss it. Your television set doesn’t have to be the center of the party, just the center of attention at race time. If you’ve never had a mint julep, you’re in for a treat. Before Derby day, invest in some silver julep cups. In a pinch, buy a set of aluminum tumblers. Anything metal makes it authentic! Order Kentucky Derby party fun stuff from Caulfield’s Novelty web site, including a “Talk Derby to Me” tee-shirt for yourself!

Theme your invitations with a clipart photo of horses or roses. It's traditional for women to wear big hats on Derby Day, so if you want a fun spectacle, be sure to include hats as proper attire for ladies in your invitation. In the invitation, let your guests know that they'll be gathering to study the horses, "bet" and watch the race. As of this writing, post time is 6:04 pm EST. Time the party so that guests can have plenty of time to meet, mingle and handicap the horses before the race. About a week before the party, start cutting out newspaper articles about the Derby. No matter where you live, most newspapers start running articles about Derby horses and trainers at least a week prior to the race. Order a couple of copies of the Racing Form from your local stationer. They sell out fast on Derby eve, so make sure you reserve yours beforehand. Make up "betting slips". You can do this a number of ways, but one popular method is to ask guests to pick the first three finishers in order. Assign 5 points for Win, 3 for Place and 1 for Show. The highest point winner wins a prize. Decide on your menu. The Mint Julep is the traditional (adult) beverage of choice for the Derby. There are many recipes for this drink….here's just one to get you started: Boil 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water for five minutes and pour over 8-10 sprigs of fresh mint. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To make the juleps, pour equal amounts of bourbon and mint syrup over cracked ice. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. This drink is traditionally served in an iced silver cup, but if you don't have plenty of these on hand, it tastes just fine in a plastic cup. For a non-alcoholic Julep, try pouring ginger ale and a tablespoon or two of mint syrup over ice. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig. Food can be anything, but think Southern …fried chicken fingers, crab cakes, black-eyed pea relish, hush puppies, pork rinds, country ham on a biscuit and pecan tarts. To really impress your guests, serve SeaBiscuits™ for dessert. SeaBiscuits™ are peanut butter filled milk chocolates embossed with a racing image of the great Sea Biscuit. They are large (2" long x 1-1/2" wide, like a cookie) and incredibly delicious. Decide on a gift for the winner. Stick with the racing theme and award a horseshoe racehorse and jockey sculpture or a chocolate horse poured from an antique mold. On Derby Day, tape up the racing articles you found on your walls, or arrange them on a table. Get the actual list of starters from that day's paper or online sports source. A great resource is www.kentuckyderby.com. (We recommend you check for any horses that have been "scratched" or withdrawn from the race, and edit your articles accordingly). Prominently display the actual list of starters. If you have any equestrian items, show ribbons, plush horses, etc., use them to decorate. Put out your betting slips and some pens. Put your Racing Forms out on a table. The Derby is known as "The Run for the Roses," so be sure to display a big bouquet. As your guests arrive, explain that they'll be selecting the first three finishers. Invite them to study the articles and ask them to fill in their picks and hold on to their betting slips. Serve cocktails and appetizers, and gather to watch the race on TV. After the race, determine who has the most points and award the prize. Serve dessert and you're finished! We guarantee a great time for all!

KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER MAJESTIC PRINCE'S GOLD TROPHY LEADS DOYLE JEWELRY SALE Degas watched one of his works of art sell at auction for $100,000. Asked how he felt he offered this comment, “I feel as a horse must feel when the beautiful cup is given to the jockey.”

The beautiful cups are still being awarded to jockeys and horse racing keeps churning out champions.

The bighearted, Majestic Prince was poised to be the first unbeaten race horse in history to win the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. He had the first two in the bag and was ready for Belmont.

There were only six horses in the 1969 Belmont Stakes. With an unbeaten record, the chestnut colt was the favorite.

With only an eighth-mile to go in the race, Majestic Prince closed to second but couldn’t catch up to Derby/Preakness runner-up Arts and Letters. The Prince ended up coming in second by five lengths.

Majestic Prince had some physical problems before the Derby. His owner, obsessed with Triple Crown fever, overruled the trainers and ran him anyway. The results spoke for themselves.

After Belmont, Majestic Prince never raced again and finished his career with a 9-1-0 in 10 races earning $414,200. His owner, Canadian oil millionaire Frank McMahon paid a record $250,000 for the horse in 1967.

The Derby victory gave trainer Johnny Longden the record for being the only person in history to train and ride a Derby winner. In his earlier career as a jockey, Longden steered 1943 Triple Crown winner Count Fleet to victory in the Derby.

After his racing days were over, Majestic Prince began a breeding career at Spendthrift Farm, Lexington, Ky. It was the same farm where he was bred and raised by Leslie Combs II. He died in 1981 at the age of 15.

Majestic Prince’s Kentucky Derby gold cup surfaced at auction on July 20, 2006, at Doyle, New York by order of the Provident Loan Society, a not-for-profit lending organization also in New York. It marked the first time since 1951 that a Kentucky Derby Gold Cup had been offered for sale.

Estimated to sell for $15,000-20,000, the cup brought $60,000. Made of solid 14 karat gold, the trophy measured 16 3/4 inches and weighed almost 50 ounces.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based internet company Secretariat.com was the winning bidder. The company is operated in conjunction with Mrs. Penny Chenery, the owner of Secretariat. Its goal is to celebrate thoroughbred racing’s past.

Chenery’s Meadow Stable won back-to-back Kentucky Derbys. The first was Riva Ridge in 1972. The second was Triple Crown winner Secretariat in 1973.

The under bidder on this lot was the Kentucky Derby Museum which possesses one of the nation’s largest collection of Derby trophies.

Ironically, the trophy won by Majestic Prince is headed back to Louisville. The new owners will loan the trophy to the museum to serve as the centerpiece of a Kentucky Derby Museum exhibit on that famed “Run for the Roses.” The Derby victory exhibit on Majestic Prince was scheduled to open Aug. 22.

“Mrs. Chenery and I felt that the purchase and the public showing of the trophy would be a wonderful way to increase interest and enthusiasm for the sport,” said Leonard Lusky, president of Secretariat.com.

Chenery added she was delighted to have played a part in bringing the trophy back home.

Kentucky has been the center of horse breeding and racing since the late 1700s due to the Ordovician fields of the Bluegrass region, which contains higher than average amounts of calcium and thus produced superior race horses. The orginal track would become known as Churchill Downs, named for, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the racetrack. Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937.

The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the same distance as the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. In 1896, the distance was changed to its current 1.25 miles. On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. Under jockey Oliver Lewis, a colt named Aristides, won the inaugural Derby.

Between 1875 and 1902, African-American jockeys won 15 of the 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. On May 11, 1892, African-American jockey Alonzo "Lonnie" Clayton, age 15, became the youngest rider to win the Derby. The 1904 race was won by Elwood, the first Derby starter and winner to be owned by a woman, Laska Durnell. In 1915, Regret became the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby, and in 1917, the English bred colt "Omar Khayyam" became the first foreign-bred horse to win the race. . The Race

The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles at Churchill Downs; colts and geldings carry 126 pounds, fillies 121 pounds. The race, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws 155,000 fans. They're all there to witness the world's premier horseracing event. . The trainers give a leg up to the riders and send them out through the tunnel and onto the world's most famous track as the University of Louisville band strikes up Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky 4. The Triple Crown

As part of gaining income, horse owners began sending their successful Derby horses to compete a few weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course, in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York. The three races offered the largest purse and in 1919 Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term Triple Crown didn't come into use for another eleven years. In 1930, when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought the phrase into American usage. Two years after the term was coined, the race, which had been run in mid-May since inception, was changed to the first Saturday in May to allow for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races. 5. Race Facts The fastest time ever run in the Derby (at its present distance) is 1 minute 59 2/5 seconds, by Secretariat in 1973.

The 2004 Derby marked the first time that jockeys, as a result of a court order, were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing.

In 2005, the purse distribution for the Derby was changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive a share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so.

On February 1, 2006, the Louisville-based fast-food company Yum! Brands, Inc. announced a corporate sponsorship deal to call the race "The Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands"

The 2006 edition of the race was won by Barbaro, with jockey Edgar Prado aboard. The winning time was two minutes, 1.39 seconds. He won by 6.5 lengths over second place finisher Bluegrass Cat. Steppenwolfer finished third. The race was attended by 157,536 fans, the second-largest crowd in Derby history.

In addition to the race itself, a number of traditions have played a large role in the Derby atmosphere. The Mint Julep, an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint and sugar, is the traditional beverage of the race. Burgoo typically a thick stew of lamb and vegetables is served from iron pots sometimes 10 feet in diameter. The Infield, a spectator area inside the track, offers low general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race. Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party. By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract the rich and famous. Elegant women appear in long dresses, big hats, and carrying fancy umbrellas. As the horses are paraded before the grandstands, the University of Louisville marching band plays “My Old Kentucky Home” while the crowd stands and sings along.

The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses," because a garland of red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. The tradition is as a result of New York socialite E. Berry Wall presenting roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs president, Col. M. Lewis Clark. This gesture is believed to have eventually led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to roses being draped on the Derby winner. The governor of Kentucky awards the garland and the trophy. 7. Kentucky Derby Jockey Facts Five time winners: Eddie Arcaro - Lawrin (1938), Whirlaway (1941), Hoop Jr. (1945), Citation (1948), Hill Gail (1952). And Bill Hartack - Iron Liege (1957), Venetian Way (1960), Decidedly (1962), Northern Dancer (1964), Majestic Prince (1969).

Four-time winner: Bill Shoemaker - Swaps (1955), Tomy Lee (1959), Lucky Debonair (1965), Ferdinand (1986)

Most Mounts: Bill Shoemaker rode in 26, his last in 1988; Eddie Arcaro in 21, his last in 1961.

Women Jockeys: Diane Crump - Fathom (1970), 15th. Patricia Cooksey - So Vague (1984), 11th. Andrea Seefeldt - Forty Something (1991), 16th. Julie Krone - Ecstatic Ride (1992), 14th, Suave Prospect (1995), 11th.

Youngest Jockey: Alonzo Clayton, 15 - Azra (1892). James (Soup) Perkins, 15 - Halma (1895) 8. Kentucky Derby Prep Races Arkansas Derby

I t's the drink synonymous with the Run for the Roses, and indeed on Derby Day, vast amounts of Mint Juleps are sipped under cover of splashy hats. The most common version consumed at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby, however, comes from bottles of premixed rubbish, specifically more than 8,000 liters of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail.

But the Mint Julep, a cocktail of bourbon, simple syrup, and mint served over crushed ice, is easy enough to mix without resorting to ready-mades. Plus, making the drink yourself means you can control its sweetness, which is so often increased to excess.

When to add mint into the Julep equation is hotly debated. Arguments rage over its proper usage, some voting for muddling the leaves with water and sugar, others for infusing them in the syrup, and a third faction maintaining that a sprig as garnish should suffice.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Then, of course, there are purists, who think adding anything at all to bourbon, the exclusive product of Kentucky, borders on the heretical. Henry Watterson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of The Louisville Courier-Journal, whose famous recipe for the Julep still speaks to the old-fashioned Kentuckian desire for unblemished bourbon, says: "Pluck the mint gently from its bed, just as the dew of the evening is about to form upon it ... Prepare the simple syrup and measure out a half-tumbler of whiskey." (Bourbon is a style of whiskey, after all.) "Pour the whiskey into a well-frosted silver cup, throw the other ingredients away and drink the whiskey."

We love both straight bourbon and its aromatic alliance with fresh mint. The Julep is not only our staple Derby drink, it's also a cooler that lasts throughout the summer, especially when made from this recipe, adapted from Cindy Kebbell, head bartender of the historic Old Seelbach Bar, in Louisville

History The first running of the Kentucky Oaks was on May 19, 1875 back when Churchill Downs was known as the Louisville Jockey Club.[1] The race was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. along with the Kentucky Derby, the Clark Handicap, and the Falls City Handicap.[2] The Oaks and the Derby are the oldest continuously contested sporting events in history and the only horse races to be held at its original site since its conception.[2] The Kentucky Oaks was modeled after the british Epsom Oaks. In the first race the horse Vinaigrette won the then 1 ½ mile race in a time of 2:39.75 winning a purse of $1,175. Since that race the Kentucky Oaks has been held each year.

The Kentucky Oaks has been run at four different distances. In 1875 the race was 1½ miles and remained that way until 1890. In 1891 it was changed to 1¼ miles for a brief peroid until 1895. After the two changed they had a series of changes, which from 1896 to 1919 it would be 1 1/16 miles, then changed in 1920 to 1⅛ miles until 1941 and back to 1 /16 miles in 1942 to 1981. Finally in 1982 the race would be set as 1⅛ miles and has been that distance since.[1]

The Kentucky Oaks is considered by some to be the second most popular horse race in the american horse racing society due to its attendance. It attracts about 100,000 people in attendance a year since 2001's 127th running of the Kentucky Oaks.[3] In 1980 it was about 50,000 people and by 1989 it had reached about 67,000 people.[1] The attendance at the Kentucky Oaks usually surpassed the attendance at the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, as well as the Breeders' Cup.

The Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and the Acorn Stakes are the counter parts to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. However the "Filly Triple Crown" known as the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing is a series of three races at the Belmont and Saratoga Race courses. Some consideration has been made by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) to change the Triple Tiara series to the three counter parts of the Triple Crown. Oaks serves as centerpiece for laid-back day at Downs But the Kentucky Oaks, arguably the world's top race for 3-year-old fillies, has its own, distinctive flair.

More laid-back than the Kentucky Derby when tourists flood Churchill Downs, Oaks is traditionally the locals' day at the races. Last year, 108,065 cheering fans attended, the second-largest crowd after the record 111,243 in 2005.

The race has its own flower, the Stargazer Lily, emblazoned on the 2007 Kentucky Oaks logo and officially licensed Oaks 133 merchandise.

And on Oaks Day, the bourbon-based mint julep is replaced as official drink by a lighter concoction of Finlandia vodka, sweet and sour mix, cranberry juice and triple sec, called the "Oaks Lily."

The First Saturday in May,” an independent film produced and directed by the Hennegan Brothers, follows the plight of six diverse trainers and their colts — including the mighty Barbaro — as they make their way toward the 2006 Kentucky Derby. It provides a fascinating and compelling behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated men and women who make the “sport of kings” tick with footage from Hot Springs in Arkansas to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates…and several racetracks in between.

The Hennegan Brothers are donating 25 percent of box office revenues from Truly Indie theaters, as well as a portion of the revenues generated when the film is eventually released on DVD, to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, which raises and distributes funding for research beneficial to horses

Yahoo! News Search Results for kentucky derby
Yahoo! News Search Results for kentucky derby

Santa Anita Derby horses are racing for Kentucky. (Los Angeles Times)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:40:21 GMT
Several contenders need a good showing to earn a trip to Louisville. Money matters, particularly when it comes to deciding which horses will run in the Kentucky Derby. And that's one reason today's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby is so important.
Three Kentucky Derby preps set for Saturday (Lexington Herald-Leader)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:02:56 GMT
Four weeks until the 134th Kentucky Derby and things should begin the shake out this weekend. On tap Saturday are the Wood Memorial, Illinois and Santa Anita Derbies. Until now none of the three-year-olds considered contenders for the Run for the Roses has separated himself from the rest. Pyro has posted impressive wins in Louisiana and Big Brown burst onto the scene with a commanding win in the ...
Three Kentucky Derby preps set for Saturday (Miami Herald)
published on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:46:25 GMT
Four weeks until the 134th Kentucky Derby and things should begin the shake out this weekend. On tap Saturday are the Wood Memorial, Illinois and Santa Anita Derbies.
Horse Racing | Tale of Ekati, Colonel John, Recapturetheglory win Kentucky Derby prep races (Seattle Times)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:46:19 GMT
Colonel John added to his credentials as the West Coast's top 3-year-old when he rallied late in the stretch to win the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
Colonel John wins Santa Anita Derby (UPI)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:18:15 GMT
Colonel John Saturday became a solid contender for the Kentucky Derby when he won the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
Kentucky Derby Preps (WNYT Albany)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:47:33 GMT
Tale of Ekati Wins The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, Colonel John Wins The Santa Anita Derby, Recapturetheglory Won The Illinois Derby
Churchill Downs offering drawing to purchase reserved Kentucky Derby seats (WHAS TV11 Louisville)
published on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:41:48 GMT
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 3, 2008) ? Churchill Downs will again offer Kentucky Derby fans a rare opportunity to grab hard-to-get tickets to the ?Run for the Roses? when the historic track hosts another public drawing on Saturday, April 5, for fans to purchase two reserved seats for the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 3. Following last year?s initial ...
Recapturetheglory wins Illinois Derby (Lexington Herald-Leader)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:45:42 GMT
Recapturetheglory overcame 15-to-1 odds to beat heavily favored Denis of Cork and easily outdistance a seven-horse field at the $500,000 Illinois Derby on Saturday. The Kentucky-bred colt completed the 11/8-mile dirt course in one minute, 49.01 seconds in the feature race for 3-year-olds at Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago. The Illinois Derby is a prep race for next month's Kentucky ...
Denis of Cork struggles in Illinois Derby (KFDA-TV Amarillo)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:26:39 GMT
Associated Press - April 5, 2008 7:15 PM ET CICERO, Ill. (AP) - There's been a bump in the road for a horse with Oklahoma connections hoping to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
Colonel John wins Santa Anita Derby (Moldova.org)
published on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:33:37 GMT
Colonel John Saturday became a solid contender for the Kentucky Derby when he won the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.Colonel John was the 5-2 second choice in the 11-horse field behind 9-5 favorite El Gato Malo. Both 3-year-olds ran in the Sham Stakes, where Colonel John defeated El Gato Malo by a half-length.With Corey Nakatani aboard, Colonel John settled in far off the pace that was set by Coast ...

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