The Kentucky Derby: Over A Century Of Tradition

One of the oldest horse races taking place in the United States, the Kentucky Derby started taking place in 1875, with many traditions associated with the yearly race resulting in a strong cultural following. Many of the traditions that the Derby is now famous for were not started till the late 1890s, when the track the Kentucky Derby is raced on received many improvements. Once simple gimmicks to get new fans to come to the races, a hundred years later the Kentucky Derby has maintained its fame by holding true to what have become traditions that all Kentucky Derby fans cherish.

In 1894, a new grandstand was built for the Derby, including the two spires which have now become symbols of the Kentucky Derby racetrack. Since the new grandstand allowed for a larger number of fans to join in the betting, several new spectacles arose as traditions that have held strong for about a century now. Although the Garland of Roses is as iconic as the Twin Spires, the tradition wasn't started till about 2 years later, in 1896. Weighing about 35 lbs, the Garland of Roses is pretty large, and is a core part of the Kentucky Derby race.

Although it has been a part of the culture for a little less than a hundred years, Mint Julep is a traditional drink made for Kentucky Derby fans that is as important to them as the Twin Spires and the Garland of Roses. Although the making of Mint Julep is a varied tradition of its own, it's the glasses that it is poured into that have kept the tradition alive for so long, as fans collect them as keepsakes. At first, the glasses which the drink was poured into were meant to be returned, but since people tended to hold on to them, the drink providers have given in by allowing customers to pay a little extra so that they can keep their glasses. The Sterling Silver Julep Cup became a part of the race in 1951, making Mint Julep a permanent tradition since. Follow the link to learn more about the Kentucky Derby 2013 Odds.

While there are many types of souvenirs you can walk away with from the Kentucky Derby, it's the race itself which deserves all the fame. Only allowing relatively young horses to race, the Kentucky Derby sees extreme competition between horse trainers, with the usual 3 year cap on horse admission guaranteeing that only the most professional trainers will take the time to enter their horses into the race. Many experienced trainers see the considerable entry fee of over $50,000 completely worth it in order to be able to compete for the $2,000,000 prize awarded to any horse crossing the finish line first.

Taking place on the Churchill Downs track on the first Saturday of May ever year, for over a century, the Kentucky Derby stands as one of Louisville's proudest traditions. Louisville is usually completely filled by the time the race starts, so it's important to reserve hotels early on just to have a place to stay, not just for the inflated prices. If you wish to become a part of the Kentucky Derby tradition, and get a chance to come home with your own Mint Julep glass, you'll want to book your flights and hotels several months ahead, as many Derby fans will start to file into Louisville as early as the beginning of April. Learn more about the betting on kentucky derby.