What To Look For At The Kentucky Derby

If you're a huge fan of horse racing, then you've probably heard about the world famous Kentucky Derby. Started in 1875, the Kentucky Derby is one of the oldest horse races in the United States, a huge pride of Louisville, Kentucky. The Churchill Downs track has been the home of the Kentucky Derby ever since its first race. Despite the fact that the actual race doesn't start until the first Saturday of May, fans will come to join the festivities as early as April to become a part of the century old tradition of horse racing.

There are many traditions associated with the Kentucky Derby, besides the race itself, which fans come from all over the world to Louisville to celebrate. Many fans of Mint Julep, the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, will come early just so that they can enjoy it while barhopping throughout Louisville. Since there are certain variations to the drink, many people will go barhopping for a few nights beforehand, till they find a bar that offers their favorite mix. For more of your inquiries just see http://www.kentuckyderby.co/betting/.

Kentucky Derby fans will rapidly fill any vacant hotels early on to celebrate the festivities, so it's important to book your flight and hotel early too. You don't have to be a part of the early wave of Kentucky Derby fans in order to enjoy the festivities, but if you want to stay in a hotel within the city limits, you'll definitely want to reserve your room early on. The fact that the Kentucky Derby is over a century old causes it to draw more fans than pretty much any other horse race taking place in the United States.

If you're a horse trainer vying for the two million dollar prize, you should be ready to spend well over fifty thousand dollars just to enter your horse into the race. The 2013 Kentucky Derby places many strict qualifiers on the horses that may race during the event, such as restricting any horses over the age of 3 from entering the race. Only the most confident horse jockeys will attempt to race across the mile and a quarter track that makes up the Kentucky Derby, because of all of the restrictions. Because of the quality of most of the racers, handicapping bets is quite common.

Any fan of the Kentucky Derby will join the spectacle of the awarding of the Garland of Roses, as well as the stoic Twin Spires which have stood for over a century, with a glass of Mint Julep. Once you've finished your Mint Julep, feel free to take the glass home, as these souvenirs have become a part of the Kentucky Derby tradition as well. Even though many Kentucky Derby fans won't arrive till the day of the race, most will book their trips early in advance, so as to keep the whole trip affordable.