Lusty Lilly (a Kentucky Derby inspired cocktail)

What are 10 of the most interesting traditions of the Kentucky Derby?

With 145 years of history,  Kentucky pride, Bourbon, Horse betting and a splash of superstition – you get plenty of traditions that surround the Kentucky Derby.  Derby socialites or newcomers, everyone partakes in at least some of the beloved traditions.  Luck favors the prepared!   Here are the best traditions to know before the Kentucky Derby.

• The date: No one has to ask, ‘When is the Kentucky Derby?’ Since the 1930s, the Derby has been held on the first Saturday in May. No other major sporting event is so closely associated with a particular day and month as the Derby.   That Saturday truly belongs to the ‘Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.’

• Pink Friday at the Oaks:  A favorite pre-Derby event is the Kentucky Oaks.  This race is run the day before the Derby. The dress code for this event is specific—everyone wears pink. You can embrace the tradition with a bow, hat or necktie, or be fully committed with a full pink dress or suit.  The tradition is a nod to the horses of the race.  The Oaks is a race for three-year fillies (female horses).  Importantly, let’s not forget the official cocktail- The Kentucky Oaks Lily Cocktail recipe – or the Lusty Lilly – a Kentucky Derby inspired cocktail

More Traditions

• The hats:  One of the only places in the U.S. where such outlandish hats fit in. The tradition of ornate hats and fashion date back to founder Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.  Clark had a vision to make the Derby a place for America’s high class to attend.  The men wore nice suits, and the women wore fancy dresses.  The hats were associated with good luck- so the larger the hat or ‘Fascinator’ – the more luck.  The race quickly evolved into a showcase of the current fashion trends of the Spring.  The introduction of Kentucky Derby on TV in the 1960s gave women an added reason to stand out, increasing the size and originality of their fashion.

• The song:  ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’ Stephen Foster’s 19th century ballad, has been a tradition at the Derby since 1921.   It is played by the University of Louisville Marching band with a chorus of Tens of thousands of fans singing along.  The song accompanies the horses as they are led to the starting gate, and is an immense source of pride for Kentuckians

• The garland: The Kentucky Derby was long ago dubbed ‘The Run for the Roses.’ More than 400 of the red flowers are sewn into green satin .  After the race, the garland is draped around the neck of the winning horse .  The rose was made the official flower of the Kentucky Derby in 1904.