Horses, Hats and Roses: The Kentucky Derby is a Mix of Customs

 

The most famous horse races in America begin on May 5 with the running of the 144th Kentucky Derby. It is the first of a three part championship series. The other two races are the Preakness in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York.

Win all three races and your horse is named a Triple¹ Crown champion. It does not happen often. Only 12 horses have won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing². The first was Sir Barton in 1919. The most recent, almost 100 years later, was 2015 champion American Pharoah.

The Kentucky Derby, in the southern city of Louisville, is the youngest of the three races. It is arguably the most famous horse race in the world. It is often called the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”

Millions of dollars are wagered⁴ on the Derby. And great wealth can be gained from breeding Derby winners.

A few facts and history

Kentucky Derby competitors are three years old. They run for two kilometers around the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville. Derby runners can be male or female horses. Only males have ever won, so far.

The famous Triple Crown winner Secretariat finished the Kentucky Derby faster than any horse, before or after him. His time in the 1973 race was 1 minute, 59.4 seconds. Only one other competitor has run the Derby in under two minutes. That horse, Monarchos, won the race in 2001. But, he did not break Secretariat’s record.

Horse lovers, gamblers, the rich and the famous gather at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. It is as much a cultural celebration as it is a sporting event. And that celebration requires some preparation on the part of those attending.

Do not forget your hat

The Kentucky Derby is outside. The race can get very dirty, with the horses kicking up mud and dust as they speed around the track. But, observers are expected to look their best. Many men wear suits. Many women wear beautiful spring dresses.

However, the critical piece of clothing goes on top of your head.

Hats are almost a requirement at the Kentucky Derby. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors at the race. Women’s hat styles vary greatly. They can include flowers, feathers, ribbons, jewels and more. You might even see a hat or two larger than the heads they top.

‘Run for the Roses’

The owners of the winning horse receive more than $1 million. More importantly, people will pay a lot of money to breed their horses with a Kentucky Derby winner.

And the horse? It gets flowers. As soon as the race is over, a spread of red roses is hung over the winning animal’s neck. The tradition began in 1896. The red rose became the official Derby flower in 1904. And, about twenty years after that, the Kentucky Derby came to be known as the “Run for the Roses.”

Mint⁶ julep time

Kentucky is famous for making the alcohol called bourbon. And Kentucky bourbon is the base of a famous Derby drink: the mint julep. It is served in a metal container to keep it very cold. It contains bourbon, sugar, mint leaves and ice.

The Kentucky Derby’s official website says more than 120,000 mint juleps will be sold at Churchill Downs during the Derby weekend.

I’m Caty Weaver⁷.

Words in This Story

wager³ – v. to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong?

suit – n. a set of clothes that usually consists of a jacket and a skirt or pair of pants that are made out of the same material?

breeding – v. to produce young animals, birds, etc.; to produce offspring⁸ by sexual⁹ reproduction?

gambler⁵ – n. someone who plays a game in which you can win or lose money or possessions

feather – n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird?

ribbon – n. a narrow piece of cloth (such as silk) that is used to tie things or for decoration

1 triple   

n.三倍之数，三个一组；adj.三倍的

参考例句：

• Twelve is the triple of four.十二是四的三倍数。
• He received triple wages for all his extra work.由于额外的工作他领取了三倍的工资。

2 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

3 wager   

n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌

参考例句：

• They laid a wager on the result of the race.他们以竞赛的结果打赌。
• I made a wager that our team would win.我打赌我们的队会赢。

4 wagered   

v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保

参考例句：

• She always wagered on an outsider. 她总是把赌注押在不大可能获胜的马上。
• They wagered on the flesh, but knowing they were to lose. 他们把赌注下在肉体上，心里却明白必输无疑。 来自互联网

5 gambler   

n.赌博者；赌徒

参考例句：

• The gambler sponged a cigarette from the man sitting next to him. 那个赌徒向坐在他旁边的人讨支烟抽。
• He was notorious as a gambler. 他是臭名昭著的赌徒。

6 mint   

n.薄荷，铸币厂；vt.铸造（硬币），创造（词）等

参考例句：

• The mint makes coins.铸币厂制造硬币。
• This candy tastes of mint.这糖果有薄荷味。

7 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

8 offspring   

n.子女，子孙，后代，（动物的）崽

参考例句：

• Jack is her only offspring.杰克是她唯一的后代。
• This device is the offspring of his inventive mind.这一装置是他那长于发明的头脑的产儿。

9 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。