KentuckyDerby

Custom Derby Hats to Benefit Retired Racehorses

For some the first Saturday in May is all about the horses, and for others, the Kentucky Derby is all about the hats. There are very few occasions left in today's society where woman can wear incredible millinery creations that really bring back another era. For those who love both the hats and the horses, or are just in a philanthropic mood, it is not too late to support retired racehorses and be a recipient of a fantastic custom made hat to wear to the big day.

Maggie Mae Designs™ has teamed up with Old Friends to create a series of one-of-a-kind Derby hats inspired by specific retired racehorses. Old Friends is an equine farm that specializes in the rescue and retirement of pensioned Thoroughbreds. Many in the horse world were devastated by the death of Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand in a Japanese slaughterhouse in 2002. In an effort to ensure that this never happens again the organization focuses on bringing at-risk racehorses, whose active careers are over to experience the dignified retirement they deserve. The only retirement farm to accept stallions, Old Friends is committed to providing a great retirement for these amazing athletes. The farm is open to the public and hosts tours daily.

Gallery: Derby Hats

Tags: hats, horse, horseracing, kentucky derby, KentuckyDerby, Maggie Mae Designs, MaggieMaeDesigns, millinery, Old Friends, OldFriends, thoroughbreds

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Jenny Craig's Dreams Ride on Chocolate Candy

by Meredith Rodkey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Wealth

Jenny Craig might taste victory at the Kentucky Derby this weekend -- but if she does, it's likely to be bittersweet.

That's because -- while the average person associates Jenny Craig with a weight-loss program -- horse racing fans know Jenny and her late husband, Sid, as long-time sports enthusiasts. They first got involved with racing by buying up successful horses from Argentina, and eventually began home-breeding their biggest winners in California. Like most owners and trainers, their dream was to win the Kentucky Derby.

The couple made their biggest splash in 1992, when Jenny gave Sid a $2.5 million present for his 60th birthday, a Kentucky Derby hopeful named Dr. Devious. (He ultimately finished 7th, but went on to win $1.4 million for them.) The forgotten part of that story -- until recently -- is that Jenny bought Sid a filly named Crownette as a part of that same gift, for a paltry $190,000. She wasn't nearly as successful as Dr. Devious at the track, earning only $184,488 in 19 total starts before the Craigs sent her to be a broodmare.

Fast forward 17 years, though, and Crownette is suddenly the best gift Jenny could've given Sid -- because the Craigs bred her to their biggest champion, Candy Ride (who went undefeated in all six of his careers starts, earning $749,149). That pairing gave them a chestnut colt they named Chocolate Candy. (Maybe CNBC will relax their cries to rename Chocolate Candy something more diet-friendly now that they understand the origins?)

When Chocolate Candy loads into gate 11 to run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, he'll be the third horse to do it wearing the white and blue silks of the Craig Family Trust, but he'll be the first Craig homebred to wear them.

He'll also be the first hopeful Sid won't be there to see.

He lost a long battle with cancer at age 76 in July 2008, with Jenny by his bedside and his Derby dreams unfulfilled.

Tags: chocolate candy, ChocolateCandy, horses, jenny craig, JennyCraig, kentucky derby, KentuckyDerby, sid craig, SidCraig, thoroughbreds

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Celebrate Derby Day With Esquire and Maker's Mark

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Dining, Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports

On Kentucky Derby day - Saturday, May 2nd - Esquire magazine will celebrate the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" at NYC's Eleven Madison Park with Maker's Mark bourbon. Esquire Editor-in-Chief David Granger and Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Danny Meyer will co-host the event at the award-winning restaurant. The fete will feature live coverage of the race at Churchill Downs, chef Daniel Humm's take on Southern cuisine, Maker's Mark mint juleps, a cigar lounge by Nat Sherman, live music, and a silent auction benefiting New York Horse Rescue. Maker's Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith will also be holding bourbon tastings in the upstairs lounge.

Four special Maker's Mark Bourbon bars will be stationed throughout the restaurant, serving Maker's mint juleps in traditional ice-frosted silver cups. Legendary tobacconist Nat Sherman will transform Eleven Madison Park's patio into a sleek cigar lounge, complete a Maker's Mark bourbon bar and live Kentucky Bluegrass music. A portion of the proceeds from a silent auction of luxury, epicurean and travel packages will benefit New York Horse Rescue, New York's not-for-profit charity whose goal is to place unwanted thoroughbred racehorses in new homes. The price per person is $250, plus tax. To purchase tickets visit www.elevenmadisonpark.ticketleap.com. You can also email derby@elevenmadisonpark.com for more info.

Tags: bourbon, Danny Meyer, DannyMeyer, equestrian, Esquire, horseracing, horses, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Makers Mark, MakersMark, Nat Sherman, NatSherman, New York Horse Rescue, NewYorkHorseRescue

Woodford to Serve Up $1,000 Mint Juleps on Derby Day

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports

The other day we told you about Woodford Reserve's limited edition bottle for the Kentucky Derby. Now Woodford, the official bourbon of the famed race, which takes place on May 2, is offering the world's most exclusive mint julep for $1,000. It's made with sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. Of course for $1,000 you get to the keep the cup. Made of sterling silver plated in 24-karat gold, it's adorned with jockey silks representing the Woodford Reserve Stables. The cups are made by New England Sterling, the official trophy maker of the Kentucky Derby.

Each comes with a sterling silver straw and an oak box crafted from the same wood as Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, lined in black satin. There are 96 of the cups available for purchase from April 13 - 29 via their website; you have to pick them up (along with the julep) in person at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. Additionally, there are three extra-special Legends Cups which also feature three diamonds – one for each leg of the Triple Crown – and each one is in honor of a different living Triple Crown-winning jockey. You can bid on your favorite jockey from those offered in the Legends Cups, and the cup has his signature engraved on it. Bidding for the Legends Cups starts at $1,000. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: bourbon, cocktails, diamonds, gold, horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, mint julep, MintJulep, Triple Crown, TripleCrown, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Woodford Reserve Ltd. Ed. 2009 Kentucky Derby Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Art, Sports

Woodford Reserve, the "Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby", crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky in the heart of thoroughbred country, has released its limited edition 2009 Kentucky Derby liter-sized bottle (right) featuring artwork by retired jockey Tom Chapman.

Chapman's eye-catching image captures the excitement and intensity of the Kentucky Derby as two jockeys in brightly-colored silks concentrate on the race with the historic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in the background. The artist's signature adorns the neck band of the bottle, and an attached tag bears information about the artist and product.

Woodford Reserve, an award-winning small-batch bourbon, has served as the Derby's official bourbon for the past 11 years. It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 2, 2009, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier events.

"Much as we try, it's impossible to express in words the intensity of racing from a jockey's perspective," Chapman says. "My goal is to capture it with a paint brush and canvas, often using unique angles and vibrant colors to set the tone. But no painting can truly capture the vibrancy and intensity of the Kentucky Derby."

Tags: bourbon, equestrian, horseracing, horses, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Tom Chapman, TomChapman, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Celebrating Derby Day With Jim Beam

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Sports

With the Kentucky Derby coming up on May 2 we start thinking seriously about bourbon. As Fred Noe, Jim Beam's seventh-generation distiller, puts it, "It ain't a Derby without bourbon, and it ain't bourbon if it's not from Kentucky." Noe knows whereof he speaks, given that Jim Beam, which dates back to 1795 and is now he world's No. 1-selling bourbon, is located in Louisville not far from Churchill Downs where the Derby has been held since 1875. In addition to the classic Jim Beam Bourbon we're all familiar with however, there are some other variations which are well worth trying on an important bourbon-drinking occasion like the Derby: Jim Beam 7-Year, Jim Beam Black, and Jim Beam Choice (above, left to right).

Jim Beam Black is the oldest of the trio. Eight years of aging make for a complex, sophisticated taste, with aromas of toffee and tobacco and flavorful notes of oak and toasted grains. Jim Beam Choice, aged five years, is rounded and mature with added complexity and depth from charcoal filtering. The strong aroma of oak and sweet nuttiness is balanced by a rich, creamy flavor. Jim Beam 7-Year is ideal for drinking straight up or on the rocks, and it makes a mean mint julep, with notes of caramel and vanilla. In 2008, Derby-goers consumed nearly 10,000 bottles of bourbon, mixed into 120,000 mint juleps, the Derby's official drink.

To help celebrate on Derby Day, here's a new variation on the mint julep which you can make with your favorite variety of Jim Beam. Bottoms up:

Jim Beam Jule-Up
4 parts Jim Beam Bourbon
3 parts Simple Syrup
3 parts Fresh Lime Juice
6 each Fresh Mint leaves (Medium size)
*note: 1 part = ½ oz.

Tags: bourbon, horseracing, Horses, Jim Beam, JimBeam, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, whiskey, whisky

Woodford Reserve's Big Brown Triple Crown Tribute

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Sports

In celebration of Big Brown's seemingly inevitable Triple Crown victory at tomorrow's Belmont Stakes, our favorite small batch bourbon Woodford Reserve has created a special cocktail. The "Big Brown Triple Crown" recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 ounces Woodford Reserve
3 ounces Sweet and Sour Mix
3 dashes Chambord (1/4 ounce)

Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with 3 blackberries (one for each crown, natch).

The Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, founded in 1812, is a National Historic Landmark with strong ties to horseracing. It was selected as the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and as we can personally attest, it also makes a mean mint julep. Check out the BBTC cocktail and more in the gallery.

Gallery: Woodford Reserve Bourbon

Tags: Belmont Stakes, BelmontStakes, Big Brown, BigBrown, Bourbon, Horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Mint Julep, MintJulep, Racehorses, Thoroughbreds, Triple Crown, TripleCrown, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Win, Place or Show Luxury Kentucky Derby Packages

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

I know, we are not even through with Christmas yet, so the Kentucky Derby and the month of May seems like a whole world away but Churchill Downs recently announced a limited number of 2007 Kentucky Derby experience packages. There are 22 packages which cost from $4,000 to $25,000. There are three experience levels: Win, Place and Show. The "Win" package is the priciest and includes two tickets to a table on Millionaires' Row for the Derby and Oaks, hotel accommodations, limo service, tickets to the Barnstable Brown Party, tickets to the Kentucky Derby Winners' Party, tickets to the press party and a tour of the stable area during workouts on Kentucky Oaks morning. There are only 4 win packages available at $25,000 each. The Place package which includes two tickets to a third-floor clubhouse box for Derby and Oaks, hotel accommodation tickets to the Kentucky Derby Winners' Party and two tickets to the press party sells for $15,000 and there are six packages available. The Show package includes two tickets to a first-floor clubhouse box for the Derby and Oaks, tickets to the Derby post position draw and tickets to the Press Party. There are 12 packages which sell for $4,000 each.

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Tags: churchill downs, horse racing, kentucky derby, KentuckyDerby, louisville

Kentucky Derby Gold Cup

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

The Kentucky Derby Gold Cup is the only solid gold trophy still awarded in American sports and has been an annual tradition since the running of the 1924 Derby, when the standard design of the cup was first commissioned.

The Gold Cup is made of 14-karat gold, with an 18-karat gold horseshoe adorning the side and a 14-karat gold horse and jockey topping it. The total weight of the 22-inch high cup is almost 60-ounces, not including the heavy jade base on which it rests. With the exception of the horse and rider that top it, which were cast using a lost wax process, this year's trophy was entirely handmade by New England Sterling of Attleboro, Massachusetts. New England Sterling has been producing the trophies since 1975, maintaining the high standard of quality that has been required for the more than 80 years of the presentation of the trophy. The trophies always remain blank until after the race has been run, when they are engraved with details such as the date and the name of the winning horse.

The current value of the 2004 trophy is listed at $90,000, though the significance of the one-of-a kind trophy makes it priceless.

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Tags: 14-karat, 18-karat, derby, gold, gold cup, horse racing, kentucky derby, kentucky derby gold cup, KentuckyDerby, KentuckyDerbyGoldCup, prize, sold gold, sports, trophy

Kentucky Derby Houses for Rent

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If you are thinking of heading to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby it's still not too late to rent a local house but it will cost you. Like Super Bowl houses the Kentucky Derby options run from the relatively modest to the deeply extravagant. This five-bedroom home has a master suite with a Jacuzzi, formal dining room and a workout area. It comes with six free Derby tickets and rents for $50,000 Thursday through Saturday.

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Tags: housing rentals, kentucky, kentucky derby, KentuckyDerby, louisville