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.

How much does it cost to buy a horse who can "run for the roses" in the Kentucky Derby? The short answer is quite a bit because the training and board, along with travel, vet, equipment and entry fees can be extremely expensive, especially if you want to put your horse with a top trainer. All that aside, there is still the initial cost of the horse.

There are three types of horses running, those sold privately, those sold at auction and homebreds, raised and raced by the same owners. Both private sales and home-raised horses can be difficult to assign a value to, but the results of auctions are made public, which can give us a general idea of what it takes to race.

The Kentucky Derby is coming up this Saturday and the one thing every (female) spectator needs is a hat. Derby headwear should not be an everyday hat, but an ostentatious hat - the bigger the better. Attitudes by Angie makes some spectacular hats, including those seen in the movie Elizabethtown. Her Winner Take All hat has nearly as many flowers as the rose wreath that the winning horse is awarded with, so it's perfect for the race. If something more understated is more your style, Hats in the Belfry has a wide range of elegant Derby hats. Theirs include sleek designs with floral accents, like the Naturally Beautiful hat.  The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft has a huge selection of one of a kind hats, too. The above pictured Paradise hat runs at the high end of the Derby hat price range, at $1,200.

Sleek, stylish and incredibly appropriate for the start of the Triple Crown racing season, which kicks off next weekend with the 132nd annual Kentucky Derby, the Luella Boston Satchel might be the perfect bag to take to the races. Actually, its textured navy leather would be difficult to match to the appropriate hat if you are actually going to be at the Derby, so perhaps the bag is best used for everyday wear. It is quite roomy at  9 x 14 x 7-inches and has a suede lining with two interior pockets. The thoroughbred design on the front of the bag is applique and all the detailing is done in gold. Price: $975.