The Kentucky Derby Festival

There is much excitement in Louisville - we have entered Derby weekend. Each year the city pulls out all the stops for the "best two-minutes in sports." I'm still learning what the Derby Fesitval brings, but here are some highlights.

The Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon had 15,000 participants this year. Highlights of the race include running through downtown, the University of Louisville campus and Churchill Downs racetrack. The miniMarathon winner came in at 1:34:12, the Marathon winner came in at 2:24:59.

The Derby Festival Great Balloon Glow and Great Balloon Race welcomes 40,000 fans annually. During the Great Balloon Glow the balloon pilots have the balloons "fire" and glow to a musical score. 

Thunder over Louisville claims to be the largest fireworks display in the United States. Each year the city closes one of the bridges between Louisville and New Albany, Indiana, and uses the bridge as a stage for this great firework display. During the day, the audience enjoys an air show featuring vintage and current army planes from Fort Campbell.

And today is Oaks Day, a favorite of the locals. The Oaks is where the female 3-year-olds, or fillies, race. The Kentucky Derby isn't exclusivly male, but most of the entrants are male 3-year-olds. The Oaks has adopted a signature color - pink - in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Everyone attending wears pink, and just like Derby day, people dress up and the women wear hats.   

The first floral garland, made of roses, for the Kentucky Oaks winner was presented to Kathleen, the winner of the 1916 Oaks. The stargazer lily became the official flower of the Kentucky Oaks in 1991, when the Kroger Company was commissioned to create a feminine garland for the fillies who ran in the Kentucky Derby’s sister race. So now the "fillies run for the lillies." A total of 133 lilies are sewn into a white fabric backing which has a fleur-de-lis pattern. The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s seal is at one end and Churchill Downs’ Twin Spires and the number of the race is at the other. The garland of lilies is trimmed with a border of oak leaves.

Kroger florists assemble the garland of lilies on Oaks Eve. (Photo from www.kentuckyderby.com)



(Photo from www.kentuckyderby.com)



Rachel Alexandra and jockey Calvin Borel wear the garland of lilies as the winners of Oaks 135. (Photos from www.kentuckyderby.com)

Kentucky Oaks contender Joyful Victory works over a sloppy track for trainer J. Larry Jones (Photo from www.kentuckyderby.com) Apparently grey horses bring special luck.