The Kentucky Derby
The 2015 Kentucky Derby (in full, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, due to sponsorship) was the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. The race was run at 6:44 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2015 at Churchill Downs. It was broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network. Kentucky native Ashley Judd voiced the opening for the telecast of the race, and was the first woman to do so.
The weather was warm and a record 170,513 people attended. The 2015 race also set a wagering record with parimutuel betting of $137.9 million.Jockey Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah to victory after taking the lead in the homestretch. The race marked the fourth Kentucky Derby win for horse trainer Bob Baffert and the third win for Espinoza.
This Place Has Class!!
And Joan's Hat!
Our first trip to the "Kentucky Derby"
Alternatively referred to as “The Run for the Roses” or “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” the Kentucky Derby is a 1.25 mile race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses. The Kentucky Derby draws an average of 150,000 visitors each year, including residents, out-of-towners, celebrities, presidents, and even members of royal families.
Kentucky Derby History:
The first Kentucky Derby race occurred in 1875.
Close to 10,000 people watched as 15 thoroughbred horses ran what was then a 1.5 mile course. In 1876, the length of the race was changed to 1.25 miles. By the early 1900s, owners of winning Kentucky Derby horses started sending their winners to run in the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in
New York. In 1930, sportswriter Charles Hatton coined the term “Triple Crown” in reference to the same horses running the three races consecutively.
Soon The RV's Started Arriving For The Derby!
Got Hooked Up!
And Settled In For A Great Time!
Registration Time
Everyone Received A Really Nice Commemorative Derby Serving Tray!
"This is What We All Experienced"
"Mint Juleps"
Mint Julep – The Mint Julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. It is an iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and a sweet syrup and is traditionally served in a commemorative Kentucky Derby glass.
The Mint Juleps Produced Interesting Side Effects!!!!
I Think It Was Caused By The Fresh Mint????
A Cruise On The Belle Of Louisville!
The Belle of Louisville is the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world. Though we know her today as the Belle of Louisville, she was originally named the Idlewild when she was built in 1914 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was designed to be a ferry and day packet vessel (for freight work), and was also outfitted for her later career as an excursion boat. Completely paddlewheel-driven with a steel hull that draws only 5' of water, she was able to travel on virtually every navigable inland waterway, earning her the distinction of being the most widely traveled river steamboat in the nation. The Belle was named a National Historic Landmark on June 30, 1989.
Waiting To Board!
Our Bus Drivers For The Whole Week!!
On Board We Had A Wonderful Buffett Dinner!
We all Enjoyed A Wonderful Evening on the River!
Amazing Boiler Room!
While Cruising The River - I Took A Picture Of The Largest Mover I've Ever Seen!!
Lots Of Music To Dance And Enjoy!
Yup - The Chicken Dance!
A Visit To The Thoroughbred Center!
The Thoroughbred Center is located in Fayette County, Kentucky, just outside the city limits of
Lexington. Built in 1969, and formally named the Kentucky Horse Center was originally situated on 133 acres of prime central Kentucky farmland. Established as a Thoroughbred training and sales facility by Rex Elsworth and Dr. Arnold Pessin, KHC was immediately popular as an alternative to
training at the local racetracks. Amenities at the training facility included a 5/8-mile track with a metal roof, two barns made primarily of concrete with metal roofs that could house up to 260 horses and had 40 tack rooms and a state of the art, 920 seat sales pavilion, complete with a lounge and full service bar. Thoroughbred sales were slower to catch on, with the first in 1972 when Fasig Tipton used the facility for their inaugural Thoroughbred auction. Elsworth’s financial difficulties in the mid-seventies forced the sale of KHC. Joseph Johnson III purchased KHC at a commissioner’s sale to add to his considerable land holdings in the immediate area. Johnson at one time owned nearly 5000 acres in Fayette County and among his holdings was the Log Cabin Farm, which bordered KHC to the east. After Johnson purchased the training and sales facility the barns currently numbered 3 through 8 were relocated to KHC from Miles Park, a defunct racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. By 1974 Johnson had constructed an additional six barns, which make up barns 18 through 23. In addition, Johnson had begun construction of a larger training track, which would eventually become what is now a one-mile, all weather training track. The original one-mile track was surfaced with a bark footing that had become popular in Europe. This surface proved to be incompatible with the extremes of Kentucky weather and would eventually be replaced with a sand, silt, clay surface typical of most Thoroughbred racetracks.
In 1984, Spendthrift Farm had become the leader among Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky and was rapidly expanding its holdings in the Lexington area. With the two most recent Triple Crown winners standing at stud and their yearling division a perennial leader at the July selected sales, Spendthrift diversified by purchasing the Kentucky Horse Center. During its three-year ownership, Spendthrift constructed additional nine barns on the original 133 acres and purchased, from Johnson, the135 acre Log Cabin Farm with its three barns, manager’s house and heliport. Spendthrift renovated an existing 12-stall barn and added 44 stalls by enclosing the outer perimeter of the barn, making what is currently barn 30. Spendthrift completed a $1,000,000 renovation to the main building, which included hard wood floors and paneling of the North upstairs wing of the offices.
A failed public offering of stock in Spendthrift started a financial slide from which the farm would never recover. Johnson had carried a mortgage on the property and retook possession in 1987. Johnson again operated KHC until June of 1989 when Tinkham Veale of Cleveland, Ohio, along with an assortment of partners purchased controlling interest in KHC. Major renovations of the backside were initiated after the purchase with the intention of selling the barn areas to the trainers/owners in a condo association fashion. When the condo association plan failed Veale bought out the partners, taking the company private once again.
As alternative sources of revenue, KHC developed uses for the existing facilities and equipment, including a tour division, an entertainment division, a children’s theatre program and a division that provides farm care and construction services for area farms and residents.
In 1998 The Kentucky Horse Center was purchased by
Churchill Downs out of Louisville and were owners of the facility until April of 2000 when
Keeneland, Lexington’s local racecourse purchased the facility. In the transition, the KHC name was changed to The Thoroughbred Center and an expansion was made to the facility with an additional five barns added to enable the facility to house up to 1,180 horses. The facility normally operates with an occupancy of 900-1000 horses and is open year round.
Keeneland continues to invest substantial capital into the facility, with the intention of making TTC the most popular Thoroughbred training facility in the country.
Next We Met Mr. Michael Cameron
A Well Known Trainer!
&
"Tellalittlesecret"
What Passion And Knowledge He Has.
We Could Listen To Him For Hours!
"Tellalittlesecret"
Off To Lunch At The Thoroughbred Center!
Next Stop
Kentucky Horse Park!
Horses Of The World!
Hall Of Champions!
Funny Cide (foaled April 20, 2000) is a Thoroughbred race horse who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 2003. He is the first New York-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the first gelding to win since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.
On July 13, 2007, Funny Cide's retirement was announced. The partnership of Sackatoga Stable, Barclay Tagg and assistant trainer Robin Smullen decided that it was best to retire him on a high note with the victory in the Wadsworth and with the gelding still fit and sound. Jack Knowlton, managing partner for Sackatoga Stable, agreed that Funny Cide's future career would be at the track with Tagg. He became a stable pony in the mornings, accompanying younger horses in their training. "He'll still be doing what he's done the past five years, but he just won't be racing in the afternoon," Knowlton said.
NYRA (the New York Racing Association) held a "Funny Cide Retirement Party" at Saratoga on August 10, 2007.
Funny Cide is a two-time "New York–bred Horse of the Year". At his retirement, in 38 starts he won 11 races, finished second six times and third eight times; his earnings were $3,529,412. Funny Cide had the highest earnings of any New York-bred racehorse in history. Saratoga Race Course honored him with a stakes race for older New York-breds, the Funny Cide Stakes.
On December 5, 2008, Funny Cide took up residence at the Kentucky Horse Park alongside Cigar, Da Hoss, the late Alysheba and other champions. His work as Barclay Tagg's stable pony had begun to give him some discomfort.
In April 2010, the New York Thoroughbred Breeders voted Funny Cide the New York–bred horse of the decade.
In August, 2012, a statue of Funny Cide was unveiled in Saratoga Springs. On his saddle blanket is the number 6, his post position at Churchill Downs on the day he won the Kentucky Derby. Also in August 2012 Funny Cide visited Saratoga's racetrack along with the retired jockey Richard Migliore and the trainer Nick Zito in a seminar for prospective racehorse owners. While there he was a guest of Old Friends farm at Cabin Creek in Greenfield Center.
At the Hall Of Champions Stable, They Show A Film Of One Of The Champions And Then Bring The Horse Out For You To See!!
"Funny Cide"
Breakfast At Millionaire's Row
Millionaire’s Row – The premium seating area that houses all of the rich and famous Kentucky Derby guests during the races.
View From Balcony in Front Of Millionaire's Row
Of Infield!
The Infield – The flat, grassy area inside of the track. The infield is best-known for hosting the largest Kentucky Derby party.
American Pharoah
Morning Working Out
Model Of Churchill Downs All In Glass!
The Hats!!!
Derby Hat Parade – The derby hat parade takes place inside of Churchill Downs and refers to the sea of stylish and elegant hats worn by women and men alike during the Kentucky Derby.
Hats Are Every Where!
As Well As Souvenir Shirts!
Next We Had A Guided Tour Of Churchill Downs!
Next Visit Was
This is the story behind the world-famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat, and the family-owned company that has created it since 1884.
J. Frederick Hillerich emigrated with his family from Baden-Baden, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland in 1842. The Hillerichs moved to Louisville in 1856, where J. Fred started a woodworking shop. By 1864 "J.F. Hillerich, Job Turning" was in business and filled orders for everything from balusters to bedposts. Hillerich’s eldest son, John Andrew "Bud" Hillerich, was born in Louisville in 1866.
The business thrived and by 1875 the little woodworking shop employed about 20 people. In 1880, Bud Hillerich, who was an amateur baseball player, became an apprentice in his father's shop. Young Bud made his own baseball bats along with bats for several of his teammates.
There is debate over the origins of the company's first bat for a professional player, but Bud most certainly played a key role in getting his father's business involved with what would become the company's signature item.
According to company legend, the first pro bat was turned by Bud for Pete Browning in 1884. Browning was a star on Louisville's professional American Association team
–the Eclipse. On a spring afternoon Bud, then seventeen years old, witnessed Browning break his favorite bat. Bud offered to make a bat for his hero and Browning accepted. According to the story, after the young wood shop apprentice lathed a quality stick from white ash Browning got three hits with it in the next game. Because of his tremendous hitting power, Browning was known as "The Louisville Slugger" years before the Hillerich family trademarked the name for their bats.
Despite Bud’s passion for the product, his father wanted nothing to do with making bats. His business was built on making roller skids, bed posts, tenpins, wooden bowling balls and a very popular, patented, swinging butter churn. However, Bud Hillerich continued to improve the manufacturing processes of the new bat business, inventing a centering device for a lathe and an automatic sander. Their baseball bat business grew. The bat was first known as the Falls City Slugger, (a reference to Louisville's location at the Falls of the Ohio River), but the brand name was changed to Louisville Slugger and registered as a trademark in 1894. Bud Hillerich became a partner with his father in 1897 and the name of the firm was changed to J.F. Hillerich and Son.
The success of the growing bat company was further enhanced in 1905 when Honus "The Flying Dutchman" Wagner, a superstar shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, signed a contract as the first player ever to endorse a bat. His autograph was also the first to be used on a bat and the first time a professional athlete endorsed an athletic product.
In 1911, Frank Bradsby, a successful salesman for one of Hillerich's largest buyers, joined J.F. Hillerich and Son. He brought sales and marketing expertise and drive to the company. In 1916, he became a full partner, and the company name was changed, for the last time, to Hillerich & Bradsby Co. Seeking to diversify products, Bradsby propelled the firm into producing golf clubs, eventually creating the PowerBilt brand.
The success of the Louisville Slugger bat was due in part to the fact that amateur baseball players across the country could purchase the bat model of their favorite big-league player. In 1915, the Louisville Slugger first appeared in a youth-size model. In 1919, the company launched its first national advertising campaign and in just four years was producing one million bats a year. The success, however, was marred the next year by the death of J. Frederick Hillerich. His son, Bud, became the boss.
A disastrous flood along the Ohio River in 1937 did significant damage to one of the factories and some of the offices. Working almost nonstop for weeks to repair the factory, Frank Bradsby was worn down. His efforts during this ordeal are believed to have led to his death later that year.
Hillerich & Bradsby Co. served its country during World War II by producing M-1 carbine stocks, tank pins and billy clubs for the armed forces. It also continued to make baseball and softball bats for the troops. Bud Hillerich died in 1946 and his son Ward took over. But after only three years as president, Ward died in 1949. His brother, John A. Hillerich Jr., succeeded him.
In 1969, John Hillerich Jr. died and his son, John A. “Jack” Hillerich III, at 29 years old, was named company president.
In 1970, the company began producing aluminum bats. Louisville Slugger aluminum and composite bats, are available in adult baseball, youth baseball, and softball models. Today, the TPX and TPS brands are huge hits and are the top selling models in the business. The first line of Louisville Slugger baseball and softball gloves was introduced in 1975.
In 1996, Hillerich & Bradsby Co. moved into new headquarters at 800 West Main Street. Professional baseball players continue to have their bats custom made at the wood bat manufacturing facility, not far from where the very first bats were made back in the 1800's.
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, one of the city's most popular attractions, is also housed with the corporate headquarters. The location is well-marked by the World's Biggest Baseball Bat that casually leans against the side of the building. Guests are invited to learn about the Official Bat of Major League Baseball–Louisville Slugger. Today, over 3-million people have enjoyed the museum and factory tour experience at this location.
John A. “Jack” Hillerich III retired as CEO and President in 2001 but remains as Chairman of the Board. His son, John A. Hillerich IV, succeeded him and currently serves as CEO and President. John is the great-grandson of Bud Hillerich, the baseball fan who introduced the family business to baseball back in the 1800's.
Bicycle Built From Bats!
The Bat Vault!
A Visit To The Buffalo Trace Distillery!
In Kentucky, buffalo carved a pathway that was followed by America's early pioneers. On the spot where the buffalo migration route crossed the Kentucky River, we've been making legendary bourbon whiskey for over 200 years. Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America. During Prohibition the distillery was even permitted to remain operational, to make whiskey for "medicinal purposes".
In tribute to the mighty buffalo and the rugged, independent spirit of the pioneers who followed them westward, we created Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Within the past decade, Buffalo Trace has won more awards than any other distillery in the world, including an unmatched seven "Distillery of the Year" titles. Still American family owned and located in Franklin County, Kentucky, the distillery's rich history includes such legendary distillers as E.H. Taylor, Jr, George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp and Elmer T. Lee. The distillery sprawls impressively over 130 acres and is home to four centuries of architecture - all still fully operational. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is distilled, aged and bottled at the most award-winning distillery in the world. Made from the finest corn, rye and barley malt, this whiskey ages in new oak barrels for years in century old warehouses until the peak of maturity. The taste is rich and complex, with hints of vanilla, toffee and candied fruit. The smooth finish lingers on the palate. This will never change.
We Had A Great Personal Tour For Our Group!
Incoming Barrels
Hand Bottling Section - Walking Stick Bourbon!
Finally The Sampling Area - Free Samples!
Joan Sampling Their Bourbon Crème Samples!
Yummy!
Picking Up Our Derby Tickets!
Sooo Many Great Friends We Meet!!
The Weather Was Perfect All Week!
My Hat!
Making The Blanket Of Roses For The Winner!
And
Derby Day!
2 Minutes Of Racing!
Nose-To-Nose As They Pass Us!
American Pharoah The Winner!
Triple Crown – A series of three races, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, that is run annually by a group of thoroughbred horses. Will American Pharoah Win All Three??
After The Derby
We Visited With Heather And Stayed Here!!
So Long!
Last minute instructions - Before we start!
