LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Derby traditions have crossed the pond.
For the first time ever, Kentucky Derby traditions are being featured during the five-day Royal Ascot race in England, which is currently on day four.
Racing fans at Ascot Racecourse have been enjoying the signature Mint Julep and seeing the Kentucky Derby trophy on display while taking a selfie in front a rose-filled backdrop.
“We are thrilled to highlight the Kentucky Derby internationally at Royal Ascot,” Casey Ramage, Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships at Churchill Downs Racetrack, said in a news release. “Our storied history was inspired by English horse racing, so to begin celebrating our 150th anniversary at Ascot Racecourse is a meaningful honor.”
The Kentucky Derby was inspired by the Epson Derby in England when in 1872, Meriwether Lewis Clark, grandson of famed William Clark of the pair Lewis and Clark, attended the race.
Clark was determined to start a similar horse race in American, and thus, on May 17, 1875, the running of the first Kentucky Derby took place. Fifteen horses, including the winner Aristides, raced in front of more than 10,000 people. Today, the Kentucky Derby is the longest continually-run annual sporting event in the U.S.
The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby will be on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
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