LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Unbridled Eve Derby Gala always draws big names from all over the country -- and this year it did not disappoint.
IMAGES | The 2019 Unbridled Eve Gala!
If you weren't able to make it to the Galt House -- don't fear! WDRB News had a crew on the spot to capture images of the celebrities, the food and the fun.
Celebrities at the gala were more than happy to share what they were most looking forward to this weekend:
"That's the best part about it: all the food we're gonna get to try, and then all the fantastic cocktails that's made," said Super Chef Darnell Ferguson. "I love the lilies – so that's my favorite part."
"Sunday," laughed a member of The Louisville Crashers, a local band. "And I'm sorry to say that – this is really hard! There is no joke to what we do – or what they do – and what happens in our rehearsals up to this point."
"Tomorrow will be our very first Derby ever," said Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, president of the University of Louisville. "So we're really excited about it. I think the Oaks got us warmed up for what is to come – but really looking forward to tomorrow."
"I'm actually looking forward to hearing my son sing tonight," Linda Thompson, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and actress. "He's going to do three songs from his new EP that he's releasing next week. And then of course the Derby tomorrow. It's always so much fun to see the hats and the dresses and the spectacle. And after two minutes, it's like – that was it. It's over."
"I actually am really looking forward to the race," said Brandon Jenner, a TV personality and musician. "I think that it's going to be a very exciting moment – I guess it's about two minutes, right? So it's going to be a very exciting two minutes. And I like racing. I grew up racing cars and stuff so that's very exciting for me."
"Well, it used to be riding in it, but now being a fan, it's tremendous," said jockey Sandy Hawley. "When you go on the racetrack as a jockey and hear 'My Old Kentucky Home,' you get goosebumps, and even now as a fan, I get goosebumps as well."
Here's a list of celebrities who were invited, according to the news release:
Musical performers:
• Brandon Jenner - Television personality and musician.
• DJ 2nd Nature - Atlanta DJ who incorporates mash-ups of pop culture media.
• JD Shelburne - Country music artist.
• John Driskell "Hop" Hopkins - Founding member, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for the Grammy winning group Zac Brown Band.
• John Elefante – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer, known for his former tenure as the frontman of the rock group Kansas.
• Linkin' Bridge - Acapella singing group from Louisville. America's Got Talent finalists.
• Mark McGrath - Lead vocalist of the rock band Sugar Ray, host of "Don't Forget the Lyrics" and "Killer Karaoke," and co-host of "EXTRA."
• Mike Mills – Grammy-winning co-founder and co-lead singer of the rock band R.E.M.
• Skip Martin - Grammy-winning lead vocalist, trumpet player, songwriter and producer who was formerly lead vocalist for Kool & The Gang and co-founder, lead singer of the Dazz Band.
• The Louisville Crashers - Louisville-based party/cover band.
Actors / Celebrities / VIPs:
• D.B. Woodside - Actor, best known for his portrayal of White House Chief of Staff Wayne Palmer on the Fox action/drama series 24.
• Jerry Mathers - Actor, best known for his role Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver in the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver.
• Paul Sorvino - Actor (Goodfellas, Law & Order), opera singer, writer, and sculptor.
• Nick Vallalonga - Academy Award winning co-writer and producer of Green Book.
• Bob Guiney - Former star of The Bachelor, frequent panelist & weekly contributor on The TODAY SHOW.
• Linda Thompson - Grammy-nominated award-winning songwriter/lyricist, former actress, and author of “A Little Thing Called Life.”
• Nora Roberts - One of the bestselling authors of all time having written more than 225 romance novels.
• Bruce Wilder - Award-winning photographer.
• Patrick Warburton - Comedic actor and voiceover artist from Seinfeld, Rules of Engagement, and Family Guy.
• Jack Harlow - Hip hop artist from Louisville.
• Rob Angel - Creator of Pictionary.
• Conrad Bachmann - Louisville-native, actor in hundreds of episodics, over four hundred commercials, twenty features, and numerous stage productions.
• Robert Williamson III - World Series of Poker Bracelet Holder with over 30 WSOP cashes & worldwide lifetime winnings exceeding three million dollars.
• Austin Ramsey - Louisville native, award-winning Actor/Producer whose projects include Frat Star and Pike County.
• Ameara Wahhab - Actor, Singer/Songwriter known for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Season 2 and currently working on a new Hulu original TV show RAMY.
• Brandi Alexander - Masterchef Season 7 competitor.
• Layla Spring - Singer, artist, entrepreneur. Top 24 finalist on American Idol 16.
• Brandy Neelly - Nashville-based singer and 2010 Kentucky CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and 2010 Entertainer of the Year.
Jockeys:
• Mike Smith - Horse Racing Museum and Hall of Fame jockey who rode Justify to victory in the 2018 Triple Crown.
• Jean Cruguet - Rode Seattle Slew to victory in the 1977 Triple Crown.
• Ramon Dominguez - Retired Hall of Fame and 3-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey.
• Sandy Hawley - Canadian and U.S. Hall of Fame, Eclipse Award, and Lou Marsh Trophy-winning jockey. First jockey ever to win 500 races in one year.
• Tyler Gaffalione - 2019 Kentucky Derby mount War of Will.
• Gabe Saez - 2019 Kentucky Derby mount By My Standards.
• Jon Court - 2019 Kentucky Derby mount Long Range Toddy.
• Ricardo Santana - 2019 Kentucky Derby mount Plus Que Parfait.
• Sophie Doyle - 2019 Kentucky Oaks mount Street Band.
• NOTE: Many more to be added to Jockey section with Derby mounts
Sports:
• Luke Hancock - Former University of Louisville basketball player, named Most Outstanding Player in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, which University of Louisville won.
• Warren Moon - NFL Hall of Famer who played the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers.
• Mario Urrutia - Former Cincinnati Bengal and University of Louisville Linebacker.
• Jamon Brown - Atlanta Falcons Guard. Played for the University of Louisville
• Deion Branch - New England Patriots Wide Receiver. MVP Super Bowl XXXIX, Two-time Super Bowl champion. Played for the University of Louisville.
• John Miller - Cincinnati Bengals Guard. Played for the University of Louisville.
• Frostee Rucker - Defensive End for the Oakland Raiders.
• Bonnie-Jill Lafflin - Actress, model, television personality, sportscaster, and NBA scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.
• PJ Fleck - University of Minnesota Head Football Coach.
• Joe Johnson - Former U of L Football, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packer player.
• Sam Boyd - Professional motocross rider. On MTV’s Nitro Circus.
Champion Sponsor VIP's:
• Harvey Chaplin - Chairman, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• Gene Sullivan - President, Eastern Region, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• Pete McLaughlin - EVP, GM of Kentucky & Ohio, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• David Levitch - SVP, GM of Kentucky, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
Other celebrities:
• Tammy York Day - CEO, Louisville Healthcare CEO Council and Co-Founder of the Unbridled Charitable Foundation, Inc.
• Tonya York - President, York Management, Inc. and Co-Founder of the Unbridled Charitable Foundation, Inc.
• Dr. Neeli Bendapudi - President of the University of Louisville.
• Katie Bouchard - Miss Kentucky 2018
• Brooke Wiseman - Blessings in a Backpack Executive Director.
• Fred Noe III - Beam's Master Distiller and great grandson of Jim Beam, seventh generation distiller.
• Freddie Noe - Eighth generation distiller of the Beam family.
• Wes Henderson - Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Angel's Envy.
• Al Young - Four Roses Senior Brand Ambassador and Bourbon Legend.
• Milan Chakraborty - Producer of The Lifeguard, Where Hope Grows and My Friend Dahmer.
• Darnell Ferguson - Super Chef
• Jennifer Hoffman - Winner of the Amazing Race.
• Terry Meiners - Radio and television personality on WHAS.
• Dawne Gee - WAVE 3 News anchor and host of WAVE Country with Dawne Gee.
• Chris Sullivan - Co-Founder and former CEO and Chairman of Outback Steakhouse, Inc.
Kentucky Derby Festival Court:
- Brittany Patillo - 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen
- Kelsey Sutton
- Mary Baker
- Elizabeth Seewar
- Allison Spears
A Gold Star Family:
Emily Dieruf Chambers' late husband, Cpl. Nicholas "Nich" James Dieruf, was a United States Marine who died Thurs., April 8, 2004, at the age of 21, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. Dieruf was born in Lexington and after joining the Marine Corp in Woodford County, he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. His division was the first to enter Baghdad, Iraq in April 2003.
Event hosts:
• Tonya York Dees and Tammy York Day (Hosts and Co-Founders, Unbridled Eve Derby Gala)
• Ben Jackey (Unbridled Eve Gala Red Carpet)
• Julie Smith (Unbridled Eve Gala Red Carpet)
• Nick Ferrara (Unbridled Eve Gala Emcee)
The event will also include an auction to benefit several charities, including Blessings in a Backpack, Fund for the Arts and others. The silent auction begins at 7 p.m. on April 27 and will run through May 3 at 10:30 p.m.
For more information on the silent auction, CLICK HERE.
For more information on the Unbridled Eve gala, CLICK HERE.
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