Kentucky Derby Museum to visit England race that inspired the Run for the Roses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jessica Whitehead carefully wrapped paper around the 14-karat gold replica Kentucky Derby trophy before storing it away inside a shock-resistant case.

The one-of-a-kind dupe is headed across the pond to Epson, England, this week.

"I'm helping the Kentucky Derby Museum prepare to take its replica trophy to England to visit the Epsom Derby, which is sort of like our mother race," said Whitehead, the curator of collections for the Derby Museum.

Derby Museum replica trophy to England — Jessica Whitehead carefully packs away this one-of-a-kind dupe of the Kentucky Derby trophy, which is headed to England for the Epsom Derby this weekend. (WDRB photo)

The Epsom Derby, which is pronounced 'Darby,' is running for the 244th time on Saturday, and part of Kentucky Derby's history will be there to see it.

"When we're here at Churchill Downs, we feel like we're at the center of the world sometimes, and I think we forget about all of the long history that went into making this event happen, and a lot of that happened overseas," Whitehead said.

The Kentucky Derby Museum and officials from the Jockey Club in London have been arranging the trip to connect the two historic races that are already connected.

When Meriwether Lewis Clark was working to establish a prestigious horse race in America, he was advised to travel to England for inspiration. It was the Epsom Derby, England's richest flat race, that inspired him.

When Lewis Clark returned, the Kentucky Derby was born.

"He really got to go there and just sort of pull all of that together and formulate his ideas for a new club here in Louisville, Kentucky," Whitehead said.

"This link-up with the Kentucky Derby, and making sure that Epsom's history is a focus of American sports fans, but also that we're giving a nod to what is a huge sporting event over in America, is a great way in which we can link up," added Matt Woolston, the Assistant Racing and International director for the Jockey Club in London.

The two parties from across the ocean know the importance of their shared story, and how each comes together to tell the full story. They say the goal of this week's connection is to tell that together on the land where it began.

"Lewis Clark, who founded the Kentucky Derby, could never have conceived what this would have become, and so it's really exciting to be able to take this over to England and say, 'Hey, your little sister really did some good stuff,'"

Representatives from Louisville Tourism will also be in attendance for the Epsom Derby this Saturday.