The Kentucky Derby Fan's Guide to the Preakness Stakes
With Kentucky Derby Winner Nyquist and Derby second-place finisher Exaggerator ranking as many oddsmakers' favorites in this weekend's Preakness Stakes, horse racing fans' attention has turned to Maryland's Pimlico Park. Here's the HerKentucky Guide to the Preakness Stakes, which will tell you everything you need to know about this weekend's race festivities!
Black-Eyed Susan Day
The day before the Preakness, Pimlico celebrates Black-Eyed Susan Day with a G2 race for 3 year-old fillies. Known as the Pimlico Oaks until 1952 when it was renamed to honor the Maryland state flower, the Black Eyed Susan Stakes serves as the second leg of the filly Triple Crown. Like the Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes has a charitable focus, benefitting the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Susan G. Komen® Maryland.
Preakness Traditions
This weekend marks the 141st running of the Preakness Stakes. Race day will start off with the annual Alibi Breakfast for trainers, jockeys, owners, and media. The crowd will sing along with Maryland's state song, Maryland, My Maryland, and sip Black-Eyed Susan cocktails. The winning owner will be given a sterling silver replica of the Woodlawn vase (The original trophy, an 1893 creation by Tiffany & Co, remains on permanent display) and the winning horse will be draped in a blanket of Black-Eyed Susans.
Preakness Fashion
While the focus on Kentucky Derby Day is high fashion, the Preakness is all about fun. I asked Bri Mott, the founder of raceday style website Fashion at the Races (and the most fashionable horse lover I know!) to describe the difference in Derby and Preakness style. Her tips? "Dressing for the Preakness Stakes is very different than the Southern Belle style of the Kentucky Derby. Preakness is known for its 'party' factor with all the crazy stories of the infield. You want to bring the party into your fashion. Bold colors and flashy prints. Less brimmed hats and more fun fascinators. It's all about the fun and you show that in your raceday style!"
Preakness Spirits
Like the Derby's famous mint julep, the Preakness has its own signature cocktail, the Black-Eyed Susan. You can find the official recipe here, but I modified mine with homemade sour mix, Indian River Valencia orange juice, and Boteco Vodka. This is a sweet and sassy citrus-based cocktail that packs quite the punch!
Black-Eyed Susan Cocktail
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 1 oz Maker's Mark bourbon whisky
- 2 oz orange juice
- 2 oz sour mix (recipe below)
- orange slice and cherry for garnish
Combine all ingredients and serve over ice.
Homemade Sour mix
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup lemon juice, strained
- 0.5 cup lime juice, strained
Make simple syrup by bringing sugar and water to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. Add citrus juices. Shake and use immediately or refrigerate.
Happy Preakness weekend, y'all!
This post was brought to you by The Kentucky Derby Book.
Five Fun Facts about the Kentucky Derby Garland of Roses
Perhaps the most iconic and memorable of all Kentucky Derby traditions is the garland of red roses that is placed around the winning horse. This custom has earned the Kentucky Derby the nickname “The Run for the Roses®”, but how much do you know about the Kentucky Derby red rose? Here are some fun facts for your Derby Day.
· Roses were first used in the 1896 Derby, when winner Ben Brush received an arrangmenent of pink and white roses.
· The red rose became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby in 1904.
· The Derby was given the nickname “The Run for the Roses” in 1925 by sports columnist Bill Corum. The phrase was trademarked by Churchill Downs Inc. in 2009.
· Burgoo King, the winner of the 58th running of the Kentucky Derby, won the first garland of roses as we know it today.
· The Derby Garland has been crafted by Kroger since 1987. The Derby Garland is 122 inches long and 22 inches wide, and weighs approximately 40 lbs. More than 450 Rainforest Alliance Certified "Freedom" roses are placed on the garland.
Lilly Pulitzer Kentucky Derby Quilt
Happy Derby Weekend, y'all!
I've shown you most of my quilt collection before, but this may just be the most special one of all!
Several years ago, we were able to find some yardage of this gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer print on eBay. The print is "Low Riders," and it features gorgeous shades of mint, periwinkle, and butter, as well as horses and some rather iconic spires.
Of course, it's no secret that Lilly and Derby go hand in hand! My local Lilly Pulitzer store, The Peppermint Palm, goes all out for Derby; they always work with local milliners to match the latest Lilly prints, host the Derby Festival Princesses, and generally have lots of Derby-time fun!
The ties between the Lilly Pulitzer brand and the equestrian lifestyle go back to Mrs Pulitzer's own love of horses. The late Mrs Pulitzer often cited these ties to her own childhood memories of traveling to Kentucky from her family's upstate New York home to watch her stepfather's horses run at Churchill Downs. As a young adult, Lilly even served as a horseback courier for the Frontier Nursing Service in southeastern Kentucky!
My Lilly Derby quilt is such a special keepsake, because it combines so many things that I absolutely love -- Lilly Pulitzer, the Kentucky Derby, and the priceless feeling of having a quilt made by my grandmother!
Happy Derby, y'all!
Check out more Quilt of the Week posts here:
- Navy + Blue Bear Paw Quilt
- Orange + Green Halloween Quilt
- Pink + White Dresden Plate
- Blue + White Kentucky Wildcats
- Pink + White Double Wedding Ring
- Yellow + Green Grandmother's Flower Garden
- Pink + Green Plaid Butterfly
- Red + White Ohio Star
- Pink + White Kentucky Wildcats Patchwork
- Pink + Green Lilly Pulitzer Patchwork Quilt
- Pink + Green Hearts + Polka Dots Quilt
- Blue + Brown Kitchen Patchwork Quilt
- Red + Green Christmas Patchwork Quilt
- Poinsettia + Christmas Tree Quilt
My Old Kentucky Home
The history of Kentucky's state song
"The Sun Shines Bright on My Old Kentucky Home…”
The lyrics of Kentucky’s state song bring a tear to the eye of even the most cynical track-goer. In fact, one of the most sentimental moments of Kentucky Derby Day is when the crowd – led bythe University of Louisville Marching Band—sings Stephen Foster’s nostalgic ballad, My Old Kentucky Home. But did you know that My Old Kentucky Home was once regarded as a powerful anti-slavery message?
The story goes that songwriter Stephen Foster, whom many consider to be the father of American music, wrote My Old Kentucky Home in 1852, after reading Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous abolitionist novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. The original lyrics of the ballad told the story of enslaved servants who’d been sold from a peaceful and happy life in Kentucky into a harsh existence in the Deep South. The grief of the narrators as they recall better times with their families led famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass to note that the song engenders "the sympathies for the slave, in which antislavery principles take root, grow, and flourish."
The lyrics of My Old Kentucky Home were later adapted to reflect a more generalized nostalgia for the Bluegrass State. The ballad was first played at the Kentucky Derby and was named Kentucky’s state song in 1928. Kentucky Governor A.B. “Happy” Chandler famously sang the song at University of Kentucky basketball games, and actor Johnny Depp led what could easily be characterized as the weirdest version at a memorial service for his fellow Kentuckian, writer Hunter S. Thompson. The Bardstown, Kentucky mansion that is said to be the setting for My Old Kentucky Home has been a beloved state park since the 1930s, and the song is now associated with the greatest aspects of Kentucky, especially The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.
On Derby Day, before you place your bets and sip your julep, please take a moment to sing along to My Old Kentucky Home and remember that the song has a history of both social justice and deep love for the Commonwealth of Kentucky!
“…For The Old Kentucky Home, Far Away…”
This post was brought to you by The Kentucky Derby Book, an interactive media experience that brings The Run for the Roses ® to your coffee table.
Ten Things You Probably Didn't Know About George Clooney
Ten things you probably didn't know about Kentucky native and actor George Clooney.
On May 6, 1961, George Timothy Clooney was born in Lexington, KY, the younger child of journalist Nick Clooney and his wife, Nina. George, the nephew of singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, made his TV debut at age 5 on his father's Cincinnati-based talk show, and grew up in the Bracken County, KY town of Augusta. He was clearly a charm from a young age.
In honor of everybody's favorite Kentucky-born birthday boy, I thought it would be fun to do a little trivia this morning. Here are 10 things you probably didn't know about George Clooney.
- George was a high school athlete; he tried out for the Cincinnati Reds, but he didn't make the team.
- He is the only person ever to be nominated for an Academy Award in six categories.
- Although George rose to fame playing Dr. Doug Ross in the NBC medical drama ER, he previously had a supporting role in the similarly-named Elliot Gould sitcom E/R, which ran on CBS for one season.
- He was arrested in 2012 for a planned protest at the Sudanese embassy in Washington, DC.
- George attended classes at Northern Kentucky University, the University of Cincinnati, and the Beverly Hills Playhouse. He dropped out of NKU to to make a low-budget movie with his cousin Miguel Ferrer.
- George has been married twice: first to actress Talia Balsam (Mona on Mad Men) and currently to attorney Amal Alamuddin.
- George is a distant relative to perhaps the most famous Kentuckian of all: His maternal great-great-great-great-grandmother, Mary Ann Sparrow, was a half-sister to Nancy Hanks, mother of Abraham Lincoln.
- For years, George had a pet potbellied pig named Max. He credits Max with saving his life, by waking him up before the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake.
- He guest-starred on classic 1980s TV shows including The Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote, as well as his parts on The Facts of Life and Roseanne.
- George is the co-owner of a premium tequila label, Casamigo. One of his partners in the Casamigo brand is his friend and neighbor Rande Gerber (Cindy Crawford's husband.)
From all of us here at HerKentucky, Happy Birthday, George!!
Celebrate Mom with Graeter's!
Sunday is Mother's Day, and I've teamed up with Graeter's to share some ways to make your mom's day a sweet one.
Graeter's is, of course, the handcrafted French Pot ice cream favored by Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney, and a whole lot of Kentuckians. When they sent over a couple of recipes for me to try -- and share with y'all on WKYT today -- I knew they'd be huge hits for Mother's Day dinner.
Brownie Parfait
This is a treat so easy that the youngest kitchen helpers can assist! Start with a couple of small brownies (I used my tried-and-true recipe of boxed brownie mix with a splash of bourbon and a sprinkling of sea salt). Layer a brownie, a spoonful or two of chocolate pudding, then another brownie and another dab of pudding. The recipe calls for vanilla ice cream and chocolate pieces, but I opted for Graeter's Bourbon Ball, my favorite local flavor. Of course, top with some whipped cream!
Strawberry Shortcake
• 2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 5 prepared strawberry shortcake cups
• 1 pint of Graeter’s strawberry ice cream
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready in 45 minutes
1. Place the strawberries into a glass bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Stir condensed milk into strawberries and mash together with a fork until somewhat juicy. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Place each shortcake cup onto a dessert plate. Evenly divide the strawberries and their juice among the shortcake cups. Top with whipped cream to serve.
Five Tips for a Great At-Home Derby Party
When I think of favorite Kentucky Derby memories, there are, of course, stories about sitting right at the Finish Line, over-the-top Derby Parties, and elaborate hats. But, the truth is, some of my very favorite Kentucky Derby Memories are family parties when I was a kid. I can remember sitting in my grandmother's living room -- at a home where drinking or gambling would never be permitted -- and watching the Derby with my cousins. It was always so special to realize that Kentucky was the focus of the entire sports-loving world for the afternoon!
Here are some great tips for hosting a memorable Derby party at home.
1. Keep an assortment of great beverages!
When you think of Derby Day, of course you think of mint juleps! But, y'all know that everybody doesn't like the Kentucky Derby's signature cocktail. Try an Ale-8 "minty julep" mocktail for the kids. Keep some sweet tea and lemonade on hand for those who choose not to imbibe. Maybe mix up a batch of bourbon slush. Have a couple bottles of good bourbon on hand -- a high-wheat and a high-rye should satisfy everyone's tastes. And don't forget that crushed ice makes it all a little more festive!
2. Keep it low-key!
There's no need to pull out the fine china or even the silver julep cups. Make your guests feel comfortable with everyday serving pieces. I LOVE the mint julep cups from Louisville Stoneware. These carafes are only $3 at Target right now. And Derby glasses are always appropriate! I love using a well-loved quilt as a tablecloth. And colorful Fiestaware is always great for a party.
3. Everybody loves a tiny bite!
Make boxed brownie mix something extraordinary by adding a splash of bourbon to the mix, then topping the cooled brownies with a liberal sprinkling of sea salt; cut into tiny, bite-sized squares. Serve sweet Sister Schubert rolls as sliders with salty country ham. Mini hot browns and individual-sized Derby-Pies® are always great tastes of Kentucky!
4. Play some games.
Download a jockey silks template and let kids (and grown-ups!) design their own silks. Draw names of the horses in the field from a bowl, so everyone has a horse to cheer for. (If your crowd is gambling-friendly, set up a small pool for the race winner!) And purchase cheap feathers and flowers from a craft store to decorate Derby hats. Purchase a few extra Derby glasses for party favors that will remind your guests of the fun day.
5. Sing My Old Kentucky Home!
Don't forget the state song. It's a great Derby tradition!
Here's to a fun, laid-back Derby at home!