Hot Topics

Derby

winefest

Derby, Events, Food and Dining, I Was There, Louisville May 4, 2016

WineFest at Louisville Ky’s Belvedere a family tradition? It is if you’re my family

Stunning photos by Eric Bentley By Jackie Hollenkamp Bentley It looks like we have started a new family tradition: the Kentucky Derby Festival’s WineFest. How can you not? You have more than 65 wineries from Kentucky and Indiana offering tastes of their best vino, roaming cheese and fruit trays, food pairing demonstrations—all on the Belvedere. It’s the event my nephew lives for every year and now he has us looking forward to it. Heck, even his sister and her family flew up from Florida to partake of the festivities. They went all fancy and bought the $85 VIP tickets so…

Victor Espinoza

Derby, Events, Louisville, Non-Profits May 3, 2016

Victor Espinoza honored at Louisville Ky special event

Photos from the Kentucky Derby Museum’s Facebook page. Victor Espinoza presented with the Bill Hartack Memorial Award LOUISVILLE, KY – The Bill Hartack Charitable Foundation presented Victor Espinoza with the Hartack Memorial Award at a ceremony Monday night at the Kentucky Derby Museum.   This is the 8th year that the Foundation has honored a Kentucky Derby winning jockey with a championship ring that honors the memory of Bill Hartack, a five-time winning Kentucky Derby jockey and member of the Racing Hall of Fame. Victor Espinoza is a back-to-back winner of the Hartack Award with victories aboard California Chrome in 2014…

Great Bed Races

Derby, Events, Louisville May 3, 2016

Louisville Ky’s bed race champions have emerged

May 2, 2016 Louisville, KY. –  A crowd of 3,000 racing fans cheered tonight as Premier Packaging and Bluegrass Indoor Carting were named champions at the Thorntons Great Bed Races. 30 teams pushed their decorated beds on wheels around the figure-eight course, competing for the fastest times. Bluegrass Indoor Carting won the Champions Division with a time of 33:15 and Premier Packaging claimed the title in the Fun Division with a time of 38:70.   The theme of this year’s event, “Race for the Cup,” had teams decorating their bed in everything from pontoon boats, solo cups, race cars and…

American Pharoah

Business, Culture, Derby, Events, Louisville May 2, 2016

Louisville Ky’s American Pharoah museum exhibit now open to the public

AMERICAN PHAROAH exhibit now open in the Kentucky Derby Museum Trainer Bob Baffert, Owners Ahmed and Justin Zayat and Jockey Victor Espinoza on hand to celebrate opening LOUISVILLE, KY. (May 1, 2016) – The Kentucky Derby Museum’s new exhibit “AMERICAN PHAROAH”, celebrating the career and legacy of the 2015 Triple Crown winner, is now open to the public. Following a special ceremony in the Museum’s Great Hall, all of the horse’s winning connections, including trainer Bob Baffert, his wife, Jill, Owners Ahmed and Justin Zayat of Zayat Stables and Jockey Victor Espinoza, officially opened the exhibit by releasing a giant balloon…

Photo by Rick Redding

Business, Derby, Food and Dining May 2, 2016

LouisvilleKY’s Churchill Downs and Levy’s Renew Pact for Food Service

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT), the racing icon and year-round entertainment institution that is the home of the Kentucky Derby, and Levy Restaurants, its hospitality partner and on-track dining provider since 2001, have agreed to a 10-year contract extension. The agreement signed by Chicago-based Levy Restaurants and Churchill Downs renewed their partnership for another decade through 2026. Under the contract, Levy Restaurants will continue as the historic track’s hospitality partner for the annual celebrations of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, the track’s three racing meets that comprise more than 70 days of live Thoroughbred racing each year, and the track’s extensive year-round schedule…

Photo from Churchill Down's Facebook page

Culture, Derby, Food and Dining, Jeffersontown, Non-Profits, Politics, Real-Estate, Sport April 29, 2016

LouisvilleKY’s THE WEEK: Statue’s Limitations, Suddenbreakingnews, Jokes and Parties

As John Asher might tell you, it’s just eight days until the 142nd Run for the Roses, and we’ve already begun to celebrate. Here’s what’s worth paying attention to. Kentucky Name Drops: Exaggerator. Suddenbreakingnews. Nyquist. Creator. Mohaymen. To have some proper Derby conversations, learn that these are names of horses who will likely be in the Derby. 20 will start. Nyquist is the undefeated favorite. Buy a Racing form, or ask anyone for their opinion, if you want to know more. And listen to my interview with John Asher on the Rusty Satellite Show. No Joke – the Mark and…

DERBY2015

Business, Derby, Louisville April 28, 2016

Track visitors Do’s and Don’ts from Louisville Ky’s Churchill Downs

PLANNING TO ATTEND THE 2016 KENTUCKY DERBY AND KENTUCKY OAKS? WORDS OF CAUTION: LEAVE YOUR HOVERBOARD AT HOME   Churchill Downs Makes Single Addition to Security List ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ for 2016 Derby, Oaks   LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, April 28, 2016) – Should Marty McFly come back from the future to visit Churchill Downs Racetrack on the first weekend in May with plans to attend the 142nd runnings of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), there’s a piece of his standard equipment that he would not be permitted to carry – or ride – through the…

KATE UPTON in The Edit Magazine

Beauty and Fashion, Derby, Events, Louisville, Music, Sport April 28, 2016

Kate Upton and Jordan Smith to visit Louisville for Kentucky Oaks honors

KATE UPTON AND JORDAN SMITH TO HEADLINE KENTUCKY OAKS EVENTS   Supermodel to Serve as Oaks First Lady, “The Voice” Winner to Perform National Anthem   LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, April 28, 2016) – Churchill Downs Racetrack today announced that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model and Actress Kate Upton will serve as the First Lady of the Longines Kentucky Oaks and the season nine winner of NBC’s “The Voice” and Republic Recording artist Jordan Smith will perform the national anthem at the Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 6, the day before the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands. The Longines Kentucky Oaks is America’s premier and most lucrative…

Ray J

Beauty and Fashion, Derby, Louisville April 28, 2016

KDF releases list of celebrities to visit Louisville Ky next week

April 27, 2016 Louisville, KY.  – The stars are coming out for this year’s Kentucky Derby Festival events.  KDF is releasing this year’s celebrity guest list. Many will take part in both the Celebrity Day at the Downs event on Thursday, May 5, as well as the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade later that same day. The theme of this year’s parade is “Fun for the Arts.”   “This year’s parade will be the biggest hit on Louisville’s Broadway,” said Stacey Robinson, Kentucky Derby Festival Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff.  “The Festival is paying tribute to all those groups…

Mint julep cup

Beauty and Fashion, Derby, Food and Dining, Louisville, Non-Profits, Sport April 26, 2016

2016 Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cup unveiled

Woodford Reserve® Unites with Fashion & Mixology’s Top Talent to Create 2016 Kentucky Derby® $1,000 Mint Julep Cup A trifecta of handcrafted artistry benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Woodford Reserve today unveils its $1,000 Mint Julep Cup available at the Kentucky Derby® and benefiting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Now in its 11th year, the 2016 iteration offers an elevated Derby experience curated by Master Distiller Chris Morris, in partnership with acclaimed menswear designer Hamilton Shirts and New York mixologist Julie Renee Williams. This year’s special Mint Julep recipe pays tribute to the…