The crowd is almost double the number who head to Aintree for the UK’s Grand National each April, and like the flagship British event, the Kentucky Derby is a magnet for the stars, with dressing up in finery the order of the for all attendees.
About 15m watch the race on television, with up to $300m being placed in bets.
And yesterday Bill Mott’s Sovereignty provided Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation with a first Kentucky Derby success at Churchill Downs, in the 151st running of the race in Louisville. The race followed heavy rain and saw a soft, sloppy track.
Mott told NBC Sports: “I saw him gearing up when he left the half-mile pole – he started to pick up his momentum. I lost him a little bit, but he made up a lot of ground in a hurry. He’s done well, he’s a great horse and he comes from a great organisation. I can’t say enough about the horse and the organisation that started him out and did everything to make this happen. It’s great and it’ll take a while to sink in.”
1. Amanda Vance
The cheerleader, model and NFL reporter looked stylish in black | Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Churchill Downs
2. Jayson and Julia Werth
The former baseball player and his wife were hoping for the rub of the green at the race | Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Churchill Downs
3. Riley Green
The country singer kept to what he knows best | Getty Images for Churchill Downs
4. Hunter Fieri and Guy Fieri
Restaurateur Guy and his son Hunter went for the bright lok | Getty Images for Churchill Downs