Pre-Derby Celebration

Events / Pre-Derby Celebration

150th Derby Celebration of black horsemen, innovators, and blacksmiths

ABOUT THE EVENT:

We partner with local organizations to annually host Kentucky Horse Park Derby celebrations for today's horsemen, innovators, and past historical blacksmiths and horse groomers. Events include Bluegrass Jazz Legends performance, Derby Fashion Show, Soul Train's "Boots on the Ground" perfomance, and Trail Blazers's Documentary Theatre. Past celebrations also included special guest speaker Dr. Gerald Smith, fish fry with live music, and a documentary feature diving deep into the history of black jockeys in horse and derby racing.