文化艺术【4】Horses, Hats and Roses: The Kentucky Derby is a Mix of...
ARTS & CULTURE
Horses, Hats and Roses: The Kentucky Derby is a Mix of Customs
May 04, 2018
A horse heads onto the track for a morning workout at Churchill Downs Friday, May 4, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. The 144th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The most famous horse races in America begin on May 5 with the running of the 144th Kentucky Derby. It is the first of a three part championship series. The other two races are the Preakness in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York.
Win all three races and your horse is named a Triple Crown champion. It does not happen often. Only 12 horses have won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The first was Sir Barton in 1919. The most recent, almost 100 years later, was 2015 champion American Pharoah.
The Kentucky Derby, in the southern city of Louisville, is the youngest of the three races. It is arguably the most famous horse race in the world. It is often called the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”
Millions of dollars are wagered on the Derby. And great wealth can be gained from breeding Derby winners.
A few facts and history
Kentucky Derby competitors are three years old. They run for two kilometers around the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville. Derby runners can be male or female horses. Only males have ever won, so far.
The famous Triple Crown winner Secretariat finished the Kentucky Derby faster than any horse, before or after him. His time in the 1973 race was 1 minute, 59.4 seconds. Only one other competitor has run the Derby in under two minutes. That horse, Monarchos, won the race in 2001. But, he did not break Secretariat’s record.
Horse lovers, gamblers, the rich and the famous gather at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. It is as much a cultural celebration as it is a sporting event. And that celebration requires some preparation on the part of those attending.
Do not forget your hat
The Kentucky Derby is outside. The race can get very dirty, with the horses kicking up mud and dust as they speed around the track. But, observers are expected to look their best. Many men wear suits. Many women wear beautiful spring dresses.
However, the critical piece of clothing goes on top of your head.
Hats are almost a requirement at the Kentucky Derby. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors at the race. Women’s hat styles vary greatly. They can include flowers, feathers, ribbons, jewels and more. You might even see a hat or two larger than the heads they top.
‘Run for the Roses’
The owners of the winning horse receive more than $1 million. More importantly, people will pay a lot of money to breed their horses with a Kentucky Derby winner.
And the horse? It gets flowers. As soon as the race is over, a spread of red roses is hung over the winning animal’s neck. The tradition began in 1896. The red rose became the official Derby flower in 1904. And, about twenty years after that, the Kentucky Derby came to be known as the “Run for the Roses.”
Mint julep time
Kentucky is famous for making the alcohol called bourbon. And Kentucky bourbon is the base of a famous Derby drink: the mint julep. It is served in a metal container to keep it very cold. It contains bourbon, sugar, mint leaves and ice.
The Kentucky Derby’s official website says more than 120,000 mint juleps will be sold at Churchill Downs during the Derby weekend.
I’m Caty Weaver.
Caty Weaver wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
_______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
wager – v. to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong
suit – n. a set of clothes that usually consists of a jacket and a skirt or pair of pants that are made out of the same material
breeding – v. to produce young animals, birds, etc.; to produce offspring by sexual reproduction
gambler – n. someone who plays a game in which you can win or lose money or possessions
feather – n. any one of the light growths that make up the outer covering of the body of a bird
ribbon – n. a narrow piece of cloth (such as silk) that is used to tie things or for decoration
文化艺术【2】Four Shows Competing for the Tony for Best Musical
文化艺术【1】‘Burning Man’ Art Comes to Smithsonian
【1】 'I Wanted to Come and Honor Them:' Lynching Memorial Open in US
VOA文化艺术: Japanese Cuisine at Washington's Sakura Matsuri
推荐：
美国国家公园：National Parks Traveler Relives History in Southeastern US
还没听够看够？关注本公众号（漂泊者乐园微信公众号），定期收听收查看各种精彩内容。跑步入场还不晚哦。
（学习交流微信：littleflute）
特别说明：
A. 如果您想收听全部中级美国英语内容，有两种方法:
(1) 在漂泊者乐园微信公众号回复：zjmgyy 。
(2）点击左下角的 阅读原文 。
B. 本平台（漂泊者乐园微信公众号）会不定期推送各种各样的在线资源，为了不错过收听查看机会，建议广大亲朋好友们关注本公众号（漂泊者乐园微信公众号）。
C. 本平台（漂泊者乐园微信公众号）主要推送以下几类资讯：
（1）各种英语学习资料。
（2）各种音乐学习资料。
（3）各种中国象棋学习资料。
（4）各种计算机学习资料。
（5）各种电子图书。
（6）各种MP3,MP4等音像资源。
D. 本平台（漂泊者乐园微信公众号）诚招合作者。有意者请联系 微信：littleflute。