On Saturday, jockeys will prepare for "the most exciting two minutes in sports": the Kentucky Derby.
The 141st race will go down at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, well over a century after the first race in 1875, making the Kentucky Derby the longest-running sport in the U.S. Each year, more than 150,000 people attend the Derby, dressed in their best floppy hats and linen suits.
But before you pull on your weekend best and pull out your silver julep cups, brush up on a bit of the Derby's history.
1. Horse racing in Louisville, Kentucky dates back to 1783, when local sources say races were held on Market Street.
A course was built on the now-abandoned Shippingport Island in the Ohio River to alleviate the issues associated with racing on city streets.
2. The founder of Churchill Downs, Col. M. Lewis Clark, raised $32,000 on his own to build the original track.
Clark sold 320 membership subscriptions priced at $100 each and leased 80 acres of land from his uncles John and Henry Churchill.
3. In 1896, the Derby was shortened from 1.5 miles to 1.25 miles.
Race officials determined that the original distance was too long for a 3-year-old horse to run in early spring.
4. Clark designed the Kentucky Derby after the Epsom Derby, one of the three premiere races held in England.
The Kentucky Derby has been held each year since its debut at Churchill Downs in 1875.
5. The Kentucky Derby is the first race in horse racing's Triple Crown.
It's followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
6. To secure a position in the race, horses must complete the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
That's 35 races at tracks across the country. The top four finishing horses in each race are awarded points, and the top 20 horses with the most points earn a spot at the Derby.
7. Mint Juleps were served at the first Kentucky Derby in 1875, and quickly became a Churchill Downs staple.
They cost only $0.38 a piece at the time.
8. More than 120,000 mint juleps are served at each year's event.
Churchill Downs requires more than 1,000 pounds of fresh mint and 60,000 pounds of ice to complete the cocktails.
9. White is the luckiest color jockey silk, though most silks have at least three colors.
Red is the winningest primary color for a jersey silk.
10. Brown is the unluckiest color for a jersey silk.
This is the case both as a primary jersey color and as an accent color.
11. Churchill Downs washes 600 silks per week.
The concourse use three gallons of Tide laundry detergent per day to keep them clean.
