Did you know that every year, people consume more than one hundred and twenty thousand mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Derby is one of the world’s most unique sporting events. Those who attend it often embrace age-old traditions, such as wearing traditional ornate hats. Unfortunately, the majority of those who enjoy watching the event have no idea about its fascinating history. 

To help you develop a greater appreciation for the United States’ oldest continuous sporting event, we’ve written an article that explains the history of the Kentucky Derby. Keep reading, and we’ll tell you what you need to know. 

The First Kentucky Derby Took Place in 1872

People give credit to a man named Meriwether Lewis Clark for starting the Kentucky Derby. As the grandson of the famous William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Meriwether Lewis Clark knew that he had big shoes to fill. 

While visiting England, he happened to attend the Epson Derby. Since it has been in existence since 1780, the Epsom Derby was one of Europe’s most popular races. Clark enjoyed watching the race so much that it was all that he talked about when he returned to the United States. 

He made use of his family’s connections to get the land he needed for building what would become the United States’ first horse racetrack. A group of people who were fans of the race started calling it the Louisville Jockey Club. The club opened its doors to host the first-ever Kentucky Derby in May of eighteen seventy-five. 

There were fifteen horses that competed in the first race, and only around ten thousand people showed up to watch it.

The winner of the first race was named Aristides. People draped the horse in roses to celebrate his victory. This became a race tradition, which is why people often refer to the Kentucky Derby as “The Run for the Roses.” 

A Race that Evolved Over the Years

It’s not easy to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. It’s necessary for horses to perform well at various prep races that take place in the months that lead up to the big event. 

Those who finish within the top four spots in each of these races are awarded a certain number of points. The twenty finishers who have the most points qualify to race at the Kentucky Derby. 

In the race’s early days, most of the riders were African Americans. In 1901 and 1902 one of the famous Derby racers named Jimmy Winklefield became the last African American jockey to win the race. Around this time, people started becoming more racist towards jockeys who were not white. 

In the late eighteen hundreds, race organizers decided to shorten the track from a mile and a half to a mile and a quarter. Their goal was to make the race shorter and more exciting. 

It wasn’t until the nineteen twenties that people started covering the event on live radio. It proved to be a widely popular event for people to listen to. This is why it started being broadcasted on national television in the early nineteen fifties. It has been broadcasted on live television every year since nineteen fifty-two. 

In the nineteen fifties, the winning racers would earn around one hundred thousand dollars. Racers now earn around three million dollars if they win. 

Kentucky Derby Traditions

The drink of choice for those who attend the Kentucky Derby is the mint julep. The most popular meal is called burgoo. This stew contains beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. 

The race has more seating options than it did in the past. Along with infield general admission, there is an area known as “Millionaire’s Row.” These expensive box seats get taken by those who are wealthy and have lots of connections. 

Most women who attend the event choose to wear hats that are similar to what women wore in the early days of the race. Some of the hats that women wear were handed down to them by their great grandmothers. 

Another race tradition relates to music. Every year, the University of Louisville Cardinal Marching Band plays the same “My Old Kentucky Home.” The song was first played in nineteen twenty-one. 

Famous Derby Racers

Those who set their sights on winning the infamous Triple Crown need to start by winning the Kentucky Derby. To earn the Triple Crown, you need to win three consecutive races: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. 

There have only been three horses to earn this reward. The first winner was Sir Barton (1919), and the most recent winner was Justify (2018). 

Most people say that the best racehorse to ever live was named Secretariat. Even though the horse only raced for a total of sixteen months, it broke numerous records. He only lost twenty-one races and was one of the few horses to break the two-minute mark at the Kentucky Derby. 

The Kentucky Derby in 2022

The 2022 Kentucky Derby was the one hundred and forty-eighth time that the race has been run. The winner was Rich Strike, an American thoroughbred racehorse. Since the horse had eighty to one odds of winning the race, it was the second-biggest longshot to ever win the Kentucky Derby. 

If you want to find out more about this year’s derby, visit the Doc’s Sports Service website. 

The History of the Kentucky Derby: An American Tradition

If you’re interested in the history of the Kentucky Derby, it’s important to know that the race was started in eighteen seventy-two by Meriwether Lewis Clark, who was the grandson of William Clark. Even though the race has changed over the years, there are many traditions that race attendees continue to embrace. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about the world’s top races, be sure to visit the Entertainment section of our website. 

Surfing is always exciting and cool. That’s precisely why more and more people are into surfing now. Surfing is a sport that requires a lot of skills and knowledge. So, to help you with that, I have some prepared some surfing tips for beginners.

Soft-top surfboards

Soft-top surfboards are great option for beginners and not to mention the best-selling surfboards in the world. The reason is that soft-top surfboards are great for people who are still learning. The top is soft, so don’t be afraid of hitting it while surfing. Your body will be able to take the abuse, believe me. All in all, soft-top surfboards are fun and a great entry-level board.

Practice your pop up

Pop up is the crucial move that prepares you for the incoming waves. If you can’t do pop up properly, you will end up wasting your time because you won’t be able to ride any waves. So don’t waste your time and start practicing your pop up. To start, place your board on the beach, lie on top of it facing forward, and with one fluid motion, push your body up with your arms upward until you are standing. Do this over and over again until the movement is ingrained into your brain. Then, you are ready for the waves.

Find the sweet spot when paddling

The reason why surfers are able to catch the waves is that they have trained their senses. To train your sense, start by finding the sweet spot when paddling. Some beginners tend to paddle too far back on their boards, making them go slow. But paddling too far up on the boards Is making the nose poke underwater. So, find the sweet spot before you start practicing riding the waves. Once you found the spot, mark it with a piece of wax.

Prepare to fall flat

Obviously, you are going to fall a lot while surfing. Even experienced surfers are going to fall a lot. So, when you do, make sure you always fall flat. Fall nice and flat is the best way to not injure yourself. Never ever fall headfirst off your board, even falling off feet first can be dangerous for you considering the uneven nature of the seafloor. So always try to fall on your back or side flat on the water if possible.

Get away from the crowd

Surfing is not something that you can do while many people are around. This is why experienced surfers tend to stay away from popular spots in the area. Besides, popular spots are usually only populated by surfers who have been there for years and know how to get the best waves. Surfing somewhere away from the popular areas could get you more waves, and you can practice more this way.

Bend your knees not your back

Most beginners make the mistake of bending their backs. Always bend your knees when you get on a wave, instead of your back. This way you can have better balance and absorb the energy of the wave.

Have fun surfing

Well, there you have it, guys, some surfing ideas, and tips for beginners. At the end of the day, all you need to do is have fun. The more you improve, the more fun you are going to get with surfing. Soon, you can be at one with the wave and ride it naturally.

In golf, there is always something on which you can improve.  That’s what keeps your mind working and your body agile.  If your current goal is to work on your swing, read on.

To achieve a long hit, think about how your shoulders operate.  Tilt your left front shoulder toward the ground on a backswing rather than moving the shoulders as though you are looking behind you.  This should increase the distance your ball travels.  A good way to practice this is to use a mirror and think about how your shoulders are turning.  A golf putting mirror may be one of the tools to consider.

Be aware of how your hips are moving.  Over-exertion is a common movement that can be corrected by focusing on your tailbone.  The ideal is that the bottom of your spine will get closer to the target.  The difficult part is not allowing your head to shift toward the target or over the back foot.  The sweet spot is several inches closer but no nearer than one or two inches.

Another swing problem can be when the upper body gets too much attention compared with what the hips are doing.  If you direct hips toward the target line, it almost feels like a twist.  This will result in the arms and hands (with the club) will come through at impact rather than at the beginning.  If your navel or belt buckle is facing the target line at impact, your knees will point directly at the target as well.

The Shoulders

If your arms dominate the swing, the shoulders will be level at impact.  What you would like is that the back shoulder is lower than the front at the strike.  Go back to the belt buckle image and keep it extended over the front foot with your head just a bit over the center of your stance.  The finish to the shot will be a stretched back and extended torso with no bend.

Follow Through

Use your full body from the impact through the follow-through.  Keeping the chest and torso long and tall allows the upper body to engage and not just the arms.  Act as though you are going to push off the ground and leap.  This should increase the speed of the ball.

There are a number of ways you can practice these tips.  The use of a mirror is one of the best ways.  Using a full-length mirror and moving in slow motion will help you judge your posture and swing techniques.  Another beneficial tool is a putting golf mirror.  Place this on the ground and you will have a perfect view of your body placement and how it is aligned and moving through the swing.

Check out some interviews and demonstrations by pros.  You will find that their experience will guide you to a better swing and more accurate hits.  Being mindful of your entire body and how it is working will benefit your swing and make the hobby much more enjoyable.