It’s a party, a tradition, a place for the wild and zany- an atmosphere where anything can happen, and sometimes does! Whether young or not-so-young those who enjoy the Kentucky Derby infield have stories to tell and the pictures to prove it. We want to see them! In April of 2013, the Kentucky Derby Museum will open an exhibit highlighting the Infield on Derby day. We’ll share photography through the years an want to see yours up on the wall! Send us your best images of this year’s Infield experience or a favorite memory of times gone by. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. Photos must be high res (300 dpi) for use in the exhibit but a low res version may be submitted for judging. The prize for best image capturing the iconic experiences in the Infield is a Flip Video Ultra HDCamera to record your next Infield experience along with 2 general admission tickets to the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

Entries may be emailed to: photos@derbymuseum.org Please email only one image at a time. Deadline for the contest entries is June 1, 2012.

You must include:

Name

Description and date of the image

Some infield photo examples:

Please see the following Rules and Regulations for participation.

This contest is open to ALL photographers at least 18 years, except employees of the Kentucky Derby Museum and the immediate families of such employees. If you choose to include people in your submission, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary releases from the individuals depicted, and must be able to provide copies of those releases to the Kentucky Derby Museum upon request.

YOUR RIGHTS:

Your photographs help the Kentucky Derby Museum perserve, protect and share the exciting history of the Kentucky Derby. Thank you for helping to further our mission through your photography.

You will retain all rights to any photograph you submit — including ownership if applicable. You only grant the Kentucky Derby Museum rights (as described below) to your photograph if you are honored by the competition as grand prize winner. Before you are formally honored by the competition, the Kentucky Derby Museum will contact you to confirm that you wish to grant us rights to your image as described below.

If your photograph is formally honored by the competition as the winner, you grant the Kentucky Derby Museum a royalty-free, nonexclusive right, in perpetuity, to:

• Use the image in the Museum’s 2013 exhibit highlighting the Infield experience at Churchill Downs. (Exhibit name yet to be decided.)
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• Use the photograph on the Internet in support of our mission.
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• Use the photograph in the Kentucky Derby Museum’s non-commercial communications.
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• Provide your photograph to other individuals and organizations for non-commercial use, Derby Museum ‘Infield Exhibit’ use in news stories, newsletters, reports, slide shows, displays, web pages, and the like.
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• Use, in connection with the Photo Contest, your name, city, state and country of residence in promotions and other publications.
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• Keep the files provided, and to archive the images on CD or in other electronic forms, so that your photos can be used to support our mission and be properly credited.

As conditions of this permission, the Kentucky Derby Museum shall credit all photographs with the caption “© Person’s Name” when the full name is available.

Click here to read the legal conditions.

University of Louisville Student, James Coomer, stands in front of his creation.

What kind of Kentucky Derby fashion accessory can you create with a cigar box, a vintage hat and $40? That was the challenge faced by six University of Louisville students who have loaned their creations to the Kentucky Derby Museum for a special exhibit that will run from April 23 through July 30.

The “Project Derby” exhibit features works by costume shop students in the university’s Department of Theatre Arts.

Designed for imaginary clients that included a rock star, infield fan, high stakes gambler, millionaire’s row lady and horse trainer’s wife, the student designs were part of a class project that is done annually, according to Melissa Shepherd, who is the costume shop manager for the department.

“Each year we have a Project Runway design competition with the students,” Shepherd said. “This year, six students created an original hat and matching purse with a $40 budget limit to reflect the persona of their imaginary clients.”

Described as “Elegant. Wild! Eccentric. Fun!” on the museum website, the student designs attempted to capture the tradition and fun of the Kentucky Derby.

Admission to the museum, which includes the exhibit, is $14 for adults, $13 for seniors age 55 and over, $11 for young adults ages 13-18, $6 for children ages 5-12, free for children age five and under. UofL faculty, staff and students with ID receive a two-for-one ticket discount from April 23 to May 23 with the exception of Oaks and Derby days during Derby week. The museum is at 704 Central Ave.

New Four Roses barrel proof bourbon available only in Finish Line Gift Shop

In honor of the Urban Bourbon exhibit and the Derby Museum’s ‘year of bourbon’, the museum has commissioned a unique bottle of Four Roses Bourbon from a private barrel. Hand-selected by Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses, along with a group of museum staff members, this premium Single Barrel Bourbon is aged 10 years and 8 months. These commemorative bottles will be hand-numbered in gold ink as a limited edition selection. The specially selected bottle will feature a unique recipe not available anywhere else in Kentucky.

The Derby Museum has chosen a barrel for its first commemorative bottle released exclusively to the Finish Line Gift Shop inside the museum. Rutledge guided the Kentucky Derby Museum through the barrel selection process in a tasting of seven unique recipes out of ten Four Roses offers.

“This is our OESV recipe and it was a collective decision, among everyone sampling the barrels and took an hour and a half to make the decision because it is very difficult,” says Rutledge. He adds, “We all liked the mellowness, we liked the aroma and I think above all we loved, everyone loved the finish of this, the mellowness, it’s smooth, nice long finish, no kick in it. The aftertaste, the bite, it’s a great bourbon. This is special, it’s unique. And what’s in this barrel will never be tasted again.”

With a unique recipe and bottled at barrel proof (118 proof for this barrel), this collector’s edition bottle features two distinct labels- one on each side of the bottle, marking it as a first edition in a planned series of commemorative bottles for the Derby Museum.

“Our OESV E mashbill is a recipe with 75% corn 20% rye grain 5% malted barley and the V yeast generates a very light and delicate fruity flavors and through the aging process it will pick up woody characters and in this respect. Aged 10 years and 8 months, it has a lot of woody characters and the woody characters illustrate the sweet flavors, caramel, vanilla, and maple syrup. The sweet flavors from the natural sugars of the wood.”

April 21, 2012 8:15AM - 11:00AM

Meet Pat Day as we celebrate the 20th Anniversay of team Lil E. Tee’s Kentucky Derby win. Join us at 8:15am to watch the horses for their morning workouts. Then move inside the Museum where we’re cooking up some recipes from our newly re-released cookbook. Our gift shop will host an open house that includes: bourbon tastings of our Limited Edition, commemorative Four Roses Bourbon bottle & bottle signing by Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge, Donna Barton Brothers book signing and personalized hat fittings.

Attendees receive 10% off the Derby Museum cookbook (in-store only).

Tickets are $18 ($9 for members).
Advanced Reservation Required.

Call (502)992-5905 or email cgrego@derbymuseum.org

Download our flyer

A champion in his own right, Riva Ridge led the way to glory in the 1972 Run for the Roses, both literally and figuratively, for Penny Chenery and the Meadow Racing Stable. The speedy bay with the floppy ears racing accomplishments in 1971 and 1972 provided the prosperity and paved the way for the Meadow Farm and racing operation to continue to strive for the pinnacle of racing success they would achieve in 1973 with Secretariat’s legendary Triple Crown.

On Sunday, May 6th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, the Kentucky Derby Museum will host a special celebration event honoring Riva Ridge’s 40th Anniversary where fans can meet Penny Chenery and Ron Turcotte one-on-one in an intimate setting. This is a limited ticket event.

Tickets Include:
•Continental Breakfast
•Replay of the 1972 Kentucky Derby with commentary by Mr. Turcotte
•Q & A segment with Mr. Turcotte
•Personalized autograph session and photo opportunity (additional fees apply)
•Riva Ridge photo signed by Mr. Turcotte

Tickets $60

Call for reservations 502-814-3030

(Louisville, KY: Immediate Release) Beginning a yearlong celebration of bourbon, the staff at the Kentucky Derby Museum is preparing Urban Bourbon @ Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses Distillery, LLC. for an evening ribbon-cutting ceremony. Tonight at 6:00 p.m., a short presentation to the museum’s members, media and V.I.P.s will be held in the museum’s Great Hall. At 6:20 p.m., the crowd will gather on the second floor of the museum for the unveiling of the exhibit outside of the Matt Winn Gallery.

Urban Bourbon @ Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses Distillery, LLC. features several interactive sections while showcasing the importance and history of bourbon in the city of Louisville.

· Visitors can ‘order’ a selection off of a bar menu which will activate several short video clips. An interactive Ipad technology allows the exhibit bar to be hosted by a Virtual Bartender at all hours of the exhibit. (Menu items include: Savor the Flavor, Bourbon Babble, Bourbon basics, Modern Manhattan, Bourbon Twisted)
· Why “Bourbon?”: how the native American spirit got its name.
· By a Nose: how to taste, what to smell. Demonstrated by glass beakers and sniff containers mounted on the wall, guests can put their noses to the test.
· Timeline of bourbon and racing in the city of Louisville and the parallel growth for the two native traditions.
· Family Affair: the family dynasties that became the leaders of the industry.
· Vintage ads from many of the bourbon industry branding campaigns
· Definitions of Bourbon: all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon… why?
· And… drumroll please… a fully functional bar in the middle of a museum! This well-stocked bar was constructed by local craftsman to give the essence of a bourbon bar that might be found in Louisville (hint: very similar to a newly-installed bar in the Derby Café at the Derby Museum). The bar itself was created from one of the last original trees from the farmland of John and Henry Churchill here on the museum’s property. The tree had to come down during a renovation in 1999 but the wood was saved and sent to the Bluegrass Cooperage’s Benton Sawmill where it was milled into planks. Those planks make up the body of the new exhibit bar which will be used in the museum for years to come!

Urban Bourbon @ Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses Distillery, LLC. will be open to the public with regular Museum admission beginning March 6, 2012 through December 31, 2012. The Kentucky Derby Museum is a 501c3 non-profit located near the historic Churchill Downs race track.

****Special Note, the Derby Café is also featuring a new bourbon-inspired menu along with more than 50 bourbons offered for tasting and special flights made to order, including the Run of Roses.*****



Beginning March 15, the Museum will be open from 8AM - 5PM Monday - Saturday and 11AM - 5PM on Sundays. These hours will remain until November 30th.

Divisional Awards: PRIMARY
1st Place: Shanaya Wimberly, Rangeland Elementary
2nd Place: Lanaya Watters, Goldsmith Elementary
3rd Place: Sharon Bentley, Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary
Honorable Mentions: Kylee Burgess, Rutherford Elementary
Parker Dye, St. Matthews Elementary
Miriam Gambrell, St. Matthews Elementary
Addison Glasscock, Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary
Jose Hernandez, Rangeland Elementary
Ed Kupper, St. Agnes School
Favour Nache, Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary
Isabella Punter, Goldsmith Elementary
Isabela Silverio, Roosevelt-Perry Elementary
Indigo Smallwood, Goldsmith Elementary
Hadley Snyder, St. Margaret Mary School
Tyler Stinnett, St. Matthews Elementary
Read more »

Two pillars of Kentucky heritage, Bourbon and Derby, will come together in Louisville on March 5, 2012 when a new exhibit: Urban Bourbon at the Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses opens to the public. The Urban Bourbon exhibit is a direct tie to the city of Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail passport program which encourages visitors to sample the culture of Bourbon at various establishments in the metro area.

Located at the historic Churchill Downs race track, the Kentucky Derby Museum will showcase the history and heritage of Louisville’s involvement in the bourbon industry as it grew along with the horse industry and the Kentucky Derby. With bourbon roots in the city dating back to the early 1800s, a large number of whiskey blending houses became established as Louisville developed into a major trade city along the river. As distilleries popped up all over the commonwealth, Louisville grew as a major shipping port expanding the reach of bourbon bottlers on historic Main Street downtown. Later access to railroad lines, further aided in the distribution of Kentucky’s treasured spirit where bottling, advertising and the recognition of “Whiskey Row” grew.

“Four Roses is a quality brand with roots in Louisville’s bourbon history dating back to the 1880’s on Main Street. We’re thrilled to align their brand with this exhibit and appreciate their generous support of the Kentucky Derby Museum,” says the museum’s Executive Director, Lynn Ashton.

Urban Bourbon at the Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses will run on the second floor of the museum in the Matt Winn Gallery from March 5, 2012- December 31, 2012. Exhibit is included in general daily admission for the Kentucky Derby Museum.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the world renowned Kentucky Derby Museum on the Urban Bourbon exhibit,” said Patrick Stewart, Four Roses Director of Marketing and Sales - North America. “When you think of the Kentucky Derby you naturally think of superior horses vying for the infamous garland of roses and of course, premium Kentucky Bourbon. It’s just a great fit for both of us.”

The design for the exhibit will have an upscale, urban loft feel and is being created as a dimensional space that will not only provide information in a fun, upscale presentation but will also be available as event space for bourbon tastings. Four Roses Distillery, LLC located near Lawrenceburg, KY is the presenting sponsor of the exhibit and will be showcased in a variety of ways within the context of the exhibit.

The Derby Café will offer select tastings of bourbon flights including a “Run of Roses” to guests daily during the week from Mon.-Fri. and on occasional weekends during peak season.

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Beginning December 1st, the Museum will be open from 9AM - 5PM Monday - Saturday and 11AM - 5PM on Sundays. These hours will remain until March 15, 2012.