The first Saturday in May is an iconic date for Kentuckians and fans of Thoroughbred racing. Since 1875, the Kentucky Derby has been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and May 4, 2019, will be the 145th running of America’s most famous race. But for fans of all equine kind, the Derby brings something extra special this year. The Budweiser Clydesdales are making their first-ever appearance on the track for the Kentucky Derby celebration. They’ll be decked out in their own version of the Derby’s blanket of roses, with roses braided into their manes in honor of the “Run for the Roses.”
Get a sneak peek of the Budweiser Clydesdales’ trip to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby in the video below, and tune into the Kentucky Derby broadcast on NBC starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4.
Coverage of the Kentucky Oaks and other Derby Week races and celebrations will air on NBC Sports Network. Tap here to view the broadcast schedule.
Leslie Potter is a graduate of William Woods University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Science with a concentration in saddle seat riding and a minor in Journalism/Mass Communications. She is currently a writer and photographer in Lexington, Ky. Potter worked as a barn manager and riding instructor and was a freelance reporter and photographer for the Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar and Saddle Horse Report before moving to Lexington to join Horse Illustrated as Web Editor from 2008 to 2019. Her current equestrian pursuits include being a grown-up lesson kid at an eventing barn and trail riding with her senior Morgan gelding, Snoopy.
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