It's called the "most exciting two minutes in sports". The 141st Kentucky Derby was held over the weekend in Louisville's Churchill Downs.
While many of you probably have your eyes glued on the beautiful horses, sometimes its the elegant and often extravagant hats that attract attention. It's a tradition that women have been enjoying since the 1800's, showing off their personality with the flare of head wear. The first race was held on May 17, 1875 in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. It was originally run at 1.5 miles, but later changed to 1.25 miles.
The derby is sometimes referred to as "the run for the roses," as a blanket of 554 roses is awarded to the derby winner each year. This year's winner, American Pharaoh, won by one length outracing Firing Line to the finish line in front of a record crowd.
The field of derby horses had some pretty creative names. My personal favorite didn't finish at the top of the standings, but how can you argue that Itsaknockout wasn't the best name of the group?
So we want to know... if you were the proud owner of a horse competing in the Kentucky Derby, what would your horse's name be? Let us know what you think. I'm looking forward to reading your suggestions.
Audio File and Text: NPR Interview, The Science of Naming a Racehorse