Kentucky Derby, Big Hats And Good Food!

May 2, 2026 is the day of the Kentucky Derby, Big Hats and Good Food, which means it is also the fastest 2 minutes in Sports.  The ‘Run of the Roses’. The annual one and a quarter mile horse race for 3 year old thoroughbreds held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.  The Derby is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes horse races.  The Preakness is held in Baltimore, Maryland the 3rd Saturday in May, which is May 16, 2026 and the Belmont is held in Saratoga Springs, New York on June 6, 2026.   (Note:  This year, the Preakness is being run in Laurel, Maryland due to renovations at Pimlico in Baltimore…., it will move back to Pimlico next year)   I’m sure you have heard of  the Triple Crown which simply means a race horse must win all three races.  This can be very difficult for the horse because all three of these grueling races are run within 5 short weeks.  Has the Triple Crown been achieved by one horse?  Yes!  13 times!  Perhaps the most famous horse to win all three races, in my opinion, was Secretariat.  He holds the record for not only winning all three races, but he won them in record times.  This may be too much information but here are the years and the names of the all the winning horses.  1919: Sir Barton, 1930: Gallant Fox, 1935: Omaha, 1937: War Admiral, 1941: Whirlaway, 1943: Count Fleet, 1946: Assault, 1948: Citation, 1973: Secretariat, 1977: Seattle Slew, 1978: Affirmed, 2015: American Pharoah, 2018: Justify

So in honor of all these horses, my favorite Derby Table setting uses my favorite Run for the Roses dishes. The pattern is simply ‘Roses’.  I started with a burlap table runner along with burlap place mats.  I thought burlap was about as ‘horsey’ as I could get.  I used silver square chargers and placed the Roses plate stack on top.  The flat ware has a knotted bottom which resembles a horse’s bridle.  When we were in the horse and cattle business, our tack room was filled with ropes and bridles and all kinds of stable knots and circular items….so the silver flatware seemed perfect.  For the napkins I chose a blue and white napkin with a roped edging.  To soften, I paired it with a red shear napkin and a silver napkin ring. Of course one has to have a silver mint julep cup and I stuck 3 red roses in each cup.  The mint juleps were in the taller mint julep glasses.  Also at the table are silver candles in votive cups.  The centerpiece is a large gray horse’s head that I have had for years (bought it at Pier 1) and it has accompanied me on all our various moves.  I just can’t part with it.

You might ask if I ever bet on the horses which I do not…but I do pick a winner.  Well, lets say that usually they are not winners because I don’t use odds or stats to pick my winner…I pick the color of the horse…and anyone who knows me…knows this…. hence my attachment to the gray horse’s head on my table.

Let me explain, My strategy is the color of the horse because it is such a pretty color for a horse.  And if there is not a gray horse in the running, then my pick defaults to the colors of the silks on the jockeys.  Preferably, green or yellow or both.  Yes, those two colors are some of my favorites.  BTW, 2026 horse racing tips are at the end of this post.🫣😳

Notice the “winner’s ribbon” I placed on the mane of my gray horse.

The silver ice bucket compliments all the silver on the table that will soon be serving a Kentucky Derby Meal.  I know the wine bottle says Dark Horse…believe me if I could have found a gray horse label…it would be sitting in that ice bucket right now. I noticed there were chestnut colored horses on a 14 hands label but I decided my gray would be the dark horse of the race.

And what would the Kentucky Derby be with out a hat?  A big floppy Derby hat.

This is the dessert table with the Kentucky Chocolate Pecan Pie. This hat is just waiting for me to put it on as I serve my southern mint tea Juleps.  Note the Makers Mark Whiskey in the background.

The Menu is pretty simple and original to the Kentucky Derby.  I always start with a fruit, cheese and crackers cheese board. And for the entree…..I always serve Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders. The sandwiches are so easy to make using deli turkey and ham, sliced tomato, bacon and a cheese sauce….but you could improvise with your favorite fillings.

There are so many slider recipes out there these days and most can be made ahead of time and popped into the oven to warm them up.  And they are sooooo good.

In years past, I have prepared this same menu and I have to confess that I buy the Cole Slaw from…Yep!  you guessed it! KFC.  Cole Slaw from Kentucky Fried Chicken. LOL Make it easy on yourself….there are a lot of short cuts one can take and I will never tell if you don’t.  My Annual Kentucky Derby Menu is below.  I always say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Kentucky Horse Derby Menu

Menu

Kentucky Mint Tea Julep

Kentucky fruit and cheese board

Kentucky Hot Brown Mini Sandwiches

Kentucky Cole Slaw

Kentucky Chocolate Pecan Derby pie (with Maker’s Mark bourbon whipped cream, if desired.)

I hope you are having a great day and watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday if you want to watch something short and sweet. 🥰 A 2 minute horse race shouldn’t take too much of your time. 

Blessings Always

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Horse Racing Tips: 

Renegade is favored to win with Commandment (like the name), Further Ado, and The Puma also favored.  However:  There are a few grays in the pack of 20 horses…Fulleffort and Pavlovian and Sandman are scheduled to run.  My Hot Brown Slider is on Fulleffort as it is a double/double for me…the horse is gray and the jockey’s color is green! 🥰🥰👍🤗LOL. You heard it from me first. 

Mint Tea Julip

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Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 mint sprigs
• 2 cups cold water
• 5 cups crushed ice
• 2 1/2 cups of chilled ginger ale
• Lots of crushed ice
• Lemon slices and mint sprigs for garnish if desired

Instructions

 

• Mix sugar, cold water, lemon juice and about 6 roughly chopped mint sprigs in a bolw and let stand for 45 minutes for flavors to meld.
• Remove most of the mint leaving smaller pieces
• Using two 2 quart pitchers, place half of the mixture and half of the ginger ale in each pitcher and add the crushed ice just before serving
• If you are adding bourbon, this would be the time to add to taste, stirring well
• Top with lemon slices and additional mint sprigs or use them individually on each glass

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

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Ingredients

  

• 1 pkg King's Hawaiian rolls
• 1 pkg Stouffers Welsh Rarebit Cheese Sauce (or a slice of gruyere cheese)
• 12 slices Deli Turkey
• 12 slices Deli Ham
• 12 slices Roma Tomatoes
• 6 slices Fried Bacon (halved)

Butter Topping for Sliders

• 1/2 cup butter cubed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion if desired
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Melt the cheese sauce according to package directions (3 minutes in microwave).

  Assemble the sliders by slicing the 12 dinner rolls in half and adding as much cheese sauce as you prefer.

  Add folded pieces of turkey and folded pieces of ham (your way of putting on a sandwich).

  Top with slice of tomato and two pieces of cooked bacon.

  Add more cheese to the top before putting the roll top on the sandwich.

  Brush the top with butter topping (if desired) cover with foil and place in 350 degree oven for about 5 -10 minutes, serve hot.