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The Kentucky Derby


The Kentucky Derby

In honor of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby this weekend, we thought we would share with you some history of the Kentucky Derby:

  • The Churchill Downs officially opened in 1875, featuring four races: the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky Derby, the Clark Handicap, and the Falls City; all four races continue to be held, although the Clark Handicap is now held in the fall.
  • The well-known twin spires were not original to the track; they were part of a new grandstand constructed in 1895. Despite renovations and expansions since then, the spires remain intact today.  
  • The first derby was attended by an estimated 10,000 people.  
  • The official song of the races, "My Old Kentucky Home", was composed by Stephen Foster and has been played at the Derby since the early 1900s (the official year is unclear). Since 1936, the song has been played by the University of Louisville Marching Band. In 1982, the Stephen Foster Handicap was established to honor the long-deceased composer; this race now has the second largest purse, behind the Derby.
  • Issued annually to winners since 1924 (and sporadically before then), the two-foot tall trophy is made of 56 ounces of 14 and 18 carat gold.  To commemorate the race's 125th anniversary, the horseshoe on the trophy was rotated 180 degrees to point up. (Rumor has it that downward horseshoes mean your luck will run out.) With the exception of the horse and rider atop the trophy, the entire trophy is handcrafted.  
  • The official drink of the races is the Mint Julep, a combination of sugar, ice, mint, water and whiskey. Early Times Kentucky Whisky is the official choice of the races, and each year nearly 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served during the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby (requiring 10,000 bottles of Early Time's ready-to-serve cocktail, 1,000 pounds of fresh mint, and 60,000 pounds of ice).
  • The silks worn by jockeys were established as a way for spectators to distinguish one jockey and horse from another during the race. As the number of racing franchises has grown, the silks have sported more colors and patterns.  
  • The roses first appeared in 1896, when the winner, Ben Brush, received a floral arrangement of white and pink roses. In 1904, the red rose was adopted as the Derby's official flower, and the phrase "Run for the Roses" was coined in 1925 by Bill Corum. The garlands presented today contain 400 red roses sewn into green satin, with the seal of the Commonwealth on one end and the twin spires and number of the running on the other. Winning jockeys are also presented with 60 long-stemmed roses. In the past, silk replicas were presented to the owners of the winning horse; today, though, the garlands are freeze-dried. Some owners have even had the flowers dipped in silver.
  • Seating is divided between the infield and the grandstands, with the infield crowd traditionally being a bit rowdier than that in the stands. Depending on the race, general admission tickets range from $25 to $40; these tickets provide access to the infield or the first floor paddock area. For an annual Personal Seat License fee and the purchase of tickets to each year's event, seats in the stands may be reserved.  
  • The fastest Derby was run by Secretariat in 1973, at 1:59:40.  The slowest winning run was by Stone Street in 1908, at 2:15:20.
  • There has never been a winner out of post position #15.
The Kentucky Derby

In honor of the event, both Whitney English and Hicks Paper Goods came out with Derby-themed invitations; check them out on Lemon Tree Paperie's website.

Derby Designs

May your hats be festive, your horses swift, and your roses many, and may your horseshoes always face up!

All facts about the Kentucky Derby were taken from websites for The Kentucky Derby or Empire Tickets; photos of the event were also from The Kentucky Derby website.  


Do you have a darling desk? We are currently looking for bloggers/designers/stationers extraordinaire to highlight in our "Desk" feature. Email us at whitneyenglish@yahoo.com if you'd like to share a photo of your desk with us, or to suggest other blog topics and ideas. As always you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on new designs, warehouse sales, and industry events (such as the upcoming National Stationery Show in New York City).  
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Filed under: by Whitney English, LLC on 01-May-09 08:44
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Classic Pink

Do you remember, about six years ago, when pink was the new pink? Darling, bubble gum pink was everywhere. My favorite cable knit sweater of all time was purchased in the height of the pink craze, and now has been worn to a raw-elbow state. How long did that phase last? About three years? Maybe longer, if you consider that there will always be a few people hanging on to pink with die-hard ferocity.

If we're honest with ourselves, pink is a classic. It stands for breast cancer and baby girls, and reminds us of cupcakes with sprinkles and rose gardens. While other colors wax and wane, pink will be with us for the long haul.
pink annoucements, pink stationery, pink invitations

Above, some of our Whitney English favorites: the Fruit on Ecru was inspired by my own wedding; pink leopard charms us all and makes a sweet, but feisty statement; the Mod Floral Berry was inpsired by vintage fabric, but I love this color combination; preppy stripes take on new life in a pink, green and brown color scheme. 

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Filed under: by Whitney Kolb on 03-Apr-08 01:44
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Recent Buzz

leah lattice pattern in pink blue green brown orange light blue
On top of the Country Living magazine feature, we've had a fun bunch of recent press lately. Mary Englebreit's Home Companion featured our NEW journals and Traditional Home quoted us on the inspiration for one of our new note card designs. Both press mentions used one of my favorite new designs--the Leah. The Leah was inspired by hundred-year old Italian and Morroccan tiles, but it reminds me of the recent lattice trend we've seen popping up everywhere. While we've issued it in four fun color combinations, I can't decide if my favorite is the fresh, modern-beach color combo of navy and orange, or if I prefer the classic, whimsical feel of the berry and celadon.

I'm super excited about our journals, which will debut at the National Stationery Show in May. As soon as I get more comfortable posting pictures on this blog, I'll upload some. We have tons going on in the product development department right now, so stay tuned for more updates and surprises!

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Filed under: by Whitney Kolb on 26-Mar-08 10:00
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Trend Watch: Blue, Green and Brown

blue brown green stationery invitations
 
One of our favorite Whitney English color combinations is blue, green and brown. While brown seems to be the neutral of choice these days, it's fun to liven it up in unexpected ways. Brown pairs in unique fashion with the blues in the florals, shown above. On the far left is our Bella Blue and in the middle, a blue version of our Mikasa Floral. Transitioning into a more masculine feel, brown becomes crisply modern in a cool-toned chevron pattern. And we love our animal prints: the Brown Giraffe is one of our most popular items, and our Peacock feathers have a whimsical, contemporary twist. Each of these designs can be purchased in the form of an invitation or announcement, with coordinating note card.
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Filed under: by Whitney Kolb on 26-Feb-08 10:23
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