The Kentucky Derby is steeped in 141 years of tradition, much of it booze and hat related. So much tradition surrounds the Derby that the race itself might have become secondary to the ceremony if spectators didn?t have tens of millions of dollars riding on the outcome. So, what traditions lure racing fans away from […]The post Kentucky Derby Traditions appeared first on Pursuitist.

The Kentucky Derby is steeped in 141 years of tradition, much of it booze and hat related. So much tradition surrounds the Derby that the race itself might have become secondary to the ceremony if spectators didn?t have tens of millions of dollars riding on the outcome. So, what traditions lure racing fans away from the track"The Mint Julep. One of the few things every American knows about The Kentucky Derby is that the official drink of the race is the bourbon and sugar concoction known as the mint julep. (See our recipe.) A proper julep is served in a silver or pewter cup, but these were only introduced at the Derby in 1950. Metal cups first replaced glass in the ?40s due to concern about broken glass on the racetrack, but today, most of the 150,000 spectators at the Derby imbibe their mint juleps from glass cups, those of the commemorative variety. Some julep enthusiasts pony up $1,000 to swill a ridiculously artisanal julep?the ice is from an Alaskan iceberg?from a Tiffany-designed silver julep cup. The proceeds of the $1,000 mint juleps go to a diabetes and obesity charity, which ...