2018 Kentucky Derby & Oaks, Louisville

The 2016 Oaks First Lady Kate Upton attends the 2016 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs | Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Churchill Downs

When: Saturday, May 5, 2018 

Hot Spot: Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky

Deets: The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May. The race is one and a quarter miles at Churchill Downs. The race is known in the United States as "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports™" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner. It is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and is followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

Who You May Spot: One of the first celebrity sightings dates to 1877 when famed Polish actress Helena Modjeska attended the third running of the Kentucky Derby. In the 1945 book, Down the Stretch, it was noted that Modjeska was impressed by the Derby but even more charmed by the mint julep to which she was introduced by Churchill Downs founder M. Lewis Clark following the race.

Over the years, a stream of celebrities from film, music, sports, politics and wealth have been drawn to the Derby.

Hint For The Average Socialite: For tickets and visitor information click here!

Watch the Derby LIVE on NBC at 4PM/ET.

What's Trending: @KentuckyDerby #KyDerby #KentuckyDerby #KentuckyDerby2018
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