Kentucky Derby Signature Drink: How to make a mint julep

By Annie CoryMay 5, 2023, 8:04 AM EDT

The Kentucky Derby is a sporting event immersed in tradition and spirit – so what better way to watch the Run for the Roses than with a mint julep in hand?

The mint julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, although its origins trace back to the first Derby Day in 1875. This iconic bourbon cocktail is still served to Kentucky Derby guests to this day, typically presented in silver or pewter cups that create a crisp, frosted effect.

Thousands of guests will be enjoying a mint julep at Churchill Downs on race day, but that doesn’t mean that the classic drink can’t be just as good wherever you are.

The Kentucky Derby is not far away, with the 149th Run for the Roses taking place on Saturday, May 6, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock. See below to learn how to make the Derby’s most iconic drink, the mint julep.

How to make a mint julep

Learn how to make your own mint julep with Alton Brown of Food Network’s recipe.

Ingredients

10 mint leaves, extra sprig for garnish
1 ½ teaspoons superfine sugar
Seltzer water
Crushed ice
2 ½ ounces Kentucky bourbon whiskey

Directions

At the bottom of an old-fashioned glass, place your 10 mint leaves with sugar on top. Gently muddle the two together, releasing the essential oils from the leaves.

Add a splash of seltzer water to the mixture and fill ¾ of your glass with crushed ice. Fill the rest of the glass with your Kentucky bourbon whiskey and stir well. Once the drink is prepared, garnish it with a sprig of mint to complete the look.

Tip: Before garnishing the drink, try gently slapping the sprig with your hand to release aromatic oils from the mint.

Now, sit back and sip on your mint julep as you watch 20 horses vie for the ultimate crown at the Kentucky Derby on NBC.

How to watch the 2023 Kentucky Derby:

Date: Saturday, May 6
Time: Coverage begins at 12pm ET
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
TV Network: NBC
Streaming: Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app

How can I watch horse racing on Peacock?

What else can I watch on Peacock?

Here’s what else you get with Peacock:

New movies straight from theaters—plus hundreds of movies from major Hollywood studios such as Universal, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features.
Thousands of hours of hit TV shows, including highly anticipated Peacock Originals and current hits from NBC & Bravo.
Peacock Channels playing your favorite movies, shows, and clips 24/7. Scroll less and stream more with NBC Sports on Peacock, SNL Vault, Fallon Tonight, TODAY All Day, and True Crime.
The most LIVE sports of any streamer, including Sunday Night Football and Premier League.
Kids’ movies and shows, including Where’s Waldo? and Curious George.
Hit Spanish-language TV shows and news from Telemundo.

Watch the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6 on NBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

Forte works out, waits for Belmont Stakes clearance

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 3:14 PM EDT

Matt Stone/USA TODAY NETWORK

NEW YORK — Forte, the early Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched on the day of the race, worked out in preparation for a possible start in the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Under regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte worked five-eighths of a mile for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. It was the colt’s second workout since being scratched from the Derby on May 6.

“It seems like he’s maintained his fitness level,” Pletcher said. “It seems like everything is in good order.”

Forte was placed on a mandatory 14-day veterinary list after being scratched from the Derby because of a bruised right front foot. In order to be removed from the list, the colt had to work in front of a state veterinarian and give a blood sample afterward, the results of which take five days.

“There’s protocols in place and we had to adhere to those and we’re happy that everything went smoothly,” Pletcher said. “We felt confident the horse was in good order or we wouldn’t have been out there twice in the last six days, but you still want to make sure everything went smoothly and we’re happy everything did go well.”

Pletcher said Kingsbarns, who finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby, will miss the Belmont. The colt is showing signs of colic, although he is fine, the trainer said.

Another Pletcher-trained horse, Prove Worthy, is under consideration for the Belmont. He also has Tapit Trice, who finished seventh in the Derby, being pointed toward the Belmont.

Judge grants Churchill Downs’ request for summary judgment to dismiss Bob Baffert’s lawsuit

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:36 PM EDT

Abbey Cutrer/USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal judge has granted Churchill Downs’ motion for summary judgment that dismisses Bob Baffert’s claim the track breached due process by suspending the Hall of Fame trainer for two years.

Churchill Downs Inc. suspended Baffert in June 2021 after his now-deceased colt, Medina Spirit, failed a postrace drug test after crossing the finish line first in the 147th Kentucky Derby. The trainer’s request to lift the discipline was denied in February, keeping him out of the Derby for a second consecutive May.

U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings ruled in a 12-page opinion issued Wednesday that Churchill Downs’ suspension of Baffert did not devalue his Kentucky trainer’s license. It cited his purse winnings exceeding $1 million at Keeneland in Lexington and stated that his argument “amounts to a false analogy that distorts caselaw.”

Jennings denied CDI’s motion to stay discovery as moot.

The decision comes less than a week after Baffert-trained colt National Treasure won the Preakness in his first Triple Crown race in two years. His record eighth win in the second jewel of the Triple Crown came hours after another of his horses, Havnameltdown, was euthanized following an injury at Pimlico.

Churchill Downs said in a statement that it was pleased with the court’s favorable ruling as in Baffert’s other cases.

It added, “While he may choose to file baseless appeals, this completes the seemingly endless, arduous and unnecessary litigation proceedings instigated by Mr. Baffert.”

Baffert’s suspension is scheduled to end on June 2, but the track’s release noted its right to extend it “and will communicate our decision” at its conclusion.