The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest horse races in America. It has been held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky since 1875. Churchill Downs was founded to showcase the Kentucky horse breeding industry. The two-week Kentucky Derby Festival celebrates the race with many events, including Thunder Over Louisville fireworks and the Pegasus Parade. The race draws over 150,000 spectators each year and is a major tradition and tourist attraction for Louisville.

1. HayleySkaggs
Com 145
October26, 2012
INFORMATIVE SPEECH (TOPICAL)
Kentucky Derby
SpecificPurpose:I planon informingthe classaboutdifferentaspectsof the KentuckyDerbyandthe
historybehindit.
Thesis:The KentuckyDerby,alsoknownasthe “Run forthe Roses”,isone of the biggestracesin
America,celebratedwithatwo-weekfestivalbeforethe race itself.
I. Introduction:
A. AttentionGetter:The Indy 500, the Superbowl,andthe WorldSeries –everyone knows
theirname and theirmeaning.The KentuckyDerbycanbe addedtothe listas one of the
biggestracesinAmerica.
B. ListenerRelevance:The Derbyis a majoreventinour country,drawingcrowdsof all types,
includingcelebrities,presidents,andpeople acrossthe seas.
C. SpeakerCredibility:LivingInLouisville all mylife,Igrew upparticipatinginthe festivities
everyyearandwatchingthe Derbyreligiously.
D. Thesis:The KentuckyDerby,alsoknownasthe “Run forthe Roses”,isone of the biggest
races inAmerica,celebratedwithatwo-weekfestival before the race itself.
E. Preview:I will firstgive youalittle bitof historyonChurchill Downs,where the Derbyis
held,thendiscusssome of the festivitiesleadinguptothe race, and endwiththe winners
and historyof the race itself.
II. First MainPoint:Churchill DownswascreatedbyLewisClarkand wascreatedto “showcase the
Kentuckybreedingindustry,”accordingtothe Historyof Churchill DownsinOctoberof 2012*.
A. Supporting PointOne: The Historyof Churchill DownsinOctoberof 2012* saidthat the
track was firstreferredtoas “Churchill Downs” in1883 by the formerLouisville Commercial,
“The crowdin the grand standsentout a volume of voice,andthe crowdin the fieldtookit
up and carrieditfrom boundarytoboundaryof Churchill Downs.”The track thenhad an
official name thatstuckaroundthe country.
B. Supporting PointTwo: Accordingto JessicaElliotin KentuckyDerbyFactsandHistory in
Octoberof 2012, the firstrace was ran in 1875 when15 horsesracedthe 11.5 mile track –
the 1.25 mile race ran todaywas setin1876. The firstDerbyrace drew a crowd of roughly
10,000, whichhasgrown to about150,000 eachyear.
III. Second MainPoint:The Derbyhas beenraced 138 timesto date at Churchill Downs,eachrace
justas big as the last.
A. Supporting PointOne: The most recentupsetinDerbyhistorywasthe 135th
race,says
Privmanof ESPN in May of 2009, whenMine that Bird winswithoddsof 51-1. He returned
$103.20, onlybeingtoppedbyDonerail,whopaid$184.90, withoddsof 91.45-1 in1913.

2. B. Supporting PointTwo: Inthe 138th
annual KentuckyDerbythisyear,I’ll Have Anotherwon
withoddsof 15-1 by1 and a half lengths.”Soldatauctionfor $11,000 as a Keeneland
Septemberyearling,I'll Have AnotherwasthenpurchasedbyDennisO'Neill,histrainer's
brother,for$35,000 as a two-year-oldintraining,”saysCaldwellof NBCSportsinMay of
2012.
IV. Third MainPoint:The KentuckyDerbyissucha large event,inLouisville especially,itis
presentedbyatwo-weekcelebrationthroughoutthe cityof Louisville.
A. Supporting PointOne: One of the largesteventsduringthe KentuckyDerbyFestival is
ThunderoverLouisville.Accordingtothunderoverlouisville.orginOctoberof 2012*, “Early
in1988, Krogerwantedto sponsorsomethingthathadn'tbeendone,somethingspecial.”In
1988, WAVE3 airedthe show.Thunderoverlouisville.orginOctoberof 2012 impliedthatthe
showreallykickedoff in1990, drawinga crowdof roughly400,000 people towatchthe
fireworksshowof 10,000 shells.
B. Supporting PointTwo: AnothermajorFestival eventisthe GreatSteamboatRace,occurring
the Wednesdaybefore the Derby.Elliotof About.comsaidthatthe race is14 milesand
usuallylastsabout2 hours.
C. Supporting PointThree: The face of the KentuckyDerbyFestival hastobe the Pegasus
Parade.The parade consistsof floats,blow-upballooncharacters,marchingbands,local
teamsand celebrities.AccordingtoElliotof About.com, “The PegasusParade wouldn'texist
if it weren'tforthe talentedlocalsthatputtheirskillstogethertocreate floats,playmusic,
and dressupto entertainthe parade crowd.”
V. Conclusion:
A. Summary of Main Points: Churchill Downsholdsmuchsignificance tothe cityof Louisville
beingthe home of the KentuckyDerby,andthe KentuckyDerbyFestival isone toexperience
withtonsof activitiestoparticipate intocelebrate.
B. Closer:While some mayquestionthe importance of the KentuckyDerbyaroundthe world,
it isone of the largesteventsinthe UnitesStates,withnodoubtaboutitsimportance to
Louisville.
*Some of mysourcesare fromthe official Churchill Downswebsite andtheydisplaynoauthoror date.It
isa credible site,butI’mnotsure how to site themina speech.

3. REFRENCES
Caldwell,Jennifer.(2012,May5).I’ll Have AnotherWins138th
KentuckyDerby. NBCSports. Retrieved
October8, 2012, from http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/47250143/ns/sports-horse_racing/
Elliot,Jessica.KentuckyDerbyFactsandHistory. About.com.RetrievedOctober8,2012, from
http://louisville.about.com/od/attractionsevents/p/kentuckyderby.htm
Elliot,Jessica.KentuckyDerbyFestival GreatSteamboatRace. About.com. RetrievedOctober8,2012,
fromhttp://louisville.about.com/od/kentuckyderbyfestival/fr/steamboatrace.htm
Elliot,Jessica.KentuckyDerbyFestival PegasusParade. About.com. RetrievedOctober8,2012, from
http://louisville.about.com/od/kentuckyderbyfestival/fr/pegasusparade.htm
History of Churchill Downs. ChurchillDowns. RetrievedOctober8,2012, from
http://www.churchilldowns.com/about/history
Privman,Jay.(2009, May 4). Mine That Bird ShocksDerbyat 51-1. ESPN. RetrievedOctober8,2012,
fromhttp://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown09/news/story?id=4128286
ThunderOverLouisville the History. TheKentucky Derby Festival. RetrievedOctober8,2012, from
http://www.thunderoverlouisville.org/the-history.html