A STAR-STUDDED KENTUCKY DERBY
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
The exciting 139th running of the Kentucky Derby was won by Shug McGaughey’s ‘Orb’ on a muddy track at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2013.
Not only was there a winner on the track but winning fashions crowded the Red Carpet as celebrities gathered in Millionaire’s Row to celebrate with Moët & Chandon, official champagne partner for the second consecutive year.
We saw sports stars and team owners, politicians, musical artists, models, beauty queens, actors and actresses of stage, television and screen and a wide mix of derby fans. Lauren Conrad wore pastel polka dots and a ruffled floral hat customary of the running.
Designer Christian Siriano brightened the dreary and rainy day with a coral colored jacket and blue bow tie complimented by a colorful shirt.
Jennifer Belcher’s hat had to be one of the most striking of the day done in large blue roses and two peacock feathers peeking out with an outfit to match.
Shannon Voss wore the 2013 Rose Dress designed by Amy Streeter. Red is definitely her color and flowers were everywhere.
Stylish hats grabbed the attention on the Red Carpet in all sizes and shapes. The cast of ‘Big Brother’ arrived looking fashionably chic on race day with their own set of hats.
Actress Jennifer Tilley wore the little black dress and added a touch of white in her hat.
The late Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter attended the event dressed as an adorable pint-sized Southern belle.
Other stars to hit the Red Carpet were Lance Bass, Jason Biggs, Tiki Barber, Jane Seymour, Scottie Pippin, Kid Rock, Carson Kressley, Coco Rocha, Krysten Ritter, Star Jones, Miranda Lambert, Emilio Estevez, Jenny Mollen, Angela Bassett, Jai Rodriguez and more.
Tom Brady and Jennifer Hudson came out to cheer on the horses but chose not to walk the Red Carpet.
Moët & Chandon made it a day of giving generously as well with their Moet’s ‘Sign For the Roses’ philanthropic initiative which raises money for the Churchill Downs Foundation. This foundation is committed to supporting charitable organizations which assist the industry, public welfare, education and the arts. Celebrities signed the 6-liter glistening bottle of Moët & Chandon’s Imperial Champagne. Imperial minis could be seen everywhere you glanced as there were plenty of toasts to symbolize the winning horse, Orb.
Although the rain came down throughout the day, it subsided for the second to last race of the evening and spirits could not easily be dampened. Some of the notable quotes of the event leave us with fond memories of another great Kentucky Derby.
Celebrity quotes on the Kentucky Derby:
- Lance Bass – “I’ve been planning the Derby for 15 years, and I never get to come! So I put it in the schedule like, “Nobody is booking me this day!” And, it’s my birthday, too, so it’s my celebration. This is how I’m celebrating. There’s nothing else I need more than the Derby.”
- Joey Fatone – “Lance Bass is coming, it’s his first year here, and it’s his birthday!”
- Lauren Conrad – I’ve actually been trying to go for a couple of years… so it’s exciting to be able to come this year!” On her Derby hat, Lauren confessed, “I didn’t make it, but I picked out the colors and designed it! I liked that it was a giant flower!
- Carson Kressley – “I’m a big horse people, so I love the horses. It’s great seeing the clothing. It’s probably the only event in the country where there are no rules. It’s over the top, it’s about fun, and color. And, you see guys in pink pants – I see a lot of men in pink pants, but not really out in the real world!”
- Christian Siriano – “It’s a great party here, even in the rain! Amazing energy!
- Jason Biggs – “It’s been on my bucket list – can you have a bucket list when you’re in your 30s? It’s something I’ve been talking about going to forever, so I figured I’d cash in some of that ‘celebrity cred’ before I lose it all!”
- Valerie Harper – “And now, I’m not saying no to any invitations because I’m looking ahead to what’s going on with my health, and as long as I have no symptoms, it’s fantastic!” She mentioned that she wants everybody to “live life every day.”
- Star Jones – “You need a Louisville woman to make you a Kentucky Derby hat. I love to make a toast, and bubbles are my drink of choice!”
- Emilio Estevez – “Everybody loves an underdog. I don’t follow any sport but horseracing! It’s the most exciting two minutes in sports – it’s electrifying.”
- Shane Graham – “You can’t beat the buzz that’s going on during the 2 minutes of the Derby race!”
- Luke Bryan – “I never get to wear hats like this!”
- Anthony Anderson – “We don’t want do long, lengthy toasts. We want to get straight to the alcohol. We pop the bottle, we congratulate whoever we’re congratulating, and we’re taking it back!”
PHOTO CREDITS: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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