'Surreal and unbelievable.' 2026 Kentucky Derby is unforgettable for many

From free bourbon balls at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to the bus driver doubling as an Abraham Lincoln lookalike, Derby-goers got a good Kentucky welcome before the Churchill Downs gates even opened May 2. It’s the little things on the way to "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," like the “beautiful bluegrass” seen while heading to the 152nd Kentucky Derby. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Anthony Roach of Dallas, Texas, said.

“It’s beautiful. ” Roach got into the Kentucky theme for this lifetime “bucket list item” with an all-white suit and black draping tie resembling Colonel Sanders. He paired the outfit, which drew plenty of compliments, with Louis Vuitton sunglasses.

More Kentucky Derby news: 'Such a classy event. ' Stars shine at 2026 Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala “I just want to do something different than everybody else,” Roach, who planned to bet on So Happy or Commandment in the Kentucky Derby, said. “I don't want to blend in.

” Neither did Bruce Asmussen, who dressed in a red, white and blue onesie and white fur coat, and brought his “Uncle Freedom” character to Derby day, after debuting the look for the Super Bowl, UFC fights and a Jelly Roll concert, where Asmussen said the country star noticed him in the crowd. His outfit paired well with America's ongoing 250th anniversary. And if you're going to celebrate how Kentucky stands out in this country, nowhere else shines the state's spotlight brighter than this place and this historic horse race.