South American man calls Kentucky Derby ‘a cool piece of Americana’
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2025 Kentucky Derby coverage
Click below to view more coverage from the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com at the 151st Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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As the Kentucky Derby heads for its 151st year, it still holds international acclaim.
Scattered around the infield, you’ll find people from all walks of life. One man, Collin Smith, flew in from Colombia to attend his first Derby this year.
“I’m from South America — they don’t have stuff like this. It’s a cool piece of Americana that I wanted to experience,” he said. “It’s a very unique event where there’s a ton of interest locally and nationally and internationally, for a town and a place that doesn’t usually have that type of thing.”
Smith was at the Derby with a group of friends he met in college. None live locally, flying from Chicago, New York and Boston this weekend to enjoy a day at the races.
The group came prepared for the weather, which Smith called “slop”, and placed bets on horses that “love the mud.”
They placed bets on horses and enjoyed drinks, but Smith had some choice words for the Derby’s most iconic cocktail.
“The mint julep is the cocktail equivalent of eating hardtack during World War II,” he said — a reference to a cheap, dry cracker often given to soldiers in rations during war times.
He didn’t stop there:
“They only got three ingredients in that thing, and it’s absolutely disgusting. I don’t know what the hubbub is about,” Smith said.
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM.