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Photo: The original uploader was Sayeth at English Wikipedia., Attribution via Wikimedia Commons
Often described as "the most exciting two minutes in sports," the first race of the Triple Crown is cause for a full day of celebrating, eating, and drinking. There is a full day of races on Derby Day, of which the Kentucky Derby is just one. Everything about the "Run for the Roses" (named for the blanket of roses draped over the winner) is steeped in tradition, from the food (derby pie) to the drinks (mint juleps, traditionally served in a pewter cup, but at Churchill Downs you get an annual souvenir glass) to the clothes (designer hats for women, and two- and three-piece summer suits for men). No dress code is actually enforced except in a few of the dining rooms, but dressing up is part of the fun. National TV stations have several hours of pre-race coverage as well as the post-race interview with a teary-eyed jockey. Although you can certainly attend in person, either in the stadium seats or the cheaper and boozier infield, it's probably more common to find one of the countless Derby parties, hosted by a bar or maybe just at a friend's house.
The Kentucky Derby is an American Grade I stakes race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds and fillies 121 pounds.
The Falls of the Ohio (which in their natural state were more a series of large rapids) were once a major barrier to navigation on the Ohio River. Louisville catered to steamboat passengers who spent the night before changing boats, and even more significantly earned considerable income from overland portaging of cargo to bypass the rapids. The construction of a bypass canal, including the first set of locks on the river, in 1830 changed all of that. The current structure dates to 1961. There's usually a lot of barge traffic on the Ohio (though it slows down in winter once the upper reaches of the river in Pennsylvania begin to freeze), so you normally won't have to wait long at the visitor center to see the locks in action.
Sprawling, hilly woodland area that includes numerous hiking trails, lakes and streams, camping areas, and other attractions. It was initially created as a World War II memorial and has been gradually expanded on a somewhat ad-hoc basis ever since, as a result there are parcels of private property seemingly fairly deep into the forest. They are mostly well marked so don't cross fences or clearly marked boundary lines.
Briefly open as a museum, it's now closed to the public. Serious fans may still enjoy stopping by and seeing the little pink house where The Greatest grew up. Do it in the daytime - it's not the greatest neighborhood after dark. For a serious, comprehensive museum of Ali's life and career, see the Ali Center downtown.
Golf Course/Pro Shop.
Home of the legendary Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Full tours include a visit to the factory where wooden bats are made (or a bat-making demonstration if production is not scheduled). The museum is easily recognizable by the six-story-tall steel baseball bat at the front entrance.