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basketball, betting, Churchill Downs, college basketball, Final Four, horse racing, Kentucky Derby, Louisiana, Louisiana Derby, Mission Impazible, New Orleans, rivalry, sports, UK, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, UofL
Excitement is rising around Louisville as the UofL and UK basketball teams have entered the Final Four. The rivalry is heating up even more as the teams are set to play each other on Saturday. However, basketball may not be the only interest for Kentuckians in New Orleans this weekend. On Sunday, between the semifinals and finals, the annual Louisiana Derby will take place.
The Louisiana Derby is a prep race for the Kentucky Derby, one of the most well-known and most anticipated horse racing events of the year. Churchill Downs actually owns the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans and is planning on having a large crowd who will be taking a break from basketball to watch fourteen potential Kentucky Derby contenders race down the field.
Additionally, one jockey will be sporting special silks for the race. The racehorse Mission Impazible normally races under lime green silks with a chocolate diamond, but his enthusiastic owners have changed the silks for the Louisiana Derby to support their team in the Final Four. Unfortunately for UofL fans, Mission Impazible will be racing under “Go Big Blue” silks for UK.
It would add so much more to the strong rivalry if another horse were racing under the Cardinal of UofL, but no such luck for Louisville fans. However, fans from Louisville should remember that the Kentucky Derby takes place not Lexington but in Louisville, just a few miles from the UofL campus.
Taking a break from basketball, fans of both UofL and UK can visit the Fair Grounds Racecourse on Sunday to watch the Kentucky Derby hopefuls run. It will be interesting to see how the betting turns out as UK fans will likely bet on the horse sporting their colors, while the UofL fans will probably root for that same horse to come in last. It is bound to be an interesting sports weekend in New Orleans regardless. The long rivalry between UofL and UK will be spilling from college basketball and onto the racetrack.
For more information you can view this article: Derby prep race, special silks add to Final Four hoopla