The colors and patterns of jockey silk have a special meaning for horse owners.
The silks for the historic 150th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs come in a variety of colors and shapes. According to the Kentucky Derby Museum, horse owners draw inspiration for their design from their childhood, their surroundings, their favorite things and their profession.
Each silk design is registered with the Jockey Club and no two owners have the same silks. If you see two silks of the same design at a race, it means that both horses belong to the same owner.
When Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, winning jockey Steve Cauthen wore silks that reflected the natural colors of a flamingo: pink, white and black. Affirmed’s owner, Lou Wolfson, had his farm in Florida, which is known for its large population of coastal flamingos.
In 1998, Real Quiet won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Owner Mike Pegram made his fortune owning McDonald’s franchises. He used his initials for the design and his colors reflected those of McDonald’s (red and yellow).
Here is a list of silk clothing worn by jockeys who have previously won the Kentucky Derby.
Who will be included in the list in 2024?
Jerseys for the 2024 Kentucky Derby
Reach sports reporter Brooks Warren at [email protected] and follow him on X at @Broookksss.
This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby silks collected for 2024 race at Churchill Downs
