Louisville Diversions: Derby Museum and Drinks

Banners honoring each Triple Crown winner at the Kentucky Derby Museum. (All photos courtesy of Geoff Worden)
After an amazing weekend of racing at Keeneland for Breeders’ Cup we hungered for some horse racing history and snacks. We decided to explore the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs and then went to Jeffersonville, Ind., just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Ky.
My expectations for the museum were greatly surpassed and I enjoyed the visit immensely. I didn’t take a lot of pictures, it is a museum after all, but couldn’t resist snapping this gem of Richard Nixon tearing up a ticket!
DERBY MUSEUM PHOTO OF NIXON

We lucked out because we got to see “The Greatest Race,” a 360-degree film about getting to the Kentucky Derby with some crowd shots that almost put you there. Due to renovations the film will not be available until Dec. 6 of this year when a new version will debut. A museum representative told me the new version will be 4-D! No further hints were offered. If you plan to visit during Churchill’s current meet the film will not be available but you will only pay $13 instead of the usual $15. Everything else I mention, and much more, are still included.
The museum welcomes you, appropriately enough, with a starting gate. The ground floor is very focused on the Derby. Clothes and hats (be sure to find Patti Ethington’s), a short video about the infield, the most recent Derby in a constant loop and the world’s largest horseshoe for those who enjoy such things (like yours truly). Miss Wright and I spent about 15 minutes in an interactive section where you could flip people’s portraits to find out their favorite places at Churchill for the Derby. There are three screens you can control to watch dozens of past Derby races. I could have contentedly stayed right there most of the afternoon.
Want more action? Another exhibit allows you to place a bet (win, place, show) on a race, print a ticket and then go watch a replay of a real race. The ones featured that day were all from Churchill, naturally, and seemed to be relatively recent. At the end you can scan your ticket and see how you did. Bragging rights only, no cash payouts. You don’t get handicapping information but with no real money being exchanged, bet the names.
You can also ride a “horse” as a jockey in a video simulation of a race. Select the style of racer you want and then a short test run appears. There was a gentleman actively pursuing a win when Miss Wright hopped aboard at another screen. Despite a slight challenge steering in the demo, her closer wired the field for a victory. One race, one win. Meanwhile the guy at the far machine continued to place or show, much to his friends’ amusement. A short while later, he finally won and uttered an exultant, “whooo!” Your author did not attempt a run since Miss Wright set the bar so high.
The second floor is all about horse life, from birth to retirement, with special focuses on people, including jockeys, farriers, vets, exercise riders, grooms and hot walkers. Banners with the colors of all the Triple Crown winners hang from the ceiling and set the perfect tone. There are quotes all over the walls and it is easy to explore and get pulled in by lots of stories. The large display about the confirmation of horses was fascinating and I studied it intently. You won’t suddenly be an expert but you will be better informed.
TRIPLE CROWN BANNERS

Also included with admission is a 30-minute tour of Churchill Downs, where “visitors will walk through the property to the paddock and out to the grandstand learning trivia and fun facts along the way.” We chose not to take a tour, having been all over the grounds before, including the paddock, but I bet we would have learned something. For more about tours, click here.
Eventually, it was time to go. We were hungry and thirsty, and there was football to watch. Jeffersonville, a mere seven miles from Churchill Downs, offers a wide array of dining and drinking choices, many of which offer great views overlooking the Ohio River and downtown Louisville. Rocky’s is a favorite of ours partly because of the food and partly because they have outdoor seating with a view. Some days you can even sit at an outdoor bar with TVs! (Under the pillars in the picture below). This was all closed on the day we went but we stayed anyway.
ROCKY'S SUB PUB

During NFL season, Rocky’s features 50-cent wings (buffalo sauce had some kick!) and four meatball sliders for $6. There is also a “bartender’s choice” craft beer special for $3 a pint. These specials go on all day long. Don’t worry, you can ask what beer is on special and decide if you want it. Miss Wright had one, a Peroni, but I opted for a flight of beer with Three Floyds Gumballhead, Victory Golden Monkey, Victory Moving Parts, Founders Breakfast Stout and Bells Best Brown Ale. You can build it yourself on their new tablets, complete with plenty of information about the 32 draft options.
FLIGHT OF BEER AT ROCKY'S

We also popped over to Flat 12, an Indianapolis brewery with a Jeffersonville tap room. Sixteen taps, two TVs and a patio await you. The place is pretty bare bones, except for the ceiling, which is eye-catching. I opted for a Mustache Ride Red, brand new and appropriate for Movember. Miss Wright said it tasted like a Tootsie Roll while I found it “winey,” perhaps due to its bourbon barrel-aging and vanilla flavoring. It was a good reminder to ask questions before ordering, or better yet, ask for a taste. Check out their core beer offerings, which are $4 on Sundays.
Big Four Burgers and Beer was our last stop before heading north. We still weren’t hungry after Rocky’s but I’m going to recommend this place based on the beer alone. Miss Wright found a pineapple cider and I inquired about the white on tap. The bartender gave me grief about not pronouncing it correctly, “Witte” in this case, but it got us talking and I ended up with something unusual. Damascene, an apricot sour ale from Tinman (in Evansville, Ind.) made me very happy. Sour ales are different, appealing to a relatively small audience, and I appreciate bars willing to take the chance. The building has a great history, including being a three floor dance club in the 1960s and '70s with see-through floors, according to the bartender/manager. They make almost all of their sauces in-house and the menu piqued our interest even though we had no room. A return visit is necessary!
Churchill Downs hosts live racing Wednesday through Sunday (Flat 12 is open the same days) through Nov. 29, with the first post at 12:40 p.m. Although there is racing on Thanksgiving, the museum is closed that day. The race cards on the 27th and 28th include stakes races. View the calendar here.
Check back for my next post about the upcoming Fair Grounds meet and some New Orleans dining.