Kentucky Derby Banquet 2007
(Celebrating the 75^th Anniversary of the Garland of Roses)
”Garland of Roses Banquet”

Winners of the Triple Crown
1919     Sir Barton		1946     Assault*
1930     Gallant Fox*		1948     Citation*
1935     Omaha*		1973     Secretariat
1937     War Admiral*		1977     Seattle Slew
1941     Whirlaway*		1978     Affirmed
1943     Count Fleet*		2007     ?
* = Samuel Culbertson President or Chairman of Churchill Downs

 

 

The Samuel Culbertson Mansion
Historic Inn

1432 S. Third Street
Louisville, KY  40208
502-634-3100
inn@culbertsonmansion.com

Garland of Roses Banquet

 Samuel Culbertson, as President of Churchill Downs, conceived and commissioned the first Kentucky Derby Garland of Roses as we know it today in 1931 for presentation at the 1932 Kentucky Derby.  The first horse to be awarded this accolade was Burgoo King. 

The first horse ever to wear a floral trophy at the Derby was Ben Brush, who was adorned with a blanket of pink and white roses.  From then until 1932, there were quite a number of designs for rose blankets and garlands. One year, a garland of daisies was used.  

Samuel Culbertson insisted on a garland of deep red roses to include the Kentucky State Seal, The Derby number and a symbolic crown that we see today.  Our dinner today celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the Garland with Kentucky and horse racing specialties. 

We begin with Kentucky Spoonfish, a type of sturgeon related to the Russian Beluga of the Caspian Sea, and a caviar that is comparable in flavor to beluga and sevruga.  This is Kentucky’s gourmet treat!  

The appetizers represent all three venues of the Triple Crown on a single plate:  the Louisville Hot Brown, a dish loved in this city since 1926, The Maryland crab, and the Belmont herbed mushrooms recommended by the head of the New York Racing Commission. 

The “Garland of Roses Soup” contains just a hint of Kentucky Moonshine!  The Kentucky Derby Salad includes Louisville’s beloved cucumber based Benedictine and some of Kentucky’s best cheese made by the Trappist monks at Gethsemane near Bardstown.

The main course is the Kentucky classic Derby dish, filet of beef with Henry Bain sauce. Henry Bain created the sauce that bears his name at the prestigious Pendennis Club in Louisville in 1881. (Sam Culbertson was president of the Pendennis Club in the early 1900s).  Along with that, we serve “Kentucky Fried Lobster,” complete with 11 herbs and spices. We hope it will do a Colonel proud. 

For dessert, we end with traditional Derby Pie, along with a Kentucky bourbonized version of Cherries Jubilee.

 Enjoy!! 

P.S. Kentucky burgoo would have been a natural for this dinner.  However, sadly the road kill required was in short supply this year.

We also honored the presence of Queen Elizabeth II at the Kentucky Derby 2007!