KYC Contributor Archive
Brendan O'Meara
After the Derby: Decompression
After an intense day, trainer Dale Romans and family relax and celebrate the Kentucky Derby.
House Party: Oaks Day, Derby Eve
Tucked away from the pomp and glitter, a house party erupted with bands paid for with bottles of Budweiser and bourbon, Kentucky’s age-old currency.
“And They’re (Taking It) Off!”
It’s Derby Week across the board.
Take It Neat: True Bourbon Culture
The passionate conversation on how to drink it showed Kentucky bourbon culture is not a myth. It’s real.
Trainers Are Honored, Dinner Is Served
There are social functions, the perfunctory ones, the empty ones, but the Kentucky Derby trainers dinner is different.
Louisville and the Dawn of Bourbon Culture
What must be recognized, clearly, is that Kentucky’s identity roots itself in the caramel color of its bourbon.
The $1000 Mint Julep: This Is Not a Sippy Cup
Enjoy the julep; enjoy its cause, and for the love of God, don’t spill it.
Brendan O'Meara is a contributor to Horse Race Insider where he blogs at The Carryover 2.0. He is the author of the forthcoming book "Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Filly Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year" (SUNY Press 2011). His work has appeared in the Paulick Report, The Blood-Horse, Brevity, SN Review, and The Good Men Project. Visit his