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The race isn’t the only thing to watch at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby — especially not when there’s likely to be plenty of elaborate headgear in the stands. If you’re not heading to Louisville for the 148th “Run for the Roses,” you can still get into race-day spirit with a mint julep, a hot brown and a fancy hat. While classic Kentucky Derby hats are usually decorated with anything from feathers to flowers, horse-themed headgear has been a popular choice over the years:
Derby fans Eric Williams (left) of Chicago and Skip Koepnick (right) of Wyoming, Michigan, wear their unique horse jockey and race horse hats at Churchill Downs prior to the running of the 127th Kentucky Derby in Louisville, on May 5, 2001.
On May 4, 2002, Tony Offlutt, of New Albany, Indiana, wears a huge Kentucky Derby theme hat at the Churchill Downs paddock area of the 128th Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby fan Margaret Marsden wears a self-designed hat depicting the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs, prior to the 128th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 4, 2002.
Kentucky Derby fan Ernie Trent of Indiana wears an extravagant tower-shaped hat at Churchill Downs prior to the128th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 4, 2002.
A race fan wears a unique horse head-shaped hat with roses in the infield at Churchill Downs prior to the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby, in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 1, 2004.
Kentucky Derby fan Skip Koepnick wears a unique race horse and rose-adorned hat prior to the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 1, 2004.
Race fan Jed Munson of Sarasota, Florida, sports an elaborate horse hat in the infield of Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky, May 7, 2005 prior to the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby.
On May 6, 2006, derby fan Donavan Barnett wears a horse- and rose-adorned derby hat at the Churchill Downs paddock area of the 132nd Kentucky Derby in Louisville.
On May 20, 2006, horse racing fan Mary McMullen wears a hat decorated with black-eyed susans while watching the races at the Pimlico Race Course before the 132nd running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.
A race fan wears a hat made of balloons depicting horses before the 133rd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, May 5, 2007.
Race fans display their balloon hats before the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 3, 2008.
A race fan displays her pink feather No. 39 hat before the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 3, 2008.
A race fan displays her racetrack hat before the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 3, 2008.
On May 2, 2009, one man wears a hat shaped like a horse head at the 135th Kentucky Derby as race fans stand in the paddock area of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Race fan Greg Fehribach wears his horse hat ahead of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 2, 2009.
Race fan Ron Kelly wears his Derby hat ahead of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 2, 2009.
Woman in a colorful butterfly-print hat attends the 136th Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs, Louisville.
On May 7, 2011, a race fan wears an elaborate pink hat with feathers and flowers for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Eric Williams of Chicago wears an antique camera on his hat prior to the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 5, 2012.
A woman wears a fancy hat adorned with flowers and peacock feathers at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky at the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 5, 2012.
A woman wears a tall flamingo-flower hat at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky at the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 5, 2012.
A woman wears a giant cream-colored hat with floral embellishments and prints at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, before the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby, on May 5, 2012.
Before the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2012, a woman wears a hat with black, blue and yellow feathers at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Race patrons wearing matching elaborate hats arrive for the running of the 139th Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 4, 2013.
On May 4, 2019, horse racing fan Mat Lowe wears a derby hat during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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The race isn’t the only thing to watch at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby — especially not when there’s likely to be plenty of elaborate headgear in the stands. If you’re not heading to Louisville for the 148th “Run for the Roses,” you can still get into race-day spirit with a mint julep, a hot brown and a fancy hat. While classic Kentucky Derby hats are usually decorated with anything from feathers to flowers, horse-themed headgear has been a popular choice over the years:
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- Fun and extravagant Kentucky Derby hats through the years
