A Multi-Billion Dollar American Tradition. The Kentucky Derby is the longest running sports event in American history. Now, a cherished pastime has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. From champions to the big business of on-line betting, the Run for the Roses has become the icon of American horse racing.
CNBC Originals takes you inside the winner's circle where legends are born and millions are made.
The Kentucky Derby is the longest running sports event in American history. CNBC Originals and Melissa Francis take you inside the winner’s circle where legends are born and millions are made.
Breeding horses is big business, bringing in $4 billion a year in Kentucky. It's easy to see why the success of the breeding industry directly affects the success of the Derby.
The Kentucky Derby isn't just about the horses. More than 120,000 mint juleps are sold during Derby weekend. And then there's the big fashion/big business of Derby hats.
More than $100 million is bet on the Kentucky Derby. With growing competition from casinos and online gambling, horse racing is a sport in transition. Revenues are up, yet racetrack attendance is down.
CNBC's Melissa Francis looks inside famed jockey Chris McCarron's North American Racing Academy, the only program of its if kind in the U.S. Jockey Gary Stevens comments on the importance of this two-year program, a place where young jockeys start their careers.