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With the running of the Kentucky Derby taking place at Churchill Downs the first weekend of May, the sport of horse racing is present in the minds of many. 

For the third consecutive year, Clark County Preschool created its own version of the event. 

Now at its new location of 1900 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the Clark County Preschool Derby took place on the morning of Friday, May 2. 

“We have our children race…so that we get a winner for the boys and a winner for the girls,” said Kara Carter, an attendance clerk with Clark County Preschool. “It is so awesome. We have so much participation.” 

Before Friday morning, students and families – who are actively involved with new projects each month – already spent time actively preparing for the day’s event. 

“Our family project for May is always [that] they make a hat with their family to wear for the derby,” said Barbara Conkwright, an assistant teacher at the school. 

Such hats were quite noticeable, as many were decorated with flowers and other designs, while cowboy hats, fedoras, and more were featured. 

Yet as far as attire is concerned, they were not the only feature present to help students get into the derby spirit. 

“Some wear jockey outfits. Some wear their Sunday best,” Conkwright added. “We love seeing these outfits.” 

Teachers also were decorated for the event. 

However, with their theme being “anything but a horse”, they also stood out among the crowd. 

“Teachers came in today riding on skateboards and scooters, stuffed animals, blow up inflatables, and just anything but a horse,” added Conkwright. 

As far as the race, both boys and girls competed separately. 

A pair of semifinal matchups saw students from multiple classes go up against one another, with the two victors ultimately facing each other to determine the winner. 

The race took place with students holding foam pool noodles, which had to be kept between their legs at all times as they headed toward the finish line on the outdoor grass. 

Ultimately, Brantley Ricketts was the boys’ winner while Landri Mills was the girls’ winner. 

In a faculty race, which students were quite enthusiastic about, Brooke Bristow finished in first place. 

Carter concluded with an explanation of what she enjoys most. 

“My favorite part is just how involved the kids get,” she said. “They get so excited to be a part of this…and just support their friends.”