“Drs. Hiram Polk and J. David Richardson always took the fifth-year general surgery residents to Churchill Downs,” Mitchell said. “That was my first trip to Churchill Downs. Even if you had asked me then, I would never have thought I would own a horse or have a Kentucky Oaks winner that was born on my farm.”

Yet on May 6, Secret Oath, a filly that Mitchell and his wife Stacy raised on their farm, out of a mare that they also raised, won the Kentucky Oaks. While many high-performing racehorses are owned by groups of investors, having a home-bred horse win the prestigious Oaks is a bit unusual.

“I live on the farm. We have never put a horse on the racetrack that wasn’t born here,” Mitchell said. “I have never bought a racehorse.”

In 2002, the Mitchells purchased Briland Farm in Lexington, where he practices as a heart surgeon. They bought a mare for $1 and began a small-scale Thoroughbred breeding operation.

“I’m not a typical doctor type. I don’t play golf. I get my relaxation by driving the tractor and delivering foals. We had one born 48 hours ago,” Mitchell said. “We mostly breed horses and sell them, but in the breeding business you tend to get in the racing business by default if horses don’t sell.”

Such was the case with Secret Oath. When buyers showed little interest in her as a yearling, the Mitchells withdrew her from the Keeneland sale and put her in training with a successful Thoroughbred trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. The move paid off as Secret Oath proved her ability with four wins leading up to the Oaks.

Although he was introduced to Churchill Downs by Hiram Polk and J. David Richardson, chair and vice chair of surgery at UofL at the time, Mitchell said that for him, horses and medicine are very distinct endeavors. Nevertheless, both are knowledge-based and involve a lot of data – and both are serious business.

“You have to be very objective when you’re in the horse business. It’s easy to fall in love with these animals and think of them as pets. It is easy for the emotions to take over and for you to lose your objectivity,” Mitchell said. “And you have to be objective and analytical to be a heart surgeon.”

Mitchell, who strategically plotted the best match for Secret Oath’s dam, Absinthe Minded, said he enjoys the analytical aspect of breeding.

“I like trying to find the breedings and the matings and the genetics. It’s like trying to play chess with Mother Nature. Every now and then, Mother Nature lets you win.”

Secret Oath followed her Oaks win with a fourth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes on May 21.

But our connection runs far deeper than sheer proximity. In fact, UofL’s Board of Trustees nearly purchased Churchill Downs in the 1960s, hoping to generate a steady revenue stream during a period of financial struggles. However, according to “The University of Louisville” by Dwayne D. Cox and William J. Morison, the plan was called “shameful and godless” by a local minister and deemed impractical.

Despite that failed plan, there remains quite a few UofL ties, either directly or peripherally, to the track’s flagship event, the Kentucky Derby – the most famous horse race in the world.

As it turns out, UofL has faculty, staff, alumni and a whole lot of students involved in The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports. Through Thurby, Oaks and Derby this week, members of Card Nation will sling drinks, clean up trash, evoke emotion by playing “My Old Kentucky Home” and more.

To get a sense of just how unique a perspective we have to this , look no further than Remington Smith, an assistant professor of Communication in the College of Arts & Sciences. Smith recently received the Reel South Short award for his documentary, “The Derby.” The Indie Grits Festival and PBS Reel South give the Short award to the best short documentary filmed in or about the south.

“The Derby” showcases Guatemalan backside workers, bourbon-drinking visitors in Millionaires Row and everything in between; a juxtaposition of “the haves and the have nots,” .��Smith spent about three years on the project.

“I grew up poor and working class, so I’m always interested in the lives of people working, especially at big events like the Kentucky Derby. The main thing was I didn’t want to focus on the usual suspects at the top for Kentucky Derby coverage (horse owners, jockeys, etc.). I wanted to show you the moments only people who live and work here will tell you about,” Smith said.

The 15-minute documentary is .��

Of course, one of the signature features of the Derby is the mint julep, which showcases Kentucky’s rich bourbon tradition. Those mint juleps, as well as the many other cocktails sold at the venue, have to get to fans somehow. That’s where UofL’s ROTC cadets step in.

For the past eight years, our cadets have worked behind the scenes with the venue’s alcohol vendor to make those drinks. According to Captain Steven Richards, assistant professor of Military Science, the work is hard, but the cadets get compensated.

“They’re on their feet all day Thursday through Saturday working alongside each other in a big assembly line. It’s all hands on deck from 6:30 a.m. to about 6 in the evening. They are long days of hard labor, but they’re valuable,” Richards said. “Teamwork is a huge part of what we’re trying to build here and they get a lot of camaraderie from this.”

The money that the cadets earn from this work typically goes toward their Military Ball and other ceremonial occasions such as graduation and commissioning. Derby weekend is the only event in which they work to build up these budgets.

“Obviously the Derby brings a lot of economic stimuli to Louisville and we’re fortunate to be able to tap into that a little bit and to benefit from that,” Richards said. “I’m really happy that this translates to our students and supports them directly.”

Unsurprisingly, UofL’s Equine Program has some involvement in this weekend’s festivities. Madison Jackson is interning in the race office, while Adrianna Lynch is shooting photos for BloodHorse magazine,  and Tricia Warrens is doing work for Upson Downs Farm, a breeding farm in Goshen, Indiana.

A number of graduates from the Equine Program are also heavily involved in the Derby, either through event marketing (Gary Palmisano), as a blood stock agent (Josh Stevens) or in another capacity.

Speaking of alums, the Hite Art Institute has two from the Graphic Design program who are on the creative team at Churchill Downs. Emily (Schmidt) Shepard, BFA ’10, is the director of Design and Creative at the Downs and the Kentucky Derby, while Zach Downs, BFA ’18, was just hired as a production designer. Also, Colin Dean, a senior Studio Art minor, participated in the Poetry Derby, where he read his poem, “Drive By.”

Communications graduates (and alums of Professor Karen Freberg) Abbie Chambers and Michael Jester have joined the social media team at Churchill Downs for the weekend’s events. They are tasked with creating content for both the Oaks and the Derby.

Throughout Derby weekend, UofL Housing staff will assist with check-in and check-out for groups and individuals coming in for the event. According to Jarayon Jackson, assistant director for Summer Operations, this group will have about 290 people working the check-in process on May 1 and May 2.

Students from the Biomedical Engineering Society will volunteer on both Oaks and Derby day, cleaning up trash and helping to keep the venue clean. According to Maddy Wesley, BMES president, about seven students are participating in this effort.

Also, as has been the case since 1937, the UofL Marching Cards will serve as the official band of the Kentucky Derby this year, opening up the flagship race Saturday with “My Old Kentucky Home” as TV cameras pan to attendees typically in tears.��

And, finally, UofL alumni chapters across the nation will host parties to celebrate the Derby. Check out the schedule here to see if there’s one in your area, and enjoy that mint julep.��

UofL has been front and center since Derby season kicked off in late April and will hold that spot through this weekend’s Run for the Roses. Once again this year, UofL’s Marching Cards will be the “Official Band of the Kentucky Derby,” a role it has held since 1936. The Marching Cards will usher in the Most Exciting 2 Minutes in Sports on Saturday with their traditional rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home.”

The Cards will also be the first marching band to step off for the Pegasus Parade Thursday at 5 p.m. Leading the parade this year is UofL Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum, along with former UK coach Joe B. Hall, as co-grand marshals. Notably, these same two coaches participated in the 1975 parade.

UofL Junior Tara Dunaway will also have a big presence throughout the weekend as this year year’s Kentucky Derby Festival queen. And, on Friday for the 144^th running of the Kentucky Oaks, UofL Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Mack will make the traditional “riders up” call.

UofL’s Derby presence extends beyond the track and into the legendary revelries. Former UofL Basketball legend Junior Bridgeman’s charity gala, “The Trifecta,” will . The gala is expected to draw celebrity appearances from Arsenio Hall to Stevie Wonder.��

Other Derby ties

In addition to these direct connections to the world-famous horse race, there are several Derby-themed festivities at UofL year in and year out. UofL Hospital’s Annual Derby Kiddie-Bike Race, for example, is held the Wednesday prior and encourages employees to design their own jockey silks for a tricycle race competing for win, place and show.

A number of UofL School of Medicine students completed the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon last weekend and promptly donated their medals to children fighting critical diseases. UofL joined Medals4Mettle in 2008 as the first medical school-based program in the country.

The annual Derby Lecture Series, hosted by the Chemistry Graduate Student Association, is May 7 at 12:30 p.m. in Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium. This year’s speaker is award-winning chemist Geraldine Richmond, from the University of Oregon. Richmond, who used to head up the American Association for the Advancement of Science, will speak on, “Empowering Global Scientific Engagement.”  

Finally, each year on the Thursday prior to the Run for the Roses, the UofL James Graham Brown Cancer Center hosts the Cancer Survivor Celebration. Music is provided by UofL School of Music performers, while the cancer survivors will be joined by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, UofL Hospital President Ken Marshall, and Jason Chesney, MD, director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center.

To get you in the Derby spirit, check out this video of the Marching Cards and the UofL Cardinal Singers opening the 2017 Kentucky Derby with “My Old Kentucky Home.”