LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Belle of Louisville is ready to defend the coveted antlers against the Belle of Cincinnati on Wednesday, May 1 when the Great Steamboat Race takes place on the Ohio River.
“One of our favorite traditions during Derby week, the Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race, always draws a crowd on the boats and to the banks of the Ohio River,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “Be it strategy or shenanigans, we wish the best of luck to both boats and may the best boat win!”
Beginning at the Clark Memorial Bridge, the two Belles will navigate a 14-mile course. Each boat will have a pair of judges on board, plus there’s an overall event judge from the Kentucky Derby Festival. The majority decision by the judges will crown the winner of the 12-point silver antlers.
The title sponsor of the event, Shepherd Insurance, can’t wait for Wednesday.
“We’re thrilled to be back… the beloved tradition that this event puts on reflects the spirit and competition that the Kentucky Derby Festival is known for, and we’re honored to be a part of that,” said Maryashly Sebastian, Marketing Communication Manager for Shepherd Insurance.
This battle has a little something extra—an official cocktail. Judges tasted a trio of specialty bourbon drinks and the winning selection was The Bourbon Paddlewheel. The cocktail features Brough Brothers Bourbon, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup and a lemon peel garnish. The Bourbon Paddlewheel will be served on the Belle during the race.
Victor Yarbrough, CEO of Brough Brothers Distillery said, “Brough Brothers is a great mixing bourbon… we hope everyone enjoys the cocktail and we’ll see you next week on the Belle of Louisville for the Great Steamboat Race.”
Belle of Louisville captain, Mark Doty, said, “We plan on having a great race, hopefully good weather, the river’s down.” He also shared his tips for winning ahead of the race and joked about his long-time rivalry with the Belle of Cincinnati and Captain Alan Bernstein. “Hopefully Alan’s got problems with his engines.” he said.
According to the Kentucky Derby Festival’s release, Captain Bernstein is known for his shenanigans. Bernstein said he’s still not over Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, declaring the Belle of Louisville the winner last year. Bernstein said, “So, I’m here to say to the Mayor, please stay away and we will do just fine. The Belle of Cincinnati will win. We will take the antlers back to Cincinnati,” said Bernstein.
The boats will leave at 5:45 p.m. for a 6 p.m. start. The awards ceremony will follow immediately afterwards on the Belle of Louisville. Tickets for the Belle of Louisville are sold out, but fans can still get tickets on the Belle of Cincinnati. If you want to cruise, you can call 800-261-8586.