2 minutes, 20 competitors, and over 150,000 attendees. The Kentucky Derby, deemed “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” returns for its 150th year at the legendary Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. With great fashion, food, and festivals it wouldn’t be a Derby to remember without all the hard work that makes it happen.
The first race was held in 1875 and began the annual Kentucky Derby & Oaks tradition. The race is only for three-year-old horses, if you can believe it, and it was originally 1.5 miles long instead of the 1.25 miles it is today. The winner receives a blanket of 554 red roses, draped over the winning horse, which is why the event is often referred to as “The Run for the Roses.”
With the big day right around the corner, we asked Devin Harley, the Area Manager of our Louisville and Lexington locations, to cue us in on what this year is going to look like.
Read the interview below:
How do you think the Kentucky Derby will be different this year given it’s the 150th Anniversary?
“It is going to be a great year for the anniversary! The new Paddock will be open for the festivities that looks to be beautiful. With all the construction that has been going on over the past year, it is exciting for everything to be finished in time. We are seeing a lot more local events popping up to get everyone excited about the Derby which has made the city booming recently! “
What has the staffing process been like so far?
“We have a lot of staff that work Derby every year for us, so we are giving them the opportunity to work again this year. Our office has a HUGE hiring push that we go through to be prepared for the events. We always have a good mix of new and older associates to work this time of year.”
What do you predict will be the final staffing turnout at Churchill Downs?
“Right now we are sitting at about 145 people needed for events at Churchill Downs and the surrounding areas. This has been building up every week! Our associates have a great turn up rate when it comes to these events because they want to be a part of the history behind it.”
How will your Louisville team be involved during the events on the actual day?
“We will be there! Our office team helps with the initial check in and then stays during the events to help manage the staff on site since there are so many people there. We act as managers for the clients to ensure we are there to help if anything comes up. It is such a busy week for our clients, we try to help anywhere we can.”
An event as big as this one has a lot of moving parts. It’s sure to be a race to remember and a historic day. Tune in to watch the thoroughbreds cross the finish line on May 4th! Run, run, run for the roses!
Want to join the fun? Check out our amazing team in action on our socials!
About LGC
Since 2003 LGC has been building connections between businesses with staffing needs and job seekers looking for new opportunities. Our range of solutions includes temporary and permanent placements (and everything in between) for a variety of industries. With offices located nationwide, we can tap into a dynamic pool of talented professionals. We have a passion for creating partnerships that last and work hard every day to ensure both clients and candidates reach their employment goals.