Horse racing in the United States takes place all year round, whether you’re paying attention to it or not. However, there’s one event when even the most casual observer perks up and pays attention — The Triple Crown. The three-race series kicks off on the first Saturday in May with the Kentucky Derby, a race that has earned the title of “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” continues with The Preakness Stakes two weeks later, and ends with The Belmont Stakes two weeks after that. Over the top hats, celebrity sightings, and craft cocktails are just some of the staples of horse racing, but one that stands out more than anything else is the crown jewel. The liquid gold of the American South: bourbon.

Bourbon has been synonymous with horse racing — especially the Kentucky Derby — since the end of Prohibition. According to an article in America’s Best Racing by Fred Minnick, the connection between horse racing and bourbon comes down to, more than anything else, location. With the Kentucky Derby being run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, bourbon producers across the state saw an opportunity to join forces with an event in their own backyard. And since horse racing was among America’s top sports at the time, it was only logical to get their names and spirits in front of an audience that had their eyes glued to this exciting event year after year.

The race to own the publicity rights for the Kentucky Derby started out as a fierce one, filled with advertisements from dozens of bourbon brands hoping to be known as the most beloved spirit of the “Run for the Roses.” Brown-Forman, Paul Jones, and National Distillers came out as the leaders of the pack, each making their case for why their specific brands encompassed the Kentucky Derby and horse racing as a sport.

Brown-Forman’s Old Forester touted its history as a treasured Kentucky spirit since 1870, considered one of “Kentucky’s finest whiskies” by connoisseurs. National Distillers recognized how Kentucky Derby winners have been toasted with mint juleps made with Old Taylor or Old Grand-Dad for decades, proving that these are iconic brands heavily associated with the Derby. Paul Jones spoke of the versatility of Four Roses as a blended whiskey, showing that they are a stronger brand based on the combination of several blends in one bottle, rather than a single straight whiskey on its own.

While they all made their case, Brown-Forman ran through the finish line first, as they became the bourbon of record for the Kentucky Derby. In 2017, Churchill Downs sealed its relationship with Brown-Forman, naming Woodford Reserve (produced by Brown-Forman) as the presenting sponsor of the race, and gracing the event with a new title: “Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.”