Whether you regularly follow the races or just like fancy hats and friendly wagers, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the 143rd Run for the Roses. Here are the best local spots to watch:
Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., the popular sports bar will set the mood with beer specials, $6 Mint Juleps, $6 whiskey, and a live deejay from 2-5 p.m. The guests with the best hats and bow ties will win cash prizes ($100 for first place, $50 for second, and $25 for third).
Austin Avenue Grill & Sports Bar
Wear a big hat, order a $3.50 Mint Julep, and pick your top 3 horses online for a shot at a $25 Austin Avenue gift card. (You must be present at the end of the race, with matching ID, to win.) The Plano and Richardson locations will both be participating.
Every second counts in a two-minute race, and with 17 screens at Chelsea Corner, you won’t miss a thing. Open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., the comfy neighborhood bar will serve $8 Russell’s Reserve and Mint Juleps made with Seersucker Southern-style gin, as well as specially made Kentucky Hot Browns.
Enjoy your Mint Julep cocktails and $2.50 Pacifico Draft at the bar or on the patio from 2-5 p.m. Feel-good bonus: tell your server you support the Arc of North Texas, and they’ll donate 10 percent of your tab to help improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Drinking-age adults are invited to a free beer-heavy race-day extravaganza. In addition to food specials, raffles, and a Fancy Hat contest, they’re tapping special beers and offering India Pale Ale and Blueberry Mint Julep specials.
Not only will Haymaker award prizes for the best-dressed male, best-dressed female, and best hat, they’ll also provide supplies so you can decorate your hat. No hat? No problem—use one of theirs. Order a Mint Julep with Bulleit Bourbon and Stella Artois and keep the glass it comes in (while glasses last).
Henderson’s gets our vote for best race day menu with Lexington bourbon-glazed wings, cheddar-stuffed burgers, and Hot Brown wood-fired pizza, as well as Mint Juleps, Blood & Bourbons, Kentucky Old Fashioneds, and other specialty cocktails. Pick the winning horse and win a $10 gift card (prizes will also be given for the best hat and best outfit).
RSVP online or call or text (214) 304-0714 to make free table reservations.
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie
With high stakes and fresh equestrian scents, Derby Day at the Lone Star Park is the next-best thing to Kentucky. The live horse races begin at 1:35 p.m. alongside a simulcast of the Kentucky Derby; place your bets ahead of time or at Bar & Book. The owners of the most creative and most stylist hats will each win $500. Other entertainment includes live music between races and bounce houses, pony rides, and a petting zoo for younger guests.
Entry is $5; gates open at 10:30 a.m.
Your swankiest suit won’t be out of place at this high-end restaurant and lounge, where the race will be on the outdoor patio televisions. In addition to the steak and seafood they’re known for, Ocean Prime will serve traditional Southern fare, Derby-themed hors d’oeuvres, and specialty cocktails (including Mint Juleps and Oaks Lily).
Event is from 4-6 p.m. Admission is free.
What’s derby day without a Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich and Mint Juleps? Catch some live music from the Dixieland band and Luke Nassar Trio before and after the race. Local fashion experts will award $200 gift cards for the best-dressed couple, best-dressed male, best-dressed female, and best hat.
Doors open at 3 p.m. and entry is free with an online RSVP.
Ginni Beam is a DMagazine.com intern.
