Kentucky Derby 2025 Celebrity Appearances, Parties, Performances

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With the Kentucky Derby becoming the cultural hotbed that it’s transformed into over the last decade, it’s no surprise that musicians, athletes, and influencers flocked to Louisville, Kentucky, for the 151st iteration of the The Run for the Roses (referencing the blanket of 554 red roses draped over the winning horse that crosses the finish line first each year).

Simone Biles came through for a big honor, Shaboozey partied in the Paddock Club, and Alix Earle and Braxton Berrios were Churchill Downs’ ultimate it-couple. Here’s a glimpse of what went down with your favorite celebrities at the Kentucky Derby.

Gymnasts, to the Paddock

One thing Churchill Downs doesn’t mess around with? The “Riders Up” call, a legendary tradition in which jockeys are instructed to mount their horses in the paddock before heading to the track. First, former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne stood in the center of the paddock to do the honors at Kentucky Oaks (a race the day before the Kentucky Derby involving exclusively female horses). On Saturday, seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles joined a star-studded list (Martha Stewart, Patrick Mahomes, Jack Harlow, to name a few) of past celebrities who’ve given the “Riders Up” command before the Kentucky Derby.

Shaboozey Inspects the Track

Donning a peach three-piece suit and a cactus-shaped bolo tie, country star Shaboozey stepped right up to the track and took in one of the day’s races a couple hours before the main event. Cigar in hand, the “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hitmaker greeted fans and horse owners on his way back inside the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club, one of Churchill Downs’ premiere hospitality areas. The Paddock Club boasts a concierge service, views of paddock and paddock runway, and private wine and bourbon cellar. Fun fact: Woodford Reserve bourbon helps fuel the nearly 125,000 mint juleps sold every year at the Kentucky Derby.

Jack Harlow Keeps It Lowkey at the Turf Suites

Jack Harlow kept it low-key at the Kentucky Derby this year — relative to that one year when he filmed a whole music video for his hit “Churchill Downs” with Drake. This year, Louisville’s own posted up with some friends at the infield Turf Suites to take in the Derby action, smoking a cigar and taking photos with fans. Later on, Harlow threw an after-party in downtown Louisville where he hopped up behind the decks and started playing the hits including “Lifestyle” by Rich Gang and “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas.

Alix Earle & Braxton Barrios Win Big on Sovereignty

Ahead of the Kentucky Derby, Braxton Barrios picked Sovereignty as his winner out of a hat on the red carpet. We might need the next lotto numbers from the Houston Texans wide receiver because Sovereignty did, in fact, come in first place after closing at 7-1 odds, defeating odds-on favorite Journalism who came in second place. Flanked by his girlfriend Alix Earle and creator and BFFs podcast co-host Josh Richards, Barrios stood on a chair and celebrated accordingly once Sovereignty crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs.

“Enter Sandman” Meets Sandman

It was only right for Metallica frontman James Hetfield to head to Churchill Downs and visit the colt named in part after one of the heavy metal band’s most iconic songs. The connection to “Enter Sandman” continues with the owners likening the horse’s closing ability towards the end of races to that of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who used the Metallica song for his entrance. While Sandman had pretty good odds at 5-1 to win the derby heading into Saturday, the horse eventually placed in seventh.

Stephen Wilson Jr. Pops Out on Derby Eve

Before Shaboozey performed a slew of his country hits at FanDuel’s Kentucky Derby Party at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Stephen Wilson Jr. popped out as a surprise opening act to the delight of the hundreds in attendance. He kicked off his set by noting he was from Seymour, Indiana, not too far up the I-65 from Louisville, Kentucky.