Although horses may be the stars of the Kentucky Derby, hats take center stage at the 144-year old horse race in the American heartland.

In Kentucky, hats—the wilder the better—are central to the annual spring ritual, the “run for the roses.” On the first Saturday of May, horse-racing fans gather at Churchill Downs to watch the “most exciting two minutes in sports.”

The racetrack, located in Louisville, Kentucky, was founded by Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., the grandson of William Clark—who along with Meriwether Lewis explored the western portion of the U.S. in what is known as the Lewis and Clark expedition—after he toured prim, royal tracks while on a trip throughout Europe. The first Kentucky Derby was held in 1875, making