What started as a road trip with some fraternity brothers in 1967 has turned into a 60-year commitment to Kentucky's premier thoroughbred racing event, the Kentucky Derby.
Tom Carpenter, 80, a native of Columbus, Ohio, has attended every Kentucky Derby since he was 20.
Initially, Carpenter had no idea he would return for the greatest two minutes in sports each year after his first. Carpenter and his fraternity brothers from UNC Chapel Hill were simply into sports of all kinds and looking for a destination when they decided to visit Kentucky for the Derby.
"We were always trying to take road trips and thought this would be a cool one because none of us had been to the Derby," Carpenter said.
More Derby news: Unbridled Eve Derby Gala announces 2026 Kentucky Derby celebrity list
Soon, Carpenter was drawn in by the cheering crowds, the fashion and "the whole pageantry of the Derby."
"We went because it was a sporting event, but it's more than a sporting event. It's a social event," Carpenter said. "Every year we meet some new folks from all around the country and all around the world. It was unexpected, and we realized that this is something special."
Even when crowds weren't allowed at Churchill Downs in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Carpenter and his friends watched the Derby from a "sky box" — a scissor lift they rented through Sunbelt Rentals. The crew sat 43 feet in the air to view the iconic race to the best of their ability.
"When it was fully extended it was kind of teetering back and forth," Carpenter told The Courier Journal. "We could see the finish line with binoculars. It was probably one of the most exciting derbies we had."
More Derby news: Learn the significance of the Garland of Roses at the Kentucky Derby
This year, Carpenter will be attending Kentucky Derby 152, his 60th Derby race, and he intends to do it right. Carpenter, his friends and his family will be sitting in box seating in the First Floor Clubhouse, right on the finish line, five rows back from the track.
"Those horses when they take off, you can feel the ground shake and the crowd just goes crazy," Carpenter said. "It's just an unbelievable moment. You can't duplicate the feeling you get."
Carpenter returns to the Derby each year seeking an electric feeling — one he has sought to extend by purchasing a farm in Lexington. He has eight horses there, one of which is a yearling colt sired by Cody's Wish who is eligible to compete for a spot in the 2028 Kentucky Derby. Cody's Wish is a retired thoroughbred racehorse who was 2023's Horse of the Year.
Carpenter hopes to sell the colt at the Keeneland Yearling Sale in September.
Whether it's spending time with horses on his farm or visiting Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, Carpenter keeps his Derby spirit alive each year by participating in the Kentucky Derby and its festivities.
"I've been to a lot of sporting events, a lot of exciting things, but this one every year seems to get better and better," Carpenter said.
Reach reporter Bailey Reed at bereed@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby fan to return for 60th race. What keeps him coming back
