Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will add another honor to his long list of accolades this weekend. The Kentucky Derby announced that Mahomes will give the famous "Riders Up" command at the 149th Run for the Roses, which takes place on Saturday.
Starting in 2012, Kentucky Derby officials made the decision to let a celebrity make the legendary call. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton and former University of Louisville standout Teddy Bridgewater have delivered the "Riders Up" command in the past.
Rapper and Louisville native Jack Harlow gave the "Rider's Up" call before the 2022 Kentucky Derby. In the past, NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, former Louisville football coach Charlie Strong and Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari have given the famous call.
According to the Kentucky Derby's official website, "Riders Up" is a command in which jockeys mount their horses prior to the Triple Crown race getting underway. The call typically comes from Stall 1 around 19 minutes before the start of the Kentucky Derby, and it gets the jockeys to begin heading to the racetrack.
The 2023 Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Churchill Downs and has a scheduled post time of 6:57 p.m. ET.
