RANKED: The Triple Crown Signature Drinks (And Which One Actually Deserves a Trophy)

Every race has a signature drink.

The Triple Crown is horse racing's greatest achievement — three big races, at three different tracks, over five weeks. Each leg has its own flower, its own tradition, and yes, its own cocktail. Ranked below!

A note before we begin: we're including the Oaks Lily in this roundup, and no, it is not a Triple Crown drink. The Kentucky Oaks runs the day before the Derby, and it is its own race with its own drink and its own crowd. But if you're planning Derby Weekend, you're almost certainly there for both — and the Lily deserves a seat at the table. Consider this a bonus entry.

Bonus: The Oaks Lily (Kentucky Oaks)

Before we rank the Triple Crown drinks, we have to talk about the one that beats most of them.

The Oaks Lily has been the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks since 2006, and it is unapologetically a Cosmopolitan cousin: vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, lemon juice. Bright, berry-forward, served over ice with a fresh blackberry and lemon wedge. It comes out hot pink, it photographs beautifully, and it tastes exactly like what it is — a summer drink at a party where everyone is dressed up.

Churchill Downs has also tied the drink to breast cancer awareness, donating a portion of proceeds from every Oaks Lily sold to Horses and Hope, a local initiative supporting Kentucky's horse racing industry. So it looks good, tastes good, and does good. Difficult to argue with.

The Lily lands outside the official ranking only because it belongs to a different race. But between you and me, if you're at Churchill Downs on Friday (or on Derby Day!), this is the move.

#3 — The Black-Eyed Susan (Preakness Stakes)

The Black-Eyed Susan is named for Maryland's state flower — the one draped over the winning horse at Pimlico — and the cocktail has existed since 1973. While the name has stayed the same, the recipe has changed repeatedly. Early versions were rum-based, some have included pineapple juice. The current official recipe includes bourbon, vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and sour mix. Nobody seems to have told Pimlico that a classic is supposed to stay classic. 

What's consistent: it's cold, it's served in a big glass, and it goes down dangerously fast in the May heat.

The Black-Eyed Susan lands at #3 because despite its identity crisis, it genuinely captures the vibe of the Preakness — scrappy, festive, a little unpredictable, and very Maryland. It's the middle child of the Triple Crown, and the drink reflects that energy in the best possible way. Nobody goes to Pimlico expecting understated elegance. They go to have a good time, and this drink shows up for that.

#2 — The Belmont Jewel (Belmont Stakes)

Bourbon, lemonade, pomegranate juice. Three ingredients, zero fuss, and honestly — it works.

The Belmont Jewel became the official cocktail around 2012, introduced after a long search for something that could hold up on a busy race day. Before it, the Belmont's official drink was the White Carnation — a vodka and peach schnapps situation that never really caught on — and then the Belmont Breeze, which was better but too time-consuming to make at scale. The Jewel solved that problem, and then some.

The combination is more balanced than it sounds on paper. The tartness of the lemonade cuts the sweetness of the pomegranate, and the bourbon holds everything together with enough backbone to remind you this is still a horse race, not a garden party. It's bright, it's refreshing, and it's the kind of drink you finish faster than you intended.

Pro tip: If you're making it at home, bump the bourbon up slightly — the official recipe's juice ratio can overpower it, and the drink is better when the bourbon has room to breathe. 

#1 — The Mint Julep (Kentucky Derby)

Was there ever any doubt?

The Mint Julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, and an estimated 120,000 juleps are served during the two-day event. The recipe has barely changed: bourbon, fresh mint, simple syrup, crushed ice, silver cup. It's one of the few sporting event cocktails that would be just as at home in a proper bar as it is in a crowded infield. That's a rare thing. 

That number — 120,000 — is staggering, and yet somehow the drink doesn't feel mass-produced when it's in your hand. The ritual matters: the frosted cup, the mountain of crushed ice, the mint bouquet you smell before you sip. It's theater and it's refreshing and it is genuinely, classically good.

The julep wins this ranking for the same reason Churchill Downs wins the pageantry competition every year: it knew exactly what it was from the beginning, and it never tried to be something else.

A note on the glass: The official Churchill Downs julep cups are a collectors' item you’ll definitely want to keep and collect over the years!

The Final Word

Mint Julep. Oaks Lily. Black-Eyed Susan. Belmont Jewel. They each belong to a race with its own character, and each drink reflects that character back at you. The Derby is tradition and theater. The Oaks is a party in pink. The Preakness is a good time that can't quite commit to a recipe. The Belmont is a test. Whether it’s at home or at the track— you can’t go wrong with any of them to cheers to the big race!