BATTLE OF THE BELLES RETURNS NEXT WEEK
OFFICIAL STEAMBOAT RACE COCKTAIL SELECTED
April 20, 2026. Louisville, KY. – The Battle of the Belles returns Derby Week! The Belle of Louisville is ready to reclaim her title in the 2026 Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race. The Belle was sidelined last year due to a leak in an internal bulkhead seam. She’ll face her upriver rival, the Belle of Cincinnati, on Wednesday, April 29. Details for this year’s race were shared this afternoon on board the Louisville steamboat.
“The Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race is a Derby Week favorite, and we’re glad to have our hometown Belle of Louisville back competing this year,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “There’s a lot of history behind these boats, and with that rivalry on the river, you never know what kind of shenanigans you’ll get. We wish both boats the best of luck!”
The 14-mile course on the Ohio River starts and finishes at the Clark Memorial Bridge. Each boat will be assigned two judges, in addition to an overall event judge from the Derby Festival. The majority decision of the judges will be final. The winner will be presented with the set of 12-point Silver Antlers at the post-race ceremony. The Mary M. Miller stood in for the Belle of Louisville in 2025 and was declared the winner of last year’s race.
Shepherd Insurance returns as the Title Sponsor. “We’re proud to return as the title sponsor of the Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race. This event is a great example of how tradition can continue to grow and bring people together, and that’s something we value at Shepherd,” said Maryashly Sebastian, Marketing Communication Manager for Shepherd Insurance. “Our partnership with the Kentucky Derby Festival reflects a shared commitment to community, connection and continued growth across the region.”
A tasting was held this afternoon to pick the Official Cocktail of the Belle of Louisville for this year’s race. After a tasting of three specialty bourbon cocktails made with Brough Brothers Bourbon, the Official Bourbon of the Shepherd Insurance Great Steamboat Race, a panel of judges voted on their favorite. The winning cocktail – The Ohio River Rush – will be served on the Belle during the race. It features Brough Brothers Distillery Bourbon, Pineapple Juice, Blue Curaçao Liquor, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice, and a Splash of Sprite, and is garnished with a lemon slice.
“It’s always great to be part of something like this, and we value our partnership with the Kentucky Derby Festival,” said Victor Yarbrough, CEO of Brough Brothers Distillery. “This event is a team sport, and we’re proud to play our role as the Official Bourbon. We’re looking forward to everyone getting a taste of this year’s winning cocktail.”
Tickets are still available for this year’s event. Tickets for the Belle of Louisville are $200. For Belle tickets, visit KDF.org or call (502) 584-FEST. To purchase tickets on the Belle of Cincinnati, call (800) 261-8586.
Boarding for the Great Steamboat Race will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., with all the boats departing the shore at 5:45 for a 6 p.m. start. The Awards Ceremony will take place immediately following on the Belle of Louisville.
Shepherd Insurance is the Title Sponsor of this year’s race. Official Luxury Vehicle: Cadillac/Courtesy Cadillac. Official Patient Care Provider: PPL Therapeutic Services, PLLC. Official Bourbon: Brough Brothers Distillery. Official Rum: Captain Morgan. Supporting Sponsors: Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati. Media Sponsor: Q103.1.
About Kentucky Derby Festival
2026 marks the 71st year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, a month-long celebration packed with 70+ events leading up to the first Saturday in May. As an independent community organization, it’s supported by 4,000 volunteers, more than 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people every spring and has a local economic impact of more than $200 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
