Budweiser Clydesdales Lap Around Churchill Downs Before 2019 Kentucky Derby
on May 02, 2019 • Updated Apr 30, 2025
The World’s Most Iconic Horses Are The Budweiser Clydesdales
In the whole world, no horse is more recognizable than a Budweiser Clydesdale, and no horse race is more famous than the Kentucky Derby.
The Clydesdales first met the public in 1933 and have been beloved ever since. They have famously appeared in dozens of commercials, many of which aired during past Super Bowls.
After releasing advertisements without their famous four-legged representatives for a few years, Budweiser brought the Clydesdales back in 2019. Accompanied by Bob Dylan‘s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” the beautiful Super Bowl ad highlighted the brand’s efforts to use wind energy.
The commercial showed the horses trotting through a sunlit barley field. Their Dalmatian friend and fellow Budweiser mascot, April, rode along.
However, the Super Bowl wasn’t the only sporting event the famous horses connected themselves to in 2019.
Clydesdales Honor An American Tradition At The Kentucky Derby
In honor of the 2019 Kentucky Derby, Budweiser released a commercial celebrating the race’s 145th anniversary and its home at the Churchill Downs racetrack. The ad captures a historic moment, since it marks the first time the Clydesdales made a lap around Churchill Downs.
Considering how long the Clydesdales have been around, it’s crazy to think they previously never stepped foot on the iconic racetrack before.
The commercial was filmed a week before the Derby. It shows the racetrack and the Clydesdales in all their glory. Zoomed-in shots show the magnificent horses getting buckled up into their gear, while audio clips from past Kentucky Derby races play over soaring music.
Text that flashes across the screen celebrates the tradition of the Kentucky Derby, with lines reading things such as “From one American icon to another.”
Finally, the Clydesdales and their Dalmatian buddy make their grand lap around the track to much fanfare.
You can check out the Clydesdales’ history-making first lap at Churchill Downs below. They looked so beautiful!
Even if you’ve never watched the Kentucky Derby, this marvelous clip will surely tug at your heartstrings.
