The Louisville Bats are paying tribute to the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.
On April 12, when the Bats -- the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds -- take the field against the Indianapolis Indians, they'll be wearing Kentucky Derby-inspired jerseys.
This will be the only wearing of the "Derby City" jerseys during the 2025 season.
Louisville Pride
— Louisville Bats (@LouisvilleBats) April 7, 2025
In collaboration with the @KyDerbyFestival, we’ve created new “Derby City” jerseys which will ONLY be worn this Saturday, April 12th! pic.twitter.com/ordJsOobLz
The jerseys are far different from the Bats' typical Cincinnati Reds color scheme and are designed to resemble the silk worn by a jockey during a horse race. The people of Louisville, a center of horse racing in the United States, certainly know what a silk is, but the Kentucky Derby Museum provides a definition for those who aren't as familiar:
"Silks are the uniform that a jockey wears during a race. The colorful jackets help the race commentator and the fans identify the horses on the track," according to the museum.
The silks -- um, jerseys -- the Bats will wear April 12 against the Pittsburgh Pirates' Triple-A affiliate fit the definition in terms of being colorful, and no one in the stands at Louisville Slugger Field will have a hard time determining who plays for the home team.
The uniform of the day contains one of the traditional elements of a Bats jersey -- the team logo on the sleeve -- but the rest is different. Bright pink and Easter-egg blue are the colors, with distinctive yellow numbering that stands out. Running along the bottom of the sleeves are the words "Happy Derby."
The Derby will be run May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Bats will be on the road that day against the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals).
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