May 10, 2023 - Sports

Celebrity watch: Kentucky Derby vs. Formula 1

Kendall Baker

jeff bezos and tom cruise — Jeff Bezos and Tom Cruise, pictured at the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Miami over the weekend. Photos: Dan Istitene/Formula 1 via Getty Images; Chris Graythen/Getty Images

It was a weekend of racing in America, with the 149th Kentucky Derby on Saturday and the second annual Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

Head-to-head: Unsurprisingly, the Derby won the TV battle in a landslide, drawing far more viewers (14.8 million on NBC) than Formula 1's first U.S. race of the season (1.96 million on ABC). But F1 more than held its own on another front: "The Battle of Celebrities."

Kentucky Derby: Patrick Mahomes (went to both), Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Michael Phelps, Jack Harlow, Chris Pine, Josh Allen, Kevin O'Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful), Emmitt Smith, Smokey Robinson, Boyz II Men
Miami Grand Prix: Tom Cruise, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Serena and Venus Williams, David Beckham, Shakira, Dak Prescott, Mike Tyson, Emily Ratajkowski

The big picture: The Kentucky Derby has long had a special appeal to the rich and famous. But for the second straight year, F1's Miami event appears to have stolen some of its thunder.

Part of that is likely due to location: Lots of celebrities have homes in Florida, so it's easier to make the trip. Miami is also a much trendier location than Louisville (sorry Louisville).
There's also the coolness factor: F1 is hot right now, thanks in part to its hit Netflix show. Horse racing is not, thanks in part to horses dying at alarming rates.

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Celebrity watch: Kentucky Derby vs. Formula 1

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