Great Steamboat Race History

The colorful and nostalgic Great Steamboat Race began in 1963 and has brought nearly as much attention and prestige to Louisville as the Kentucky Derby itself. Since its inception, the event has been a contest primarily between Louisville's historic steamer, the Belle of Louisville, and New Orleans' Delta Queen. Both boats were added to the National Historic Register in 1990 and are two of only six authentic steamboats in operation.

On the Wednesday before the Kentucky Derby, the excitement starts to build for this cherished racing tradition - a 14-mile battle up and down the Ohio River. The Belle and its River City rival stage a musical calliope duel before the race, which starts at the Clark Memorial Bridge and moves east to Six Mile Island. The competition is friendly, but intense, as thousands of spectators line the banks on both sides of the river to cheer the boats on.
Families bring box lunches to the riverside, making for an afternoon of socializing and relaxation.

In 1967, after winning four straight annual races, the owners of the Delta Queen declined to race the Belle again until she was made "more competitive." Major repairs were then made on the Belle, including installation of new boilers. The changes, along with some resourceful racing strategy by the Belle's captain, allowed the series to be tied at 16 wins apiece by 1998. Currently, the Belle leads the series over the Delta Queen 20-18.

Over the years, attempts have been made to expand the race by adding other vessels. In 1975 and 1976, the Julia Belle Swain of Illinois joined the competition and took first place in the '76 race. The Julia Belle Swain has not participated since then. In 1982, another upstart, the New Orleans Steamboat Company's Natchez entered the race and captured the coveted "Golden Antlers," again not returning to defend her title. In 1999, the Belle's "little sister," the Spirit of Jefferson stepped in for the sidelined steamboat to capture the win for the hometown crew. In 2003, the Belle of Cincinnati joined the competition for a three-way race. It was only the fourth time in the event?s history that three vessels competed for riverboat supremacy on the Ohio River. The race has only been cancelled once and the course altered a few times due to high water along the Ohio River.

The Great Steamboat Race has proven to be one of the Kentucky Derby Festival's most popular events, especially in terms of tradition. The local and national media attention the Festival's slowest event receives and the requests for tickets are overwhelming.

The race is a delightful tradition of Festival week. Crowds in excess of 100,000 gather on the Indiana and Kentucky shorelines to cheer their favorite boat to victory. Three local television stations broadcast the race live as well as 10 or more radio stations each year. Revelers across the city celebrate at their own Steamboat Race parties, ranging from picnic foods to lavish spreads. The Derby Festival hosts a free Steamboat Race party at the Waterfront Chow Wagon and a ticketed event at the LVAA Boat Race Party at the Water Tower. Both offer excellent views of this favorite annual event.

The Prize

The boats vie each year for bragging rights and the coveted Golden Antlers.

The antlers are elk and spray-painted gold. They have been historically associated with steamboat races because they symbolize sleekness and speed.

The Great Steamboat Race antlers originally belonged to the Belle. Now a symbol of riverboat supremacy, the antlers are proudly displayed for a year on the dock of the winning boat. They are presented to the winning captain on the wharf immediately following the race.

Great Steamboat Chase

In 2001, the Derby Festival added a special pre-race feature for a full card of Riverboat racing on the Ohio River. The Great Steamboat Chase (a six-mile sprint on the Ohio) now precedes the annual rivalry between the steamboats. This event features the Spirit of Jefferson, a diesel-powered, twin engine, 830+ horsepower riverboat.

Since its introduction, the Chase has become an exciting new tradition for boat racing fans. It starts just 20 minutes before the Great Steamboat Race, and runs from the Clark Memorial Bridge to Six Mile Island. It involves no strategy. It's just a flat out sprint to the finish, with no turns or slow downs.

The inaugural event in 2001 pitted the Spirit of Jefferson against the Belle of Cincinnati. But the Belle of Cincinnati proved to be the quicker vessel that year. Since then, the Belle of Cincinnati has competed in Great Steamboat Race, and Cincinnati's River Queen has rivaled the Spirit in the upriver Chase. So far, the series between the Spirit and the River Queen is tied 1-1.