Famous celebrities that have owned Kentucky Derby horses
These celebrities in sports, music, movies and more have all owned Kentucky Derby horses.
There’s a new song out this month that might make everyone feel like a Kentuckian.
Louisville born DJ Producer Jaden Wagner, 18, known by his stage name GudGroove, released “Take Me Back To Kentucky” just days ahead of the 2026 Kentucky Derby, held this year on May 2.
Wagner, a music and marketing student at the University of Kentucky, has been sitting on the song since last July.
“We were going to put it out last November and it just didn’t feel right,” Wagner said. “I ended up dropping two or three more songs (first).”
The lyrics for “Take Me Back To Kentucky” pay homage to the Bluegrass State’s gems, including horses, bourbon and downtown Louisville nightlife.
“Take me back to Kentucky, where the nights run wild,” is the main hook of the song, coming after lines about “southern skies,” bourbon, and “horses in the hills.”
“I just thought about what makes Kentucky, Kentucky, and tried to put it all into one song,” Wagner said. “I’m very fond of Kentucky. It’s a place that’s very special to me.”
The vocalist on the track is Wagner himself, his voice pitched down by one of his mixing and mastering engineers, Lillie Binford.
According to Wagner, the song has already received a few thousand streams. With marketing rollout videos filmed at Louisville Slugger Museum, 800 W. Main St., and the Muhammad Ali Center, 144 N. 6th St., Wagner feels like the launch has gone as successfully as he hoped.
“The whole thing was just perfect,” Wagner said.
And he hopes the buzz around the song keeps growing. “I want it to be a state anthem,” he added.
Wagner is hosting a variety of Kentucky Derby Week performances, including the halftime show at the Louisville Kings‘ game on Thursday, April 30.
“Getting to play a show in front of 10,000 to 15,000 people in the center of the field with all the lighting, production and all my friends … It’s going to be surreal for me,” Wagner said.
GudGroove performance schedule during Kentucky Derby Week
- Wednesday, April 29: Red Bull Truck at Jocktails at the Derby Presented by Maker’s Mark, 7- 9 p.m. Invite only
- Thursday, April 30: Louisville Kings’ Halftime show, 350 Adams St., 8 p.m.; DraftKings lounge 11 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Friday, May 1: DerbyVIP Oaks Brunch, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Vineyard Vines Infield Stage Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, 2-5 p.m.; Sports Illustrated “Revel at The Races” party with Tiesto at Ice House, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
- Saturday, May 2: DerbyVIP event, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Reach reporter Bailey Reed at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.courier-journal.com ’
