Simone Biles gets starring role as guest announcer ahead of iconic US horse race

One of the world’s most famous horse races will welcome one of the ’s most famous sports people to its event for the first time. The Kentucky Derby, staged at Churchill Downs in Louisville, on the first Saturday of every May, is the first and most important leg of the Triple Crown

The race dubbed ‘the greatest two minutes in sports’ is the most watched and best attended race in the US with crowds regularly approaching 150,000. The race’s most famous winner was Secretariat whose 1973 success in record time was to propel him to an historic Triple Crown series win after he followed up in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

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Among its traditions is the ‘Riders’ Up’ command, ordering jockeys to mount, and since 2012 the role has been given to a special celebrity.

In the past that honour has been carried out by the likes Hollywood actor Jeff Bridges, star Patrick Mahomes and last year by Martha Stewart, the businesswoman and TV star.

For this year’s 151st running of the Kentucky Derby the invitation was extended to Simone Biles, the Olympic gymnast from neighbouring Columbus, Ohio, and one of the greatest athletes of all-time.

Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history with 41 medals across World Championships and the Olympic games. She holds the most World Championship medals (30) and gold medals (23) in gymnastics history.

A three-time Olympian, her 11 Olympic medals and seven Olympic gold medals are the most by a US gymnast.

She has earned the rare distinction of having five skills named in her honor – The Biles – in the beam, floor (two), and vault (two) disciplines.

Extending the theme the same command to jockeys riding in the Kentucky Oaks on May 2 will be given by All-American National Champion gymnast Olivia Dunne .