People like to drink alcohol at sporting events, and options have evolved well beyond the standard beer to wine, cocktails, hard seltzer and other ready-to-drink beverages. Signature-serve cocktails, typically developed in partnership with spirits brands and event venues, have been gaining popularity in recent years.
It’s not exactly a new trend: The Kentucky Derby’s Mint Julep, which dates back to the 1930s, is the OG of sporting event cocktails. Churchill Downs serves about 127,000 Mint Juleps — made with bourbon, fresh mint, sugar and crushed ice — during the two-day event. The Julep has inspired numerous riffs during the famous May horse race.
The Preakness Stakes — the second jewel of the Triple Crown — has its own signature drink, the Black-Eyed Susan. Introduced in the 1970s and named after Maryland’s state flower, it’s made with bourbon, vodka, orange juice, pineapple juice and sour mix. The Belmont Stakes horse race has had several signature drinks, most recently, the Belmont Jewel, with bourbon, lemonade and pomegranate juice.
A new horse-themed drink is the Show Pony, which made its debut this past winter at the 2026 the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Created by bartender Todd Trofimuk in partnership with Chrome Horse Society tequila, the Show Pony (full recipe below) combines tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, club soda and Aperol.
Beyond horse events, the Masters golf tournament, which takes place each April in Augusta, GA, has an unofficial cocktail called the Azalea. Made with vodka, lemon juice, pineapple juice and grenadine, the drink’s pink color mimics the flowers surrounding the green.
Tennis drinks, anyone?
The Pimm’s Cup cocktail has become a centerpiece of the Wimbledon tennis tournament after making its debut in 1971. It’s named after its primary ingredient, Pimm’s No. 1 gin-based liqueur, which is mixed with sparkling lemon soda and garnished with mint, cucumber, strawberries and apples.
Then there’s the wildly successful Grey Goose Honey Deuce, introduced at the US Open tennis tournament in 2007. Created by restaurateur Nick Mautone for U.S. Open sponsor Grey Goose, the Honey Deuce combines the brand’s vodka, fresh lemonade and Chambord raspberry liqueur. It’s then garnished with a skewer of three honeydew melon balls that resemble tennis balls.
The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sells hundreds of thousands of Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails throughout the two-week event in New York. The cocktail has become so popular that some operators, offer their own take on the Honey Deuce during the tournament. Queens Tavern in New York, for instance, puts British spin on the classic with dry vermouth, honey syrup, and clear apple liqueur.
Grey Goose more recently built on its tennis legacy with the Lemon Ace cocktail, unveiled at the Australian Open’s 2025 tournament. It’s made with Grey Goose vodka, passion fruit syrup and sparkling lemonade, and garnished with a lemon ball and fresh mint.
IHG Hotels & Resorts launched the Watermelon Slice at the 2025 US Open tournament. The combination of Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut Champagne, Evolution Fresh Mighty Watermelon juice, elderflower liqueur and lime, is served in IHG’s bespoke tennis-inspired collectible cup. The courtside cocktail will be available again this year exclusively at the IHG Racquet Bar throughout the US Open.
Show Pony
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Chrome Horse Society tequila
- 3 oz. White grapefruit juice
- ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ oz. Club soda
- ½ oz. Aperol
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the soda and Aperol in a shaker.
- Pour into a glass filled with ice.
- Top with club soda.
- Finish with a float of Aperol.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
