For 22 years, Food & Dining Magazine readers have known and appreciated Dan Dry’s photography. ‘Nuff said.
What they may not know is that Kentucky Derby 151 is Dan’s 47th year documenting the race and its milieu at Churchill Downs. I’ll do the math for you: that’s 31% of all the Kentucky Derbies ever.
Dan has spent the past nine days documenting “Dawn at the Downs” (the morning workouts) and the community of horsemen (and women) who live and work with the horses on the backside at Churchill Downs.
Mornings this week from Thursday (May 1) through Sunday (May 4), we’re featuring a few of Dan’s photos from dawn workout and the backside on Thursday and Friday, then his coverage of the Oaks and Derby (Saturday and Sunday). The hardest part is choosing which photos to include! Thanks to Dan for making these shots available.
The photographer’s bio at the Kentucky Derby Museum:
Dan Dry is an award-winning photographer with over 50 years of experience. As Managing Director of PriceWeber’s Creative Content Studio, he leads a team of creatives and produces content for national and international clients. Dan has earned over 500 awards across photography, advertising, and design, including being named NPPA Newspaper Photographer of the Year and induction into the Communications Hall of Fame at Ohio University, his alma mater.
A long-standing member of the Churchill Downs Official Kentucky Derby Photo Team, Dan has photographed the Derby 46 times (47 in 2025). He has also published 25 coffee table books and captured every cover for Food & Dining Magazine for over two decades. Previously, Dan was part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photography team at The Courier-Journal and spent eight years as a contract photographer for National Geographic.
Dan has served as a judge for creative competitions, mentored students, and supported non-profits through his work and donations. He and his family recently donated his extensive photo archive, valued at $4.1 million, to Ohio University.
(All photos by Dan Dry)
