(LEX 18) — The Kentucky Derby Festival crowned its 2026 Royal Court Monday morning at Dillard's in Mall St. Matthews, selecting five young women to serve as princesses for this year's festival.
The announcement marks the official start of Derby season preparations, with the newly selected court set to serve as ambassadors for the festival, Louisville, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
"Announcing Kentucky Derby Festival royalty is a tradition that lets everyone know Derby season is just around the corner," Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO, said. "Each year, exceptional young women become ambassadors for the Festival and the community, and we're honored to welcome the 2026 Royal Court as they begin their reign."
According to a press release, the Royal Court Program celebrates the state's most civic-minded and academically achieving college students. Each princess receives a $2,000 scholarship, with $1,000 provided by The Fillies, Inc., and $1,000 from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation.
The 2026 Royal Court was chosen from 27 finalists who participated in the final judging, according to the release. Nearly 100 students originally applied for the program, representing more than 15 colleges and universities from Kentucky, Indiana, and throughout the region. All applicants went through preliminary judging in November.
According to the release, the Fillies, Inc., a volunteer group that works closely with the festival, coordinates the Royal Court program. Fillies President Shannon Adkins joined Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO Matt Gibson and 2026 Derby Festival Chair Louis Waterman in crowning the newly appointed court.
The following is a list of the 2026 court members, according to the release:
- 22-year-old Mallory Brown of Bardstown, KY, is a senior Presidential Scholar at the University of Kentucky pursuing a degree in Biology.
- 21-year-old Vy Pham of Louisville, KY, is a senior at the University of Louisville pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the J.B. Speed School of Engineering.
- 22-year-old Sydney Shouse of Louisville, KY is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she majored in Communications and minored in Military Leadership, and is pursuing an MBA at Eastern Kentucky University.
- 20-year-old Tania Vergara-Gongora of Louisville, KY, is a junior at Bellarmine University pursuing a degree in Marketing with minors in Marketing Communications and Broadcasting, Production & Performance.
- 24-year-old Brianna Williams of Louisville, KY is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Louisville, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Diversity and Inequality. She is a second-year PhD student pursuing a degree in Educational Psychology, Measurement, and Evaluation.
According to the release, two alternates were also chosen. Jillian Sarver of Glendale, a junior at the University of Louisville, was selected as the first alternate. Kayla Lancaster of Lebanon, a senior at the University of Louisville, was chosen as the second alternate. They will become princesses if one of the other women is unable to serve.
One of the five princesses will be crowned the Derby Festival Queen by a spin of the wheel at the annual Fillies Derby Ball Presented by Courtesy Cadillac on Saturday, March 28, at the Omni Louisville Hotel, according to the release.
