On Saturday, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes did the honor of kicking off the 2023 Kentucky Derby, sending the crowd into a frenzy with just two words.

The “Riders Up” call is a long-held tradition of the Derby signaling for jockeys to mount their horses in preparation for the upcoming race.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the city of Louisville, the commonwealth of Kentucky, and sports fans worldwide have been waiting for this moment,” Mahomes began, before saying the famous two words as shown in the video below.

Saturday's appearance was the latest in what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the superstar quarterback, who is scheduled to take on Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson along with teammate Travis Kelce for July's ‘Capital One: The Match' event.
The Derby was won by Mage and jockey Javier Castellano, as part of a Derby week that saw seven horses die from various ailments.
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Mahomes' appearance came just days after his brother Jackson was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated sexual battery, stemming from a February incident when Jackson Mahomes allegedly, forcibly kissed the owner of Aspen's Restaurant and Bar Lounge in Overland, Kansas. A video of the incident shows the man grabbing the restaurant owner by the neck and kissing her twice despite her attempts to get him away.
Patrick Mahomes was ranked as the number one quarterback in the NFL by CBS Sports recently, just ahead of Joe Burrow, Super Bowl opponent Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert.
Mahomes also caught up with millionaire sports gambler Mattress Mack prior to the Derby. Mack joked with Mahomes that the Chiefs quarterback has cost him millions of dollars, including losses suffered in February after Mahomes defeated Mack's Super Bowl pick the Philadelphia Eagles.