Copious Notes

Ashley Schwartz of West Bloomfield, Mich., climbed up on a gate near the red carpet to try to get photos of some of the celebrities arriving at the Kentucky Derby. (c) Herald-Leader photos by Rich Copley.

People come to the Derby to see the horses. Well, you might have found that statement a bit presumptuous if you were around Gate 10 at Churchill Downs.

That’s where the stars came in, walking the red carpet where they were photographed and interviewed like Derby was an entertainment awards show – and not just by the press.

“We’ve seen everybody,” Courtney Burk of San Antonio, Texas said, flipping through close-up photos of famous people like Law & Order star Christopher Meloni on her iPhone. “Kate Gosselin, Fred Thompson, Joey Fatone, Nick Lachey, the Dos Equis guy (aka, the most interesting man in the world, played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith).

Model Niki Taylor signs some photos for David Mayer of St. Louis as she arrives at the Kentucky Derby.

Burk was one of many star seekers hanging out at the head of the red carpet.

Paul Andrews of Chicago and David Mayer of St. Louis came prepared with 8-by-10 photos of the stars for them to sign.

“I collect them,” Andrews said, right after supermodel Niki Taylor applied her Sharpie to several of Andrews’ images of a scantily clad Taylor.

Ashley Schwartz of West Bloomfield, Mich., climbed up on a gate to get a better view of the stars. She wasn’t quite as serious about the stargazing as others, saying she had only been there 20 minutes and the only celeb she’d seen was ESPN’s Erin Andrews.

While she was waiting for more stars, an woman came up to Schwartz and asked if Terry Bradshaw was on the red carpet.

“You mean Sarah Jessica Parker?” Schwartz asked, thinking the woman had asked about Carrie Bradshaw, the character Parker plays on Sex & the City.

The red carpet was only an isolated part of the day, as it closed down shortly after 3 p.m.

“Now we’re going to go watch races and drink,” Burk said.

Kentucky Derby celebrities who made the Barnstable-Brown Party one of their first stops in Louisville were bowled over by the Southern hospitality and seemed all over the place on who they picked to win the race.

Miranda Lambert performing at Rupp Arena in January 2010. © Herald-Leader photo by Mark Cornelison.

• See video from last year’s Barnstable Brown Gala.

Country star Miranda Lambert tops the lists of celebrities who will be attending the 2011 Barnstable-Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala in Louisville.

Lambert, whose star has been steadily rising the past few years, will be joined by Kentucky natives and fellow country stars Wynonna Judd and Montgomery Gentry at the May 6 party. Also coming in from Music City will be LeeAnn Womack; Kix Brooks, formerly of Brooks & Dunn and Travis Tritt.

As with every year, the list, released Tuesday morning by party co-host Patricia Barnstable-Brown, includes celebrities from music, film, sports and reality TV. And there are newcomers and perennial guests such as singer Taylor Dayne, hip hop pioneer DMC of Run DMC, former *N Sync member and TV regular Joey Fatone,  Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Winter Olympics star Bode Miller, chart-topping group Boyz II Men and Nick Lachey with his fiancee Vanessa Minnillo.

Former UK basketball star Patrick Patterson greeted fans at the 2010 Barnstable-Brown Gala. © Herald-Leader photo by Jonathan Palmer.

Barnstable-Brown is also bringing back University of Kentucky basketball stars DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, along with Coach John Calipari.

Joining them will be numerous other human athletes including Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and and NFL quarterback legends Terry Bradshaw, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers and now at Fox Sports, and current New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and figure skater Johnny Weir – who made a big splash at last year’s Derby – will also be there. If there is any need to comment on all the sporting action, ESPN’s Erin Andrews will be in the house.

Twin sisters Priscilla Barnstable and Patricia Barnstable-Brown at their 2010 Derby eve gala. © Herald-Leader photo by Jonathan Palmer.

Making her first trip to the gala will be Kate Plus 8 star Kate Gosselin. Also making their BSB debut will be teen heartthrobs Kevin and Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers. Sports Illustrated swimsuit and Victoria’s Secret model Marissa Miller and fellow supermodel Niki Taylor will also be on the red carpet.

Law & Order SVU star Christopher Meloni will be there along with original Law& Order star and former presidential candidate Fred Thompson.

Music is always a big part of the party, so in addition to Lambert, Judd and the others, party attendees and people standing around the gates are likely to hear Salt-n-Pepa and Freddie Jackson.

This will be the 23rd edition of the gala hosted by Barnstable-Brown and her sister Priscilla Barnstable. The gala is a fundraiser for the Barnstable Brown Diabetes and Obesity Research Center at the University of Kentucky.  Last year’s edition raised $1 million.

• Check out Jonathan Palmer’s slide show from the party.

Paparazzi darlings Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson, shown at Rolling Stone's 40th anniversary party in 2007, will be marquee guests at this year's Barnstable-Brown Gala. AP Photo by Matt Sayles.

Several guests on the list for the 2010 Barnstable-Brown Gala are known for being able to cut a rug. But they all could get pointers on the John Wall Dance from the man himself when he and teammate Patrick Patterson and coach John Calipari turn the red carpet blue at the annual Derby Eve bash.

John Wall doing his dance at Big Blue Madness in October. Photo by Mark Cornelison | Herald-Leader staff.

The players will be enjoying one of their final Bluegrass throwdowns before the NBA draft along with some other sports luminaries, including flashy figure skater Johnny Weir and fellow Olympian Bode Miller. Representing the NFL will be Barnstable-Brown perennial Tom Brady and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, along with MLB slugger Barry Bonds.

Of course, if there is dancing to be done, there will need to be music. Last week, Patricia Barnstable-Brown, who co-hosts the gala with her sister Priscilla Barnstable, announced three members of the Jackson Five - Tito, Marlon and Jackie – will be coming. They’ll be joined in a tribute to their late brother Michael by R&B and Broadway star Jennifer Holliday.

There are plenty of other returning party regulars who know all about getting the party going by spending a few minutes on the stage, including country starts Travis Tritt, Rodney Crowell, Nicholasville’s John Michael Montgomery, and Little Big Town, who will be fresh off performing the National Anthem at the Kentucky Oaks.

Party regulars and boy-band veterans Joey Fatone and Nick Lachey will be back along with R&B stars Smokey Robinson, Taylor Dayne, Salt-n-Pepa and rap icon Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, whose band name, Run-DMC, was invoked by the Thoroughbred Daily News as the headline for the story announcing filly Devil May Care will be in the Derby.

Over the past decade, the Barnstable-Brown Gala has grown from a big local party movie stars attended to a national event for the celebrity media such as People magazine and Access Hollywood. No doubt, the paparazzi will have their zoom lenses trained on Ashlee Simpson and husband Pete Wentz, bassist for Fall Out Boy, which is currently on hiatus.

There will probably also be plenty of questions for Terry O’Quinn as Lost heads into its final episodes, and if anyone wants to talk politics, Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer will be there to moderate.

Rounding out this year’s guest list, as reported in the Louisville Courier-Journal this morning, will be beautiful people Marisa Miller, Rebecca Romijn, Vanessa Minnillo and actor Jerry O’Connell.

Kid Rock, shown here at the 2007 Barnstable-Brown Gala, will be back this year. Photo by Angela Baldridge.

Derby mode got a little delayed this year at Copious Notes because it seems like every arts group in Lexington decided to have an event in the last couple of weeks. But here we are at the big week, and I am having a hard time resisting cheering for the Chocolate horse, which is not surprising.

But our first order of business is to see which celebs are coming to the Derby and the Derby Eve parties.

Paris Hilton. AP Photo | H. Rumph Jr.

Topping the list — and in terms of being a paparazzi magnet and all that, she will be hard to top — is Paris Hilton, who is a confirmed Barnstable-Brown Gala guest with her boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, and will also host an  after party at the Sports and Social Club on Louisville’s Fourth Street.

Barnstable-Brown spokesman Corky Coryell said a formal announcement will be out Wednesday, but did confirm Woody Harrelson, Gretchen Wilson, Kid Rock, Bobby Flay, Joey Fatone, Nick Lachey, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Travis Tritt, En Vogue and Boys 2 Men.

Other bashes, have announced their guest lists including the Mint Jubilee, which will welcome CSI star Marg Helgenberger, former One Day at a Time star and current Jenny Craig pitchwoman Valarie Bertinelli and Desperate Housewives star Kathryn Joosten.

Mekhi Phifer. KRT photo | Lionel Hahn.

The event at the Galt House Hotel also lists some dudes, including under-appreciated actor Mekhi Phifer (always makes me think of that line from Lose Yourself), comedians Damon Wayans and Joe Piscipo and a bunch of athletes including former Heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield. Maybe the coup for the Mint is getting both of the Bluegrass State’s Misses: Miss Kentucky America Emily Cox and Miss Kentucky USA Maria Montgomery.

The Grand Gala always waits until Derby night to throw down. It’s guest list is topped by Idris Elba who stars opposite Beyonce in last weekend’s No. 1 movie Obsessed, Rush Hour star Chris Tucker and NBA legend and Derby perennial Michael Jordan.

Kim Kardashian. AP Photo | Dan Steinberg.

Also announced is radio host Tom Joyner and Cosby Show star and one of Tyler Perry‘s go-to actors Keshia Knight Pulliam. Entertaining at the event will be ’80s R&B star Teena Marie.

Kim Kardashian, who’s kind of in the famous-for-being famous group with Hilton, is hosting a Derby Eve bash at Louisville’s Glassworks.

So that is the confirmed guest list thus far. There are rumors out there, and there are always last-minute announcements. Stay tuned.

We will, as always, be at the Barnstable-Brown Gala Friday night, and between now and then, will be on the look out for other Derby fun.