Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Dannielynn Steps Out Ahead of Kentucky Derby

Dannielynn Birkhead and Larry Birkhead are spending some quality time at the Kentucky Derby! 

On Friday, May 3, the father-daughter duo stepped out in grand style to attend events ahead of Saturday’s big race. 

“On our way to Barnstable-Brown Gala for the kick-off of the @kentuckyderby weekend,” Larry, 51, captioned an Instagram carousel featuring photos of himself and Dannielynn, 17. 

In the first image, the two sat beside each other sharing a seat while smiling for the camera. The photographer wore a gray suit set with a black tie as his daughter opted for an all-black look previously worn by Janet Jackson.

“Dannielynn is wearing her second @janetjackson outfit to the party that I got from Janet’s @juliens_auctions -charity auction,” he wrote of her attire. 

According to Julien’s, the garment is a “Gianfranco Ferre black dress that’s knee-length in the front and floor-length in the back and features zippers all around.”

Birkhead concluded, “Looking forward to a fun Derby weekend with the newly graduated high school student!”

The daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith lives a relatively private life year-round. However, each May, Dannielynn and Birkhead make it their mission to attend the Kentucky Derby together — a tradition they’ve had since Dannielynn was 3 years old. 

“Ahh The derby where you met her mama!!! I love that you’ve made it a tradition. She’s beautiful! You both look great. Congrats Danni! ????????,” one person wrote in the Instagram comment section. 

For the 2023 Kentucky Derby, the teen wore a sunflower print dress designed by Leo Lin while posing for photos with her father — who coordinated with similar colors.

Other than their annual father-daughter outings, the pair are also known to be supportive of one another via social media. 

For Birkhead’s birthday in January, he joked about how his daughter snapped “really bad pictures” of him.

“#1-3) A friend took us to dinner for my birthday and Dannielynn continued her journey to take really bad pictures of me,” he began in his Instagram caption, alongside photos of himself and his daughter laughing over a meal. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

And for Dannielynn’s birthday in September, Birkhead praised his daughter.

“Happy 17th Birthday Dannielynn! I am so proud of you in each and every way. Wishing you the best day ever!” he wrote. “You are funny, crazy smart, pretty and just about everything I could ever imagine. Your Mom would be so proud of you, I sure am.”

Before ending his post, Birkhead added, “Happy Birthday! Love Dad ❤️ By the way, when you asked me if you could live in my basement forever. I said yes, but I didn’t have the heart to tell you there aren’t any basements in Florida ???? ❤️ #HappyBirthday ????.”