The 16-year-old Danielin Burkird and her father, Larry Burkird, attended the 34th annual Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala on Friday evening.

Danielin paid tribute to her late mother, Anna Nicole Smith, in a very special way.

She wore a black tulle skirt and blouse featuring her mom’s photographs from her famous guest campaign, accessorized with rhinestone shoes.

Burkird told PEOPLE just ahead of the annual gala that Danielin’s outfit came from a guest collection that sold out, and she saved it for a special occasion.

“It’s done with photos from some of Anna’s best guest campaigns.

We’re both paying tribute because it’s the 20th anniversary of our first meeting,” says Burkird, who first met Anna Nicole at the Barnstable Brown Gala in 2003 when he was a young photographer sent to cover the annual event, which benefits the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at the University of Kentucky.

“It seems like yesterday, to be honest,” he recalls.

“That I was walking up with my camera bags and just hoping for a decent picture.

I wound up with so much more.

It’s funny how one event can change your life.

And that’s what this party did for me.

If I had not been there that night and had that connection, how different my life would have been if I hadn’t met Anna and had our daughter.”

The father-daughter duo is expected to attend the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Danielin and Burkird attend the Kentucky Derby each year.

The annual horse racing event is held in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Churchill Downs racetrack on the first Saturday in May.

Larry Burkird is proud to report that Danielin, now a high school junior, is on the honor roll and starting to look at colleges.

She occasionally dips into the archive of her mom’s clothes that he’s kept for her in storage.

“There’s some t-shirts and different things she fits in, but there’s also some things that she’ll say, ‘Dad, no thanks, that’s not my style,'” he says.

Plus, he adds, there’s also some things that would have to wait till later.

Some things are a bit more revealing and low cut.

Plus, she was a variety of sizes, so she’s got every size covered that you can imagine.

Last year, Danielin celebrated her 16th birthday, and Dad Larry honored his not-so-little girl with a sweet tribute.

“Danielin is such a great kid, and she makes me so proud every day,” he told people.

“I can’t believe she is old enough to drive.

It seems like yesterday I was pushing her in a toy car.”

The proud dad also posted a heartfelt message to his daughter on Instagram alongside a collage of images of Danielin through the years.

“16 years ago, my beautiful baby was born.

That’s if you want to feel really old,” he teased.

“Many people thought the odds were stacked against you, but maybe that was geared more towards me than you.

Through tragedy, turmoil, and a couple of baby tantrums, today you shine bright and are so accomplished.