Thursday, April 23, 2009

May 2 KY Derby - Woodford Reserve Bourbon/World's Most Exclusive Mint Julep Cup

On the first Saturday in May at the Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve bourbon will offer a one-of-a-kind tribute to jockeys with the ultimate collectible: the world’s most exclusive mint julep cup. A collection of 99 sterling silver cups plated in 24-karat gold – a select few adorned with diamonds and signed by Triple Crown®-winning jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet and Steve Cauthen – the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup is available for purchase online from April 13-29. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.

Owners of the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup will enjoy a mint julep featuring a unique set of ingredients from around the globe: sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller’s personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. The 99 gold cups will be presented on Kentucky Derby Day at one location only.

“Woodford Reserve is proud to honor jockeys as the athletes who lead the way to the finish line at the Kentucky Derby and on racetracks across the country,” said Wayne Rose, Woodford Reserve brand director “Through the sale of these julep cups, we look forward to assisting The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.”

New England Sterling, the official trophy maker of the Kentucky Derby, created 99 of the sterling cups plated in 24-karat gold. Each cup comes with an oak box crafted from the same wood as Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels and is lined with black satin fabric. The cups will be available for purchase and auction at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com.

How to Purchase a Cup
Starting April 13, 2009, at noon (EDT) consumers, 21 years and older, can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com to purchase or bid on one of the two different cup offerings. Presented on one day, at one place only, all cups purchased must be picked up by the buyer or the buyer’s proxy on May 2, 2009, Kentucky Derby Day at historic Churchill Downs.

Jockey Cups
96 of the 99 total sterling cups plated in 24-karat gold are handcrafted and adorned with jockey silks representing the Woodford Reserve Stables. Each cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and is individually numbered. The 96 Jockey Cups will be on sale from April 13-29 at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com for $1,000 on a “first come, first buy” basis. Any unsold cups will be available for purchase at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.


Legends Cups
These three of the 99 total 24-karat gold-plated cups celebrate the three living jockeys who have won horse racing’s prestigious Triple Crown®. The cups are adorned with jockey silks and are embellished with three diamonds to represent the three legs of the Triple Crown. Each cup is presented with a 24-karat gold-plated sipping straw and is engraved with the jockey’s signature:

Cup #76: Ron Turcotte, Triple Crown 1973, Secretariat
Cup #79: Jean Cruguet, Triple Crown 1977, Seattle Slew
Cup #80: Steve Cauthen, Triple Crown 1978, Affirmed

To learn more about these legendary jockeys, please visit www.derbylegends.com. Consumers can bid on one of the three Legends Cups during the on-line auction which begins on April 13 and ends at noon (EDT) on April 29.

The Mint Julep’s Exotic Ingredients
Cup owners will receive an exclusive mint julep when they pick up their cup at The Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup Experience near Gate 10 at Churchill Downs. The mint julep is crafted using exotic ingredients from around the globe: sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller’s personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. The 99 gold cups will be presented on Kentucky Derby Day at one location only.

About Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve, the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby”, is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky – the heart of thoroughbred country. Woodford Reserve is one of the fine spirits produced and marketed by Brown-Forman Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia , Canadian Mist, Fetzer, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Tuaca, Woodford Reserve and Bonterra. Enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

Churchill Downs Incorporated, headquartered in Louisville, Ky., owns and operates world-renowned horse racing venues throughout the United States. Churchill Downs' four racetracks in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana host many of North America’s most prestigious races, including the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, Arlington Million, Princess Rooney Handicap and Louisiana Derby. Churchill Downs’ racetracks have hosted seven Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Churchill Downs also owns off-track betting facilities and has interests in various advance deposit wagering, television production, telecommunications and racing services companies that support Churchill Downs’ network of simulcasting and racing operations. Churchill Downs trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol CHDN and can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

About The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund
The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) was created in the spring of 2006. It was a collaborative effort of many leaders in the horse racing industry, which included race tracks, jockeys, horsemen and many others who had a vision of a program that could bring much-needed financial assistance to this group of athletes who have given so much to the sport of horse racing.

In addition to Hall of Fame and Triple Crown-winning jockey Ron Turcotte, the PDJF provides assistance to 59 other jockeys who have suffered serious injuries. While most permanently disabled jockeys continue to share a love for the race track, they have new lives and face new challenges. To learn more, please visit www.pdjf.org.

About The Robby Albarado Foundation

Founded in 2007 and named for jockey Robby Albarado, The Robby Albarado Foundation is a nonprofit organization established to assist the homeless, socially and economically disadvantaged and less fortunate individuals in the Louisville, Kentucky area. The Foundation believes that every life has equal value and each individual deserves the opportunity to have a better way of life. It is the Foundation’s purpose to give these individuals and small local charitable organizations that same opportunity by contributing to and assisting them in their endeavors. For more information, please visit www.robbyalbaradofoundation.org.

Churchill Downs®, Kentucky Derby® and the Twin Spires design are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2009

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