Churchill Downs Opens Nominations for Longines Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade Presented by Kroger

Feb 17, 2015 Sara Brown Meehan

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), home of the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks, and its charitable beneficiaries Bright Pink® and Horses and Hope today announced that the public can now nominate and vote for breast and ovarian cancer survivors to walk in the 2015 Longines Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade Presented by Kroger with supporting sponsor Kindred Healthcare.

The Survivors Parade is an annual march along Churchill Downs’ historic homestretch that will take place immediately prior to the 141st running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1. America’s premier and most lucrative race for 3-year old fillies, the Longines Kentucky Oaks is held each year on the day before the Kentucky Derby.

A national online voting process will select the 141 breast and ovarian cancer survivors who will champion breast and ovarian health by participating in this signature Kentucky Derby weekend event. The public can submit nominations and vote for friends, family or themselves through Tuesday, March 31 at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors.

In addition to the emotional and uplifting experience of walking in the Survivors Parade, each person selected will receive two tickets to the 141^st Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 1. 

The seventh annual Survivors Parade is part of Churchill Downs’ Longines Kentucky Oaks Pink Out, during which the track conducts fundraising, provides outreach and helps drive national breast and ovarian health awareness. Churchill Downs has donated more than $620,000 to breast cancer organizations through the Pink Out celebration during the past seven years.

“The Survivors Parade honors the women whose lives have been impacted by breast and ovarian cancer and helps us highlight the importance of prevention and early detection of these diseases for future generations,” said Lindsay Avner, Founder and CEO of Bright Pink. “The Kentucky Oaks provides an incredible platform upon which we can spread life-saving breast and ovarian health education and raise critical funds to fuel our mission.”

“The Survivors Parade and Pink Out traditions on Longines Kentucky Oaks Day help to raise awareness and support for critical health issues facing women,” said Ryan Jordan, General Manager of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “Our partnership with Bright Pink makes it possible for Churchill Downs, our business partners and our guests to make a difference in this ongoing fight on both a national and local level.”

Longines Kentucky Oaks Day is the nation’s fourth-largest attended racing program in the U.S. only behind the Triple Crown’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. During Pink Out, the historic racetrack is decorated in pink bunting and the more than 100,000 Longines Kentucky Oaks guests are asked to prominently incorporate pink into their Oaks Day attire.

Churchill Downs will conduct the following fundraising activities during this year’s Pink Out:

• Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) will donate $50,000 for a second consecutive year to Bright Pink, a national organization that focuses on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer.

• Churchill Downs will donate $1 from each Grey Goose Oaks Lily® cocktail sold at the 141^st Longines Kentucky Oaks to longtime Pink Out partner Horses and Hope, a breast cancer outreach initiative launched by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear that benefits people working throughout Kentucky’s horse industry.

• Public donations to Bright Pink will be collected at Churchill Downs Racetrack on Longines Kentucky Oaks Day at stations located at all racetrack entrances. Those who donate will receive a pink lapel ribbon.

• The public can donate to Bright Pink online from Tuesday, Feb. 17 – Sunday, May 3 at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors.

• As the “Official Style of the Kentucky Oaks and Derby,” vineyard vines will donate 30 percent of proceeds from the sale of three Pink Lilies printed items in its vineyard vines for Kentucky Derby collection to Bright Pink. The Pink Lilies pieces include a tie, bow tie and pashmina. These items and the complete vineyard vines for Kentucky Derby collection will be available for purchase starting March 10 at www.vineyardvines.com, in vineyard vines retail stores, at select retail partners and through the vineyard vines site at Churchill Downs.

How to Submit Nominations and Vote for Survivor Parade Participants

• Any breast or ovarian cancer survivor is eligible to be nominated to participate in the 2015 Survivors Parade.

• Nominations can be made by the survivor, family members or friends online at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. Nominations will be published on the website.

• Friends, family and the public can vote for the nominees whom they wish to champion breast and ovarian health on Longines Kentucky Oaks Day at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. Voting is limited to once per day.

• Nominations and voting will continue through Tuesday, March 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

• The 141 survivors will be announced on Wednesday, April 1 at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. Winners will receive two tickets to the 141^st Longines Kentucky Oaks and be invited to walk in the 2015 Survivors Parade on Friday, May 1. 

About Churchill Downs Racetrack

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN), which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 141^st running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 2, 2015. The track’s 2015 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 25-June 27. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.

About the Longines Kentucky Oaks

With a $1 million guaranteed purse, the Longines Kentucky Oaks is the most lucrative American horse race for 3-year-old fillies, and the fourth most attended day of racing in the U.S. – only behind the Triple Crown’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Twenty-seven Oaks winners have been crowned North America’s champion 3-year-old filly. The purse reflects the Oaks’ status and importance as a sports and entertainment event. The race has attracted crowds in excess of 100,000 in 14 of the last 15 years, including an unprecedented 116,046 in 2010, and set wagering records in 2013 with more than $14.2 million bet on the race and $45.8 million bet on the entire Oaks 12-race program.

About Longines

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier in Switzerland since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. Longines has generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships and as partner of international sports federation. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 140 countries.

About Bright Pink

Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization focused on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women. The organization’s mission is to save women’s lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering them to live proactively at a young age. Bright Pink’s innovative programs educate, equip, and empower young women to be proactive by reducing their risk for breast and ovarian cancer, or detecting these diseases at early, non-life-threatening stages. Founded by Lindsay Avner in 2007, Bright Pink strives to reach the 52 million women in the U.S. between the ages of 18-45 with this life-saving education. Learn more at BrightPink.org.

About Horses and Hope

Founded in 2008 by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program, Horses and Hope helps provide breast cancer awareness, education and early detection and treatment referral in Kentucky’s horse racing industry. Utilizing its pink stable of volunteers, the organization focuses on programs at Kentucky’s four thoroughbred race tracks to provide education and outreach for race fans and track workers. This is the sixth year Churchill Downs has donated a portion of Grey Goose Oaks Lily® sales to the charity.

About Kroger

Kroger, one of the world's largest retailers, employs more than 375,000 associates who serve customers in 2,631 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's.  The company also operates 783 convenience stores, 325 fine jewelry stores, 1,293 supermarket fuel centers and 37 food processing plants in the U.S.  Recognized by Forbes as the most generous company in America, Kroger supports hunger relief, breast cancer awareness, the military and their families, and more than 30,000 schools and grassroots organizations. Kroger contributes food and funds equal to 200 million meals a year through more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber's Million Dollar Club. For more information please visit kroger.com.  Kroger’s Louisville Division operates 98 stores in Kentucky, southern Indiana and southern Illinois.    

About Kindred Healthcare

Kindred Healthcare, Inc., a top-85 private employer in the United States, is a FORTUNE 500 healthcare services company based in Louisville, Kentucky with revenues of approximately $7.2 billion.¹ At September 30, 2014, on a pro forma basis to include Gentiva and Centerre, Kindred through its subsidiaries had approximately 105,200 employees providing healthcare services in 2,880 locations in 47 states, including 97 transitional care hospitals, 16 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, 99 nursing centers, 22 sub-acute units, 645 Kindred at Home hospice, home health and non-medical home care locations, 102 inpatient rehabilitation units (hospital-based) and a contract rehabilitation services business, RehabCare, which served 1,899 non-affiliated facilities. Ranked as one of Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Healthcare Companies for six years in a row, Kindred’s mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

¹Revenues were computed by combining the twelve months ended September 30, 2014 data for Kindred, Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (“Gentiva”), which was acquired by the Company on February 2, 2015, and Centerre Healthcare Corporation (“Centerre”), which was acquired by the Company on January 1, 2015.

About vineyard vines

vineyard vines®, a company best known for its whimsical neckties and smiling pink whale logo, was founded in 1998 on Martha’s Vineyard when brothers Shep and Ian Murray cut their ties with corporate America to start making ties that represented the Good Life. In addition to signature neckwear, vineyard vines offers a variety of clothing and accessories for men, women and children. Products are sold in over 600 specialty and department stores worldwide, through a seasonal catalog at (800) 892-4982, online at vineyardvines.com and at over 50 freestanding stores.

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