Churchill Downs Welcomes Breast Cancer Survivors for Sunday's Horses & Hope Day at the Races

Nov 24, 2011

Hundreds of survivors of breast cancer will join family and friends, Gov Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear, and other dignitaries on Sunday, Nov 20 at Churchill Downs for the track’s annual “Horses and Hope Day at the Races.”

The daylong celebration at the historic home of the Kentucky Derby is designed to raise awareness and funding for the work of “Horses and Hope,” First Lady Jane Beshear‘s breast cancer outreach initiative that provides information and offers free breast cancer screenings to workers in Kentucky’s signature horse industry.

Horses and Hope works in partnership with the Kentucky Cancer Program to make the information and screenings available to the more than 80,000 equine-related workers in Kentucky.  Many served by “Horses and Hope” work in racetrack stables or on horses farms and are either underinsured or have no insurance coverage.  Without Horses and Hope, many of those workers have little or no access to breast cancer information and screening services.

The First Lady and Gov. Beshear are scheduled to join breast cancer survivors in the winner’s circle for the trophy presentation following Sunday’s fifth race.  Post time for that special Horses and Hope race is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. (all times EST).  Sunday’s first race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Visitors to Churchill Downs on Sunday will find a pink tent in the Paddock Garden in which information on the prevention and treatment of breast cancer will be available.  Approximately 1,000 breast cancer survivors, family members and friends will enjoy the day on Millionaires Row 4 and in the Skye Terrace, where Horses & Hope outreach information will also be available.

Patrons will be able to support Horses and Hope through the purchase of logoed merchandise at the Paddock Garden information tent and in the Clubhouse dining areas where breast cancer survivors and their Horses and Hope guests are seated.

Sunday’s racing fans can also purchase the Oaks Lily, the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks, and $1 from the sale of each Oaks Lily will go directly to Horses and Hope.  Donations to the initiative can also be made through Churchill Downs’ “Pony Up for Charity” program.  Patrons will be able to round up by $1 or more the total price of purchases at all concession points-of-sale throughout the track and those funds will go to Horses and Hope.

Churchill Downs is a fundraising partner with Horses and Hope on Kentucky Oaks Day, with $1 going the initiative from the sale of each Oaks Lily.  More than $90,000 has been raised for Horses and Hope during that fundraising partnership during the past three years.