The 145th Kentucky Derby is May 4, 2019! Derby Daily Report; Latest Odds; Prep Race Replays; Derby Media Poll; Free PPs; Expert Picks & Tickets; Follow the Kentucky Derby 2020 contenders this year! Fin Post Rating Silks Horse / Sire Trainer / Jockey Last Start HRN; 1st: 20: 7.32: Country House Lookin At Lucky: W. Prat: 1st, 2019.
March 2, 2021 - Louisville, KY - Woodford Reserve®, the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby®, is honoring “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” with the release of its 2021 commemorative Derby bottle.
It features the artwork of Louisville resident Richard Sullivan, a former professional baseball player. Sullivan’s stunning watercolor is of thoroughbreds as they thunder down the stretch. It was designed as a complement to last year’s Derby bottle artwork, which Sullivan also created.
“There is a depth of beauty in Richard’s watercolors -- and his back-to-back Derby bottles are a winning exacta,” said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris.
The one-liter bottles of Woodford Reserve Bourbon are on sale across the United States and the globe with a retail price of $49.99. It is available for pre-sale starting March 2 on Reserve Bar.
“The Kentucky Derby is resplendent with color, pageantry, and pure athleticism -- and I wanted to capture that in my artwork,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan played baseball at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and in 2008, he was drafted by the Braves in the 11th round as a junior and played six years of minor league baseball. He returned to SCAD in 2014 to finish his degree and focus exclusively on his artwork.
His work is featured across the United States, including at The Atlanta Braves Truist Park, Mercedes Benz Stadium, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Sullivan said he enjoys the parallels between sports and creativity, connecting two seemingly divided worlds that, in reality, require the same sense of dedication, practice, and expertise.
The Derby bottle has been an annual collector’s item anticipated by bourbon and racing fans since 1999.
About Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve® is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery, tucked in the heart of thoroughbred country in Versailles, Kentucky. A National Historic Landmark, the Woodford Reserve Distillery represents craftsmanship with a balance of historic heritage and modern practices. Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation, a premier producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands including Jack Daniel’s, Finlandia, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Old Forester, Sonoma-Cutrer and Chambord. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. To learn more about Woodford Reserve, visit us www.woodfordreserve.com or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodfordreserve.
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) offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2019. For more information visit www.ChurchillDowns.com
Cowan (Kantharos - Tempers Flair, by Smart Strike) put forth an excellent effort in the $1.5million Saudi Derby. The Steve Asmussen trainee was left at the gate,breaking last in the one-turn mile event. He raced 10 lengths off the lead, wentfive wide on the turn and stormed down the long stretch, missing victory by ahalf-length. Cowan has a severe case of seconditis; the Saudi Derby was the fifth consecutive time he played the bridesmaid.
Cowan has an 8:1-5-1 ($665,877)record. He earned eight KentuckyDerby qualifying points for his finishes in the Remington SpringboardMile and Smarty JonesStakes, both listed events. Cowan was hissire’s leading earner in 2020.
Bred by Hill 'n' Dale EquineHoldings, Cowan went through the sales ring twice; onceas a Keeneland September Yearling, where he brought $185,000 from Bill& Corinne Heiligbrodt, and the following year, he didn’t meet his $385,000reserve at the OBS March 2-year-old in training auction. The Heiligbrodts keptCowan, and he races in their silks.
Cowan is nominated to both the$750,000 UAE Derby (G2) over 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) and $1 millionAl Quoz Sprint (G1) over 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) against older horses. The UAEDerby, scheduled for March 27, offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derbyqualifying points to the top four finishers.
Pedigree: Cowan has a miler pedigree, and 1 1/16 milesmight be as far as he’ll want to go. Although with closing running style, perhapshe can finish in the money at 1 1/8 miles with maturity and the right surface. He’s proficient over dirt and turf. Often,horses can go farther over the lawn than on dirt. See pedigreechart.
Kantharos was brilliant but fragile.He won his trio of starts by a combined 28 1/2 lengths. After graduating atfirst asking by 11 3/4 lengths, Lion Heart's son returned in the 2010 BashfordManor (G3). Despite stumbling at the break, Kantharos won by 9 1/2 lengths,which is still the largest winning margin in the race’s history. The SaratogaSpecial (G2) was the Steve Asmussen trainee’s final race, which he captured by7 1/4 lengths.
Kantharos suffered acareer-ending leg fracture during a morning gallop a few weeks later and retiredto Ocala Stud in Florida. His brilliance didn’t end on thetrack. He earned Leading Sire honors by earnings in 2016, getting 26winners and four stakes winners. It made the Kentucky folk sit up and takenotice, and Kantharos earned his ticket to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, where he standsfor $30,000.
Kantharos’ offspring are brilliant, are proficient on everysurface and improve with maturity, but they are distance challenged.
Cowan is the second foal and first blacktypeearner out of Tempers Flair, who just missed becoming a stakes winner by a nosein the Hatoof Stakes at 1 1/16 miles over theArlington lawn. Smart Strike’s daughter won over dirt and turf from a mile to 11/16-miles and earned $70,130 in 13 starts. Barren in 2019, TempersFlair foaled a Candy Ride filly in 2020.
Tempers Flair’s half-sister Thunder Shower (Tiznow) bore themultiple stakes-placed sprinter Shanghai Rain (Shanghai Bobby).
Cowan gets his class from his third generation. His second dam,Cloudburst (Storm Cat), is a stakes-winning sprinter. Her half-brother is 1996 2-year-old champ Boston Harbor (Capote). This is also the family of 1987 champion sprinter Groovy.