The Kentucky Oaks Race is America’s premier and most lucrative race for 3-year old fillies – female horses – held each year on the day before the Kentucky Derby. The feature race is a $1 Million Grade 1 stakes race and awards the winning filly a garland of lilies, appropriately named “lilies for the fillies.” Like the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks race is one of the longest continually held sporting events in American history. The race was established on May 19th, 1875, by the same founder of the Kentucky Derby, Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark.
Pink Out for a Cause – Survivors Parade
Stay Informed: Sign up here for the Distillery Trail free email newsletter and be the first to get all the latest news, trends, job listings and events in your inbox.
For those that are lucky enough to attend Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, they are all encouraged to wear any color as long as it’s PINK. Patrons should Think Pink in honor of the Oaks official flower — the stargazer lily — and in support of Churchill Downs’ official partnerships with Bright Pink and Horses & Hope.
During Kentucky Oaks Day, the historic racetrack is decorated in pink bunting and the more than 100,000 guests are asked to prominently incorporate pink into their attire in an effort to raise funds and drive national attention to the fight against breast and ovarian cancer. Immediately prior to the running of the 142nd Kentucky Oaks, 142 cancer survivors will walk across the track to take part in the 8th annual Survivors Parade.
Churchill Downs supports the mission of Horses & Hope, which is a regional organization that increases breast cancer awareness, education, screening and treatment referrals among Kentucky horse industry workers and their families. Churchill Downs will donate $30,000 to Horses and Hope in addition to $1 for the sale of each Oaks Lily, the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks.
Related Story
How to Make the 2015 Kentucky Oaks Lily Cocktail
If you can’t make it to the track you can visit the Bright Pink website to make a contribution.
Kentucky Oaks Lily – The Official Drink of the Kentucky Oaks Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 oz. GREY GOOSE® Vodka
- 1 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
- 1/4 oz. Triple Sec
- 3 oz. Cranberry Juice
Instructions
- Mix Vodka, Sweet and Sour Mix, Triple Sec and Cranberry juice
- Place cocktail in an Official Oaks Lily® glass or stemless wine glass with crushed ice. You can order the official glass here.
- Add a straw
- Garnish with a blackberry and lemon wedge
Enjoy!
Please help to support Distillery Trail. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.
