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Mayor Jim Gray (seated) looks on as Robert Elliston, executive VP and COO of The Breeders' Cup, announces plans for Festival Week.
Mayor Jim Gray (seated) looks on as Robert Elliston, executive VP and COO of The Breeders' Cup, announces plans for Festival Week.
Monday
Oct. 30-31
Fresh off the first Triple Crown win in more than a generation, leaders of a clearly energized Thoroughbred industry joined morning with Lexington's civic and community leaders to announce details of a week of events surrounding the city's first hosting of marquee Breeders' Cup Festival — while also hinting the event could be the last chance to see the champion American Pharoah race competitively.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed, because it would be wonderful to have American Pharoah at the Breeders' Cup,” Breeders’ Cup Chief Operating Officer Robert Elliston said during a news conference at downtown's Cheapside Park Pavilion. Elliston cautioned that the horse’s well-being would dictate availability, which ultimately will be decided by American Pharoah’s trainer, Bob Baffert, and owner, Ahmed Zayat.
Oct. 30 and 31
“It’s a long way between here and ,” Elliston said, adding that “the horse is sound and he is doing very well — both Bob and Zayat have said their goal is to run in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, perhaps as his final race.”
Elliston said that regardless of whether the Triple Crown winner races or makes an appearence, he was confident that an “unprecedented” schedule of events scheduled for the week leading up to the races will offer a great chance to show off the city and make its case for a Breeders' Cup return.
Oct. 24-31
For the week of , Lexington will be transformed into a multi-venue festival setting for "Breeders' Cup Festival Week," spotlighting art, live music, food and other cultural offerings geared toward Breeders' Cup visitors and Lexington residents alike. Free concerts will take place at Cheapside Park and Courtyard Plaza, featuring local acts such as Ben Lacy and Tee Dee Young as well as national acts that include Here Come the Mummies, The Suffers, JD McPherson, Stooges Brass Band and others.
According to Breeders' Cup Host Committee chairman Kip Cornett, organizers have combined local artists and entertainers with their nationally prominent peers to create a diverse and interesting week of programming.
"We’ll promote preexisting events, such as our unique Thriller Parade, and create others such as an international food truck competition to be named the Feeders’ Cup,” Cornett said. (The Feeders' Cup is being run by Smiley Pete Publishing, the parent company of Business Lexington.)
Cornett said that while downtown will be the center of the festival, other venues — including the Kentucky Horse Park, Red Mile, central Kentucky's world-renown horse farms, and various art and theater — will host events and exhibits. Most events will be free and open to the public.
Art galleries including the Lyric Theater, UK Art Museum, ArtsPlace and the Downtown Arts Center will all host special exhibits in the weeks leading up to Breeders' Cup, several of them equine-related. Additional events for the week include a Kentucky for Kentucky 5K Run & Walk at the Kentucky Horse Park, with participants encouraged to dress up as their favorite Kentuckian; a fireworks show and a special “bridge lighting” at Oliver Lewis Bridge; and Feeders' Cup, a food truck competition at Whitaker Bank Ballpark featuring competitors from Lexington and around the country.
Oct. 30-31
The newly renovated Red Mile racetrack will host “Breeders' Cup Bash” , featuring food, music, drink and wagering throughout the Breeders’ Cup races.
“We’ve never had this level of programming around the Breeders' Cup in the 31 prior executions,” said Elliston. “This has the potential to be the very best Breeders' Cup Festival in 32 years, and we are very very appreciative of this community for welcoming us.”
The Breeders’ Cup Festival website (www.breederscupfestival.com) is now live with more information about the scheduled events; additional event announcements are expected to come over the next few months.
A full schedule of events can be found at: http://tadoo.com/2015/06/08/breeders-cup-festival-week-programming/