Oaks News

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 1, 2006) - For nearly a century, Kentucky Derby fans have celebrated Kentucky Derby Day and raised a toast to the winner with a frosty Mint Julep. This year, fans who gather at Churchill Downs for the 132nd running of the Kentucky Oaks will have an opportunity to launch a new tradition by raising a glass filled with a delicious concoction that will be known as the “Oaks Lily™.”

The signature cocktail of America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies will be introduced at several locations throughout Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. The Brown-Forman Corporation of Louisville developed the “Oaks Lily™” with a goal of creating a signature cocktail that reflected the essence of the Stargazer Lily. A breathtaking mantle of Stargazer Lilies is draped across the withers of the horse that wins each year’s renewal of Churchill Downs’ classic race for 3-year-old fillies.

A key ingredient of the “Oaks Lily”™ is Finlandia Vodka, the official vodka of Churchill Downs. The new cocktail’s ingredients include:

When the ingredients are mixed, place the “Oaks Lily”™ in a tall glass with crushed ice, add a straw and garnish with an orange wedge and cherry.

“The ‘Oaks Lily’™ is a refreshing fruit forward cocktail that beautifully represents the color of the Stargazer Lily, the beautiful official flower of the Kentucky Oaks,” said Tim Laird, Trade Marketing Manager for Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide. “Finlandia Vodka adds a great dimension to this new drink that we trust will become an instant tradition of this great race and an important part of the Kentucky Oaks celebrations for decades to come.”

The “Oaks Lily”™ will be available for purchase at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. The official cocktail of the Kentucky Oaks may be purchased for $9 at bars and dining locations throughout the historic track that include the Lower Club adjacent the paddock and paddock garden; Gate 10; Food Court bars; and Jockey Club and Finish Line Suites.

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