Breeders' Cup Unveils T-Shirt Design Contest in Support of COVID-19 Relief Efforts 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 4, 2020) — The Breeders’ Cup, one of Thoroughbred horse racing’s most prestigious international events, todaylaunches the Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest, a charitable initiative designed to support industry workers in need while simultaneously building momentum for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The competition provides fans with the unique opportunity to create a T-Shirt design to be produced and sold on BreedersCupShop.com. Breeders’ Cup will donate all its proceeds from sales of the winning T-Shirt design to support the various backstretch communities and other industry stakeholders across the country who have been most heavily impacted by COVID-19. 
 
The philanthropic art competition tasks entrants to create a T-Shirt design that expresses the excitement of the Breeders’ Cup while incorporating the event’s signature visual elements. The submission period is open now and will close on Friday, May 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The top five finalists will then be selected from all entries and unveiled to the public on Monday, June 1, 2020, at which time fans can visit BreedersCup.com/contest to vote for their favorite designs over a one-week period. Total fan votes will be used by a judging panel to select the winning artist, who will be awarded two VIP tickets to the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, taking place on November 6 and 7 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., as well as the once-in-a-lifetime chance to have their design distributed through Breeders’ Cup’s online store and onsite at Keeneland Race Course during the event.
 
The Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest is the latest demonstration of the organization’s commitment to help those most affected by COVID-19. Earlier this month, Breeders’ Cup announced a $25,000 donation to the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA), which was distributed to backstretch communities most in need across the country. The organization also donated 4,500 gloves, 2,000 hair covers, 1,200 Tyvek suits, 500 masks and 500 shoe covers to the State of Kentucky for medical professionals to treat COVID-19 patients.Additionally, Breeders’ Cup launched Cocktails & Conversation, a recurring virtual happy hour series hosted by jockeys, mixologists, television presenters and other horse racing personalities to raise money and provide aid for vulnerable communities within the industry that have been affected by the health crisis.
 
“As we gear up for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, we cannot ignore the impact that the pandemic has had on the horse racing industry, especially the backstretch community, which serves as the backbone of our sport,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup. “Through the Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest, we hope to energize our fans and give them a chance to give back to those in need. We’re excited to see all the creativity our fans have to offer, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity to extend a helping hand to those in need.”

To learn more about the Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest, including the terms and conditions of the competition, please visit BreedersCup.com/contest.
  

ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred horse racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The Breeders’ Cup is also a founding member of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, an organization composed of industry leaders committed to advancing safety measures in Thoroughbred racing and improving the well-being of equine and human athletes.
 
The 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 Championship races, will be held on November 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky and features a total of $35 million in purses and awards. The event will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.