Longines, Official Timekeeper Of Kentucky Derby, Gifts Watches To Race Winners
Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Sports
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
kentucky derby
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph Watch For Winner Of Kentucky Derby
Filed under: Timepieces / Watches
Longines - part of the Swatch Group - worked with ETA (also part of the Swatch Group) to develop a special movement for Longines that captured the classic nature of the traditional watch brand. The movement is an automatic chronograph, but one that uses a historic column-wheel transmission system in the movement. Column-wheel chronographs are those found in many of the best chronograph movements.
Set in a steel case, the Ref. L2.733.4.72.2 Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph is extremely classic in its execution and design. The case is 39mm wide in steel, with a brown alligator strap. The exclusive movement inside of the watch is the mechanical caliber L688.2 which provides the tricompax chrono subdial layout. The dial design is extremely classic. In fact the entire watch is more or less a recreation of a classic Longines watch design. The dauphine hands have thin strips of lume, and there are applied hour and minute markers. For a bit of nostalgia the piece is very nice, price is $2,850.
Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
The Classicist: Southern Proper's Timeless Style
Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style, The Classicist
Mint juleps, seersucker, stately plantations, belles in summer dresses and those F. Scott Fitzgerald stories where they go around saying "Good mawnin', Sally Carrol" -- all come together in the new spring collection from Southern Proper, a gentleman's outfitter from Atlanta now gaining wider recognition from natty northerners.
Win a VIP Trip to the Kentucky Derby with Woodford Reserve
Filed under: Spirits, Events, Art, Sports
Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, is once again honoring the country's favorite horse race with the release of a Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle (pictured above) full of their celebrated whiskey. The 2011 limited edition design features the work of award-winning artist and Virginia native Brett Amory.
Amory showcases two horses racing in those final moments towards the finish line with the only splash of color on the bottle. "The build up to the Derby is unlike any other sporting event," Amory notes. "Louisville is absolutely transformed, and people from all over the world come to join the excitement. I wanted to capture on canvas that one key moment they all came to see."
The limited edition liter-size bottle will be available in early April in 42 US states at a suggested retail price of $42.99. In addition to purchasing a true collector's item, consumers can enter Woodford Reserve's Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes with a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2012 Derby. They can enter by either registering their bottle's unique number printed on the neck label, by entering any random five digit code at www.WellCraftedDerby.com, or by mail.
Upon registering, entrants will be given a randomly-generated post position, from 1-20, for the 2011 Kentucky Derby. If the horse that starts from their assigned post position wins, he/she will be entered in the grand prize trip drawing. Official Rules are available at www.WellCraftedDerby.com; no purchase is necessary but you must be 21 or older to participate.
Jack Daniel's Launches Tennessee Honey: First New Whiskey in a Generation
Filed under: Spirits
Jack Daniel's is about to roll out its first new expression in a generation: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey.The new libation starts with Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 and mingles it with a special honey liqueur. The result is a smoother, sweeter version of Jack that is just 70-proof. It is a clear and understandable attempt to pull more women into drinking Jack. There is even a cute honeybee on the label. Older drinkers might take a shine to it, as well. I can see my late Aunt Letitia or even my North Carolina Gram sipping Jack's Honey.
The addition of liqueur does give the finish a vaguely medicinal, cough-syrup taste in the background of other flavors like butterscotch, pear and honey.
Bartenders are just getting samples to play with, but I can see Old Fashions being made with Jack Honey, as well as Mint Juleps that are made with Old No. 7 instead of Kentucky Bourbon. The Derby is right around the corner, too.
Price: About $22.00 for a 750 ml bottle.
The Classicist: Thoroughbreds, Bourbon and Private Planes from Flexjet
Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Wings, Events, Sports, The Classicist
Private jet juggernaut Flexjet is offering an alluring incentive to new fractional owners via a promotion with Kentucky's Keeneland, one of the world's leading thoroughbred racing and auction facilities. The three-day Unbridled experience centers around the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships this fall. Known as the thoroughbred industry's most prestigious championship event, the Breeders' Cup attracts fierce competition for the richest prize-money event in the world with over $26 million in purses at stake. There's a lot more to the Unbridled experience, however, as you'd expect considering the cost for a 1/16th fraction (or 50 hours / year) on one of the company's Learjet 40XRs starts at $362,500.
Each owner and their guest will enjoy the Breeders' Cup races in the comfort of a finish-line owner's suite at the iconic Churchill Downs, one of the world's greatest racetracks and home of the Kentucky Derby, as well as an invitation to attend sun-up morning workouts. A one-on-one meeting with a renowned thoroughbred trainer and an insider's look at a famed horse farm are also in the offing. The Unbridled experience is available in limited quantities at no extra charge for Flexjet customers purchasing a new fractional share now through June 12, 2011; the all-inclusive experience takes place November 3 - 6.
Trophies, Rings, And More At Upcoming Sports Memorabilia Auction
Which is worth more, a 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series Trophy or a 2000 New York Yankees World Series Trophy? We'll get a chance to find out when the Grey Flannel Holiday Auction sells off both trophies along with a whole plate of sports memorabilia on December 8. The auction includes plenty of championship jewelry such as J.R. Redmond's diamond-covered 2001 New England Patriots Super Bowl XXXVI player's ring and a 1984 Boston Celtics Championship ring that belonged to Red Auerbach's personal attorney, Bob Richards, and a 2009 Yankees World Championship ring.The auction also features soccer memorabilia with a jersey worn by the great Brazilian striker Pelé during his tenure with the New York Cosmos and a jersey from German superstar and two-time European Footballer of the Year Franz Beckenbauer.
"If there is a single sport where ground-floor opportunities still exist, it's horseracing," said Richard E. Russek, Grey Flannel Auctions' president. "A thoroughbred horse runs in only so many races, and there are only so many blankets or halters per race. The blanket worn by a prize-winning horse is much rarer than a modern-era baseball jersey." This auction includes a collection of blankets, halters and other items from a long-held collection such as the blanket Big Brown wore when he won the 2008 (134th) Kentucky Derby. The white fleece blanket is adorned with a bouquet of red roses, the words "Kentucky Derby 134," the official Kentucky Derby symbol, and an embroidered patch with the race date and the image of a jockey on his horse. It opens with a $2,500 minimum bid.
[via Worthpoint]
The Classicist: America's Finest Equestrian Architecture
Filed under: Decor, Estates, Sports, The Classicist, Wealth
Kathryn Masson, author of the book on Hunt Country Style which we wrote about back in 2008, has returned with another brilliant exposition on equestrian style for our enjoyment. Stables: Beautiful Paddocks, Horse Barns, and Tack Rooms takes us on an alluring journey through America's horse country. Collaborating once again with Hunt Country photographer Paul Rocheleau, Masson visits some of the most notable stables and equestrian centers from coast to coast. Ranging from private to historic to state-of-the-art, from homes for retired racehorses to lodgings for polo ponies, thoroughbreds and world champions, 25 distinctive examples of equestrian architecture and interiors are profiled, showcasing their design, construction, and landscaping.
Each of the featured buildings evokes its distinctive regional heritage, from an enormous 1830s English-style barn near the Saratoga Springs Racetrack, to the Mediterranean aesthetic of one of the world's leading Arabian breeding farms, Om El Arab International in California's Santa Ynez Valley. Also highlighted are the world-famous racing stable Newstead Farm in Upperville, Virginia, home of Kentucky Derby winner Genuine Risk, and the quintessential Western working ranch Centennial Ranch in Ridgeway, Colorado. Three historic Vanderbilt family stables are featured: The Breakers in Newport, Sandy Point Stables in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and the newly restored project of Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, Maryland.
Avid equestrienne and professor Dr. Perky Beisel explores the history of the American stable and the long tradition of horsemanship in this United States in an informative preface. "For some Americans, horse ownership and participation in horse sports became a lifestyle and, for others, a way to join the upper class," She notes. "Families who reaped the benefits of 19th-century expansion in industries such as railroads and manufacturing had seemingly unlimited wealth with which to satisfy their desires. While some became notable art collectors, yachtsmen, or horticulturalists, others became active participants in horse sports. In so doing, not only did they create a new upper class, but they also transformed the physical landscape of equestrian recreation and leisure."
Beyond the Mint Julep: Ten Great Pours for Kentucky Derby Day
Filed under: Spirits
This weekend is Kentucky Derby Day. That means Mint Juleps, parties at and around Churchill Downs, as well as at people's homes across the country.Bourbon sales spike in late April as people get ready for their parties, just like Champagne sales climb in the two weeks before New Years Eve.
To make a perfect pitcher of Mint Julep, start with 4 cups of Bourbon, 2 bunches of spearmint, one cup of distilled water, one cup of granulated sugar, and some powdered sugar.
Remove about 40 leaves from the spearmint bunch, and cover with 3 oz. of Bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Wring the mint out over the bowl you have put the whiskey in. Dip the mint bundle into the bowl several times more.
To prepare the simple syrup, mix a cup of granulated sugar and once cup of distilled water in a small sauce pan. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Set aside to cool.
To prepare the Mint Julep, pour 3 1/2 cups of Bourbon into a large pitcher. Add one cup of the syrup to the Bourbon.
Now begin adding the mint extract you made one tablespoon at a time to the pitcher. Once that is done, pour the whole mixture into a bottle with a stopper, and chill for 24 hours to marry the flavors.
To serve, fill each glass (or silver Julep cup, over shaved ice and a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Add a sprig of fresh mint. Choose your horse wisely.
Here are eleven great pours for Derby Day to have straight or use as the basis of your Juleps.
A Complete Guide to the World of Horse Racing
As the buildup to the Kentucky Derby gains momentum, there's a beautiful new book by one of the world's bestselling equestrian authors to help get you in the right spirit. Racehorse: The Complete Guide to the World of Horse Racing (AA Publishing) by Elwyn Hartley Edwards opens with a foreword by renowned jockey Richard Dunwoody. Featuring four full-color, fold-out photographic spreads in addition to hundreds of arresting images, the oversized tome documents all aspects of the multibillion-dollar horse racing world, of which the Derby is just one facet. Royal Ascot, he English Derby at Epsom, the Dubai World Cup and the racecourse at Saratoga, New York are featured along with sections on flat racing, harness racing and steeple-chasing, the triumphs of great jockeys, and the lineage and records of the world's fastest horses.
Woodford Reserve & Tiffany Unveil World's Most Exclusive Mint Julep
Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity
Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has created the world's most exclusive mint julep in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. Only 73 of the sterling silver cups will be available at $1,000 apiece; purchasers will be served a julep in the cup at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 1st. Not just any old julep either. The elite cocktails are crafted from raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon.
Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center. Each individually numbered cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and features the Woodford Reserve logo along with a unique horse racing design. The handmade silver cups come with a sterling silver sipping straw. Each cup will be presented in a unique Tiffany & Co. "blue box" and will be set in a Woodford Reserve casing made from the same oak as Woodford Reserve barrels. Consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com through April 28 to purchase one of the 73 cups (first come first serve basis).
Win a VIP Trip to the Kentucky Derby with Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has unveiled its limited-edition commemorative bottle for this year's event. The 2010 bottle features the work of nationally-acclaimed, Louisville-based artist Jeaneen Barnhart, and also includes a chance to win a trip to the Derby.Barnhart's image depicts the vibrancy and intensity of Kentucky Derby racehorses as the jockeys charge toward the finish line. The artist's signature adorns the neck of the bottle, and an attached neck tag bears information about the artist and product.
The limited edition liter-size bottle will be available later this month in 42 U.S. states at a suggested retail price of $42.99. In addition to purchasing a true collector's item, consumers can enter Woodford Reserve's Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes with a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2011 Kentucky Derby.
Though no purchase is necessary, buyers can enter by registering their bottle's unique number, printed on the neck label, at www.WellCraftedDerby.com. Upon registering they will be given a randomly-generated post position, from 1-20, for the 2010 Derby. If the horse that starts from their assigned post position wins, he/she will be entered in the grand prize trip drawing.
For the twelfth year in a row Woodford Reserve Bourbon has been selected the "Official Bourbon of Kentucky Derby." It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 1, 2010, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier turf events.
Custom Derby Hats to Benefit Retired Racehorses
Filed under: Auctions, Charity, Sports
For some the first Saturday in May is all about the horses, and for others, the Kentucky Derby is all about the hats. There are very few occasions left in today's society where woman can wear incredible millinery creations that really bring back another era. For those who love both the hats and the horses, or are just in a philanthropic mood, it is not too late to support retired racehorses and be a recipient of a fantastic custom made hat to wear to the big day.
Maggie Mae Designs™ has teamed up with Old Friends to create a series of one-of-a-kind Derby hats inspired by specific retired racehorses. Old Friends is an equine farm that specializes in the rescue and retirement of pensioned Thoroughbreds. Many in the horse world were devastated by the death of Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand in a Japanese slaughterhouse in 2002. In an effort to ensure that this never happens again the organization focuses on bringing at-risk racehorses, whose active careers are over to experience the dignified retirement they deserve. The only retirement farm to accept stallions, Old Friends is committed to providing a great retirement for these amazing athletes. The farm is open to the public and hosts tours daily.
Jenny Craig's Dreams Ride on Chocolate Candy
Jenny Craig might taste victory at the Kentucky Derby this weekend -- but if she does, it's likely to be bittersweet.
That's because -- while the average person associates Jenny Craig with a weight-loss program -- horse racing fans know Jenny and her late husband, Sid, as long-time sports enthusiasts. They first got involved with racing by buying up successful horses from Argentina, and eventually began home-breeding their biggest winners in California. Like most owners and trainers, their dream was to win the Kentucky Derby.
The couple made their biggest splash in 1992, when Jenny gave Sid a $2.5 million present for his 60th birthday, a Kentucky Derby hopeful named Dr. Devious. (He ultimately finished 7th, but went on to win $1.4 million for them.) The forgotten part of that story -- until recently -- is that Jenny bought Sid a filly named Crownette as a part of that same gift, for a paltry $190,000. She wasn't nearly as successful as Dr. Devious at the track, earning only $184,488 in 19 total starts before the Craigs sent her to be a broodmare.
Fast forward 17 years, though, and Crownette is suddenly the best gift Jenny could've given Sid -- because the Craigs bred her to their biggest champion, Candy Ride (who went undefeated in all six of his careers starts, earning $749,149). That pairing gave them a chestnut colt they named Chocolate Candy. (Maybe CNBC will relax their cries to rename Chocolate Candy something more diet-friendly now that they understand the origins?)
When Chocolate Candy loads into gate 11 to run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, he'll be the third horse to do it wearing the white and blue silks of the Craig Family Trust, but he'll be the first Craig homebred to wear them.
He'll also be the first hopeful Sid won't be there to see.
He lost a long battle with cancer at age 76 in July 2008, with Jenny by his bedside and his Derby dreams unfulfilled.
Celebrate Derby Day With Esquire and Maker's Mark
Filed under: Cigars, Dining, Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports
On Kentucky Derby day - Saturday, May 2nd - Esquire magazine will celebrate the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" at NYC's Eleven Madison Park with Maker's Mark bourbon. Esquire Editor-in-Chief David Granger and Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Danny Meyer will co-host the event at the award-winning restaurant. The fete will feature live coverage of the race at Churchill Downs, chef Daniel Humm's take on Southern cuisine, Maker's Mark mint juleps, a cigar lounge by Nat Sherman, live music, and a silent auction benefiting New York Horse Rescue. Maker's Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith will also be holding bourbon tastings in the upstairs lounge.
Four special Maker's Mark Bourbon bars will be stationed throughout the restaurant, serving Maker's mint juleps in traditional ice-frosted silver cups. Legendary tobacconist Nat Sherman will transform Eleven Madison Park's patio into a sleek cigar lounge, complete a Maker's Mark bourbon bar and live Kentucky Bluegrass music. A portion of the proceeds from a silent auction of luxury, epicurean and travel packages will benefit New York Horse Rescue, New York's not-for-profit charity whose goal is to place unwanted thoroughbred racehorses in new homes. The price per person is $250, plus tax. To purchase tickets visit www.elevenmadisonpark.ticketleap.com. You can also email derby@elevenmadisonpark.com for more info.
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