Race set for Thursday of Derby Week

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 27, 2026) – Kentucky Proud, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s powerful marketing brand and the official agricultural marketing brand for the state, is sponsoring this year’s Mamzelle Stakes (GIII) race.

The race for 3-year-old fillies will be April 30, the Thursday before the Kentucky Derby. Known locally as “Thurby,” the day brings tens of thousands to Churchill Downs Racetrack, cementing its status as the third-largest day of Kentucky Derby Week. Last year, attendance was around 60,000.

“We are excited to highlight some of Kentucky’s best and brightest agricultural products during this year’s Kentucky Derby Week,” Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell said. “Bringing together some of Kentucky’s best with Kentucky’s premier sporting event week is a match worth celebrating.”

As the race’s sponsor, the Kentucky Proud logo will be placed on the saddle towel of the horses in the race and Kentucky Proud officials will join the winning connections of the Mamzelle Stakes (GIII) inside the Churchill Downs winner’s circle for a trophy presentation. A bouquet of Kentucky Proud flowers will also be presented to the winner. The bouquet will incorporate flowers from four Kentucky flower farms including 4 J's Family Farm, Wild Roots, Late June Flowers, and Firmly Rooted Flowers.

During Kentucky Derby Week, which began the Saturday before the Kentucky Derby on April 25 and continues through Derby Day on Saturday, May 2, Kentucky Proud food items will be served in Churchill Down’s Director’s Room. Signage will also be displayed highlighting the special menu of Kentucky cuisine. 

Kentucky Proud was established in 2002 as the central platform to promote Kentucky’s farms and farm products. The highly distinguishable and recognizable Kentucky Proud brand identifies products raised, grown, or processed in Kentucky. 

Since 2013, the Kentucky Proud brand has been listed on Churchill Downs racing programs to signify horses bred and foaled in the Commonwealth, highlighting the state’s illustrious horse industry.

###

About Churchill Downs Racetrack

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com

About the Kentucky Derby

The $5 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series. Also known as, “The Run for the Roses®” and “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®,” the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 152nd Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.