Newest Maker’s Mark commemorative bottle is coming: When to race out to get one
Maker’s Mark and Keeneland are releasing the second in the 10-year commemorative bottle series, Greats of the Gate.
This year’s bottle honors racing great Lexington and coincides with the city’s celebration of its 250th anniversary, called 250Lex. Last year’s bottle celebrated the great Man o’ War.
The limited-edition bottle — only 5,000 will be produced — will be on shelves at select Kentucky retailers April 11 with a suggested retail price of $179.99, according to a news release. That’s the same day as the $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile, a Grade One stakes race at Keeneland.
Proceeds from the sale of the Lexington bottle will go to non-profit organizations that support Kentucky’s horse racing industry and the arts and hospitality culture, according to the release.
The bottle features orange wax and an illustration by Kentucky artist Tyler Robertson in orange and black, Lexington’s racing silks colors.
Each bottle comes in a special box with a certificate of authenticity signed by Maker’s Mark managing director Rob Samuels, Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin, artist Tyler Robertson and Bred Jones, president of Airdrie Stud and a descendant of Lexington’s owners.
Lexington raced from 1853 to 1855, winning six of seven races and famously sold to stud for the highest price ever paid for an American racehorse at the time.
“The ‘Greats of the Gate’ series is a unique opportunity to honor the legendary horses who shaped the sport while also supporting the organizations that allow Kentucky’s culture to thrive,” said Samuels, in the news release. “We’re incredibly proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Keeneland, which has deep roots in Kentucky’s horse racing heritage and whose patrons enjoyed the very first Maker’s Mark cocktails in the 1950s.”
Over the course of the 10 years, Keeneland and Maker’s Mark are committed to raising $4 million for various Kentucky nonprofit organizations through this bottle series.
Proceeds from the commemorative bottle will benefit Kentucky Classic Arts by providing support for musical theatre performance opportunities for Central Kentucky; Kentucky Harvest by expanding their food rescue and donation efforts across the Commonwealth; Kentucky Arts Center of the Bluegrass providing free entry to guests for the museum along with arts programming; and Blue Grass Farms Charities through building a new pantry opening this summer at The Thoroughbred Center.
“Keeneland and Maker’s Mark share a mission of service and philanthropy that benefits both the horse industry and our community,” Arvin said in the release. “We are proud the commemorative bottles continue to be both a prized collector’s item for our fans and a successful fundraiser for so many worthwhile organizations.”
