Kentucky Derby Museum announces stable dedication in honor of Penny Chenery; opens new exhibit celebrating Winning Colors and other famous Derby fillies 3rd annual Fan Fest Day: For the Fillies kicks off Derby week fun
LOUISVILLE, KY. (April 29, 2018) – The Kentucky Derby Museum announced Sunday its new stable area will be named in honor of Penny Chenery, the owner of Kentucky Derby winners Riva Ridge and Secretariat. The Helen B. “Penny” Chenery Stable will house the Museum’s Resident Thoroughbred and companion animal and will be built as part of the Museum’s $6.5 million dollar expansion project. The announcement came during the Museum’s 3rd annual Fan Fest Day. Penny’s daughter, Kate Tweedy was on hand for the announcement.
"Our family is both humbled and thrilled with the Kentucky Derby Museum naming this wonderful new barn in our mother's honor," said Kate Tweedy, Penny Chenery's daughter. "Mom was truly in her element in any horse barn, and she would have been delighted to share her legacy with such a worthy endeavor providing enjoyment to horse lovers and sparking interest in racing for generations to come."
Construction on the stable and the rest of the Museum’s expansion will get underway mid-May. Construction will be completed by Breeders’ Cup held at Churchill Downs in November 2018. The Museum will remain open throughout the entire project.
The Museum also opened its latest exhibit, Winning Colors: Famous Fillies. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Winning Colors’ Kentucky Derby win in 1988. She was the most recent filly to win the Derby, one of only three to do so. The exhibit showcases Winning Colors’ Kentucky Derby gold cup trophy that was presented to the horse’s owners the Klein family. It was recently added to the Museum’s collection and underwent some repair, including adding the reins and the jockey atop the cup.
The exhibit showcases the emergence of the Kentucky Oaks as a premiere race and highlights the careers of several famous fillies, including the only other two fillies to win the Derby, Regret (1915) and Genuine Risk (1980).
Winning Colors: Famous Fillies is part of the general admission experience at the Museum. The exhibit will run through August 31.
Fan Fest Day also included a presentation of the Hartack Memorial Award, by The Bill Hartack Foundation. Each year, the foundation honors of the winning jockey, owner and trainer of the previous Kentucky Derby winner. Todd Pletcher, trainer of 2017 winner Always Dreaming, was on hand to receive the prestigious Neiman Award, presented to him by four-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. The commemorative championship ring for winning jockey John Velazquez was also presented.
Other highlights of the day included a railside chat with former jockey Patti Cooksey, who was the leading female jockey in wins in North American three times (1980, '81, '83) and the second woman ever to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Horse Racing Communications Specialist Jennie Rees and TVG commentator Caton Bredar talked candidly with the crowd about this year’s field of Kentucky Derby contenders.
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas shared the stage to take about their two Kentucky Derby wins as a trainer and jockey team as well as other tales of their storied careers.
The commemorative Woodford Reserve bottle honoring Winning Colors is now available for purchase in the Museum’s gift shop as well as the 2017 Fan Fest Woodford Reserve bottle celebrating Grindstone’s win.
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About Kentucky Derby Museum (DerbyMuseum.org)
Kentucky Derby Museum, a 501(C)(3) non-profit public charity organization in Louisville, Kentucky has a commitment to ENGAGE, EDUCATE and EXCITE everyone about the extraordinary experience that is the KENTUCKY DERBY.
CONTACT:
Lindsay English
Communications Manager
(502) 814-3030
Cell (502) 777-6148
[email protected]