LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Every year, Kentuckians line up outside liquor stores for the annual collector bottle released by Keeneland and Maker's Mark. This year is a little different, with three bottles being released.
LexArts is Lexington's local arts agency.
"So we provide the resources and the funding and the marketing to all of the arts sector," Ame Sweetall, President and CEO of LexArts said.
Keeneland and Maker's Mark is helping LexArts help the community. For the next three years, three collector's bottles will be released. The bottles celebrate how African American jockey Isaac Murphy transformed horse racing by being the only jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks, the Kentucky Derby and the Clark Handicap in the same year in 1884.
"Our artists are Sandra Oppegard, Tyler Robertson, and Andre Pater. So again, another round from those artists in year two and another round again in year three," Sweetall added.
The proceeds from the bottles this year will go to LexArts, and their mission to make the Isaac Murphy Memorial Garden a gathering place for the east side of Lexington. The art garden is the first park in the U.S. to honor African American jockeys, who were the earliest black professional athletes.
"We're going to help bring music and dance and plays and poetry reading and all of the good things that the arts can do, into that space so it becomes a gathering place for that community in particular," Sweetall said.
The bottles will be available on Friday. LexArts said there is no way to tell for sure where the bottles will be distributed, for more information customers interested should call their local liquor store.
