Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Bottles to Benefit TRF

For the third consecutive year, Louisville, Kentucky-based Stoneware & Co. will offer a limited number of signed Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottles to benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). This year's signed collector's edition will commemorate the 10th anniversary of Orb winning the Run for the Roses and will be signed by his Hall of Fame trainer Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey and Eclipse Award-winning jockey Joel Rosario. 

TRF Executive Director Kelly Armer stated, "The Kentucky Derby is one of the greatest sporting events in the country. With a captive horse racing audience, we are thrilled to be able to inform folks of the significance of Thoroughbred aftercare. We are so grateful for the continued support from Stoneware & Co., as well as the generosity of Shug McGaughey and Joe Rosario who are dedicating their precious time to participate."

Available exclusively through Stoneware & Co. for $149, horse racing fans and bourbon enthusiasts can now purchase, via pre-sale, their own signed and numbered bottles through Stoneware and Co.'s website at stonewareandco.com. The collectible bottles are available for limited shipping (based on state) or they can be conveniently picked up at the Stoneware & Co. store at 731 Brent Street in Louisville during regular business hours after May 1st. For more information or to place orders by phone, please call Stoneware & Co. at 502-582-1900 or visit the TRF's webpage.

Stoneware & Co. is one of the oldest stoneware manufacturers in the United States.  Its connection to Kentucky's bourbon industry goes back to the 1820s when general stores and saloons sold bourbon straight from the manufacturer's wooden barrels.  Customers used stoneware jugs to package and refill bourbon for home consumption.

"This highly sought-after bottle for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will be an attractive collectable for Thoroughbred racing fans and bourbon collectors," said Steve Smith, Stoneware & Co. owner. "Complementing one of the world's finest bourbons and the bottle's beautiful artwork, these signatures represent some of the finest connections in Kentucky Derby history.  We are thrilled the project will again support TRF in saving horses and changing lives," he added.

In 2021 and 2022, this collaboration raised $25,000 for the TRF to support its mission of saving retired racehorses from possible neglect, abuse, and slaughter.