For Immediate Release
April 26, 2002
Contact: Channell Barbour or Terry Sebastian at (502) 564-2611 

Governor, First Lady gear up for 2002 Derby festivities


FRANKFORT, Ky. – With the 2002 “Run for the Roses” just a week away, Gov. Paul Patton and First Lady Judi Patton are beginning to gear up and finalize their schedules for the 128th Derby festivities that have the nation focused on Kentucky for several days.

The Governor and First Lady kicked off Derby festivities by hosting members of the Kentucky Derby Festival Board at a luncheon held at the Governor’s Mansion on April 17th. The Pattons plan to attend the Derby Trainers Dinner at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30 in Louisville at the Kentucky Convention Center. The following day at 4:30 p.m., Governor Patton will attend the “Post Position Draw” party for the Derby in Louisville at the Derby Museum located at Churchill Downs.

On Thursday, Gov. Patton and First Lady Judi Patton will participate in the Thoroughbred Celebrity Luncheon at noon in Louisville at Churchill Downs. Following a 3 p.m. visit to the James Graham Brown Cancer Center to help in a celebration for cancer survivors, the Pattons will take part in the Pegasus Parade at 5 p.m.

On Friday, the Pattons will host a brunch for their economic and tourism development guests in Frankfort, and attend The Oaks at 2 p.m. at Churchill Downs. Later on Friday, they will attend the Derby Eve Gala at 7:30 p.m. in Frankfort at Berry Hill Mansion.

On Saturday, the Governor and First Lady will start their morning at the Governor’s Derby Breakfast, which is located this year on the Old State Capitol grounds in downtown Frankfort and starts at 7 a.m. They will walk to the Kentucky History Center and begin media interviews in “The Gardens” at 9 a.m., followed by a tour of the Renaissance Kentucky display at 9:15 a.m. and other sites before boarding the, Derby Train at 10 a.m.

The Pattons and their guests will travel to Louisville on the “Pegasus Express” and arrive at Churchill Downs around 12:30 p.m.  After the Derby, both Gov. Patton and the First Lady will present the trophy to the winner of the 128th Kentucky Derby at 6:20 p.m. and then proceed to the Derby Museum for the Derby Winner’s reception. 

On Sunday, the Pattons will attend the annual Kentucky Colonels Barbecue at 1:15 p.m. at the Wickland Estate, located off US 62 in Bardstown.

Completing the Derby festivities on Monday, May 6th First Lady Judi Patton will host her annual  “Celebration of Hope” for breast cancer survivors at 1:30 p.m. at the Frankfort Farnham Dudgeon Civic Center. 

 

Governor’s Weekly Schedule
(subject to change)

Monday, April 29:                               DGA, Sea Island, Georgia 

Tuesday, April 30:       11 am               Press Conference: State Police/Office for Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, Rotunda, State Capitol

1:45 pm            Sign Proclamation declaring 2002 the “Year of the Rose” Frankfort, State Capitol, Room 110

2:30 pm            Groundbreaking of Midway College’s Math, Science and Tech building, 512 E. Stephens St.

6:45 pm            Attend Derby Trainers Dinner, Louisville, Kentucky Convention Center, Cascade Ballroom

Wednesday, May 1:             9 am                 Kick off Women’s Health Awareness Month,
                                                            Frankfort, State Capitol Rotunda

4:30 pm            Attend “Post Position Draw” for the Derby, Louisville, Kentucky Derby Museum, Churchill Downs Infield 

Thursday, May 2:         7:15 am            Participate in Prayer Breakfast, Hillcrest Baptist Church, 684 Devils Hollow Road, Frankfort

12 pm            Participate in Thoroughbred Celebrity Luncheon, Louisville, Churchill Downs

3 pm            Participate in James Graham Brown Cancer Center survivors celebration, Louisville, Brown Cancer Center, 529 S. Jackson St.

4:30 pm            Pegasus parade line-up and parade, Louisville 

Friday, May 3:             2 pm                Attend The Oaks, Louisville, Churchill Downs

7:30 pm            Attend Derby Eve Gala, Frankfort, Berry Hill Mansion 

Saturday, May 4:         7 am                Attend Derby Breakfast, Frankfort, Downtown

                                    9 am                Media availability: History Center Garden

9:15 am            Visit the Kentucky History Center for Renaissance Kentucky Display and other sites, Frankfort, Downtown

10 am            Leave on Derby Train from Commonwealth Credit Union, Frankfort, Downtown

12:30 pm            Participate in events at Churchill Down, Derby

6:20 pm            Present trophy to Derby Winner

6:35 pm            Attend Derby Winners Reception, Derby Museum, Churchill Downs Infield

Sunday, May 5:             2:15 pm       Attend Kentucky Colonels Barbecue, Bardstown, US 62, Wickland Estate

* bold denotes Derby activities

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