Churchill Downs Incorporated Sponsors $15,000 Scholarship for Miss Kentucky 2023

LOUISVILLE, KY., (July 08, 2023) – Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) announced today their scholarship sponsorship of the Miss Kentucky Organization (“Miss KY”) was awarded in full to Miss Kentucky 2023, Mallory Hudson. The 2023 Miss Kentucky Competition was held this past week in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center. Twenty-six contestants representing cities and regions from across the State participated in a private interview and competed in preliminary categories including Onstage Conversation, Health & Fitness, Talent and Evening Gown. The final competition night was held on Saturday, June 30^th where twelve finalists were named to compete in the on stage categories to determine Miss Kentucky 2023.

Mallory Hudson was named Miss Kentucky 2023 and will represent the state as she competes for the title of Miss America 2024. Prior to being named Miss Kentucky, Hudson was part of the 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Court. CDI’s $15,000 scholarship sponsorship of Miss Kentucky was awarded in full to Hudson as part of the organization’s partnership with the Churchill Downs Foundation. The partnership includes the opportunity for Miss Kentucky contestants to attend the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby to sell 50/50 raffle tickets to benefit the Foundation. In addition to prize incentives awarded to the top ticket sellers, CDI underwrites a scholarship for Miss Kentucky.

The top overall in person ticket sellers for 2023 50/50 raffle were announced during the preliminary competition on Friday, June 29^th. Olivia Adams was named the top overall seller, winning a $5,000 scholarship. Tayler Plunkett was named the second place overall seller, winning box seats for six to the 150^th Kentucky Derby. Both prize incentives are awarded on behalf of Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Churchill Downs Foundation. Together, Adams and Plunkett sold over $30,000 in raffle tickets on Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby day. In total, raffle sales reached $151,675 with the grand prize winner being awarded a jackpot of $75,838.

“Churchill Downs extends a heartfelt congratulations to Mallory Hudson and we are so excited to watch her represent Kentucky in the year ahead,” said Tonya Abeln, VP of Corporate Communications for CDI. “We’re so grateful to the Miss Kentucky Organization and all of the competitors who have become such an important part of the ‘pageantry’ of the Kentucky Derby for their hard work and support of the Churchill Downs Foundation. We believe that the Kentucky Derby represents the best of the Bluegrass and certainly the Miss Kentucky Organization does the same.”

The top five placements for the 2023 Miss Kentucky Competition included:

• Mallory Hudson, Miss Kentucky
• Tayler Plunkett, Miss Central Kentucky, 1^st Runner-Up
• Chapel Tinius, Miss Monticello, 2^nd Runner-Up
• Sophia Crowder, Miss Fleur de Lis, 3^rd Runner-Up
• Molly Sullivan, Miss Campbellsville, 4^th Runner-Up

For more information about the Miss Kentucky Organization, visit https://misskentucky.org/.