Churchill Downs Partners with Alex Cooper’s The Unwell Network to Host Exclusive Infield Activation for 150th Kentucky Derby®
Partnership Merges the Media Trailblazer Together with an Iconic Sports Tradition
LOUISVILLE, KY., (April 24, 2024) – Churchill Downs Racetrack (“Churchill Downs”) announced today a partnership with The Unwell Network (UNWELL) that will add a fresh and unique thrill to the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. The home of the longest continually held sporting event in the U.S. is collaborating with the Gen Z media network founded by the #1 female podcaster in the world and creator, host, and executive producer of Call Her Daddy, Alex Cooper, to bring fans and pop culture enthusiasts an enhanced race day experience. Fusing a storied sports tradition with a modern entertainment platform, the partnership will bring an engaging activation to this year’s milestone “The Run for the Roses™” on Saturday, May 4.
Cooper will bring her captivating personality and brand to the heart of Churchill Downs as she takes the stage in the illustrious Infield along with her mega-viral UNWELL friend and host of the popular Hot Mess podcast, Alix Earle. From 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the hosts will participate in an intimate discussion and special Q&A about their Derby experience, offering fans a one-of-a-kind opportunity to engage with the two dynamic and successful pioneers of modern media against the backdrop of the legendary Twin Spires. The dynamic duo will share personal anecdotes about their Derby fashion choices, discuss their thoughts on classic Kentucky food and beverage offerings, and give an inside look into how they prepared for one of the country’s most enduring bucket-list experiences. Additional Infield activations by The Unwell Network will treat fans to exclusive giveaways and a fan photo opportunity.
“Since the Kentucky Derby is one of the only American sporting events that captures majority female viewership and attendance, it is incredibly fitting to partner with the most trailblazing women in modern media today to celebrate the historic 150th Kentucky Derby,” said Casey Ramage, Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships. “We’re thrilled for our fans to meet Alex and Alix, along with their other UNWELL friends, who embody the energetic and unbridled spirit of the Derby. We’re always excited to introduce a new generation of fans to our rich Derby traditions, and The Unwell Network is the ideal partner to capture an emerging audience and illustrate the cultural spectacle of food, fashion, and entertainment, which is the Kentucky Derby.”
“I’m so excited to be part of the Kentucky Derby’s milestone anniversary and bring this incredible and exciting tradition to The Unwell Network’s audience,” said Cooper. “It’s been on my bucket-list for years and I’m counting down the days until I can experience the Derby fashion up close, drink all the mint juleps, and see which horse takes home the trophy. I can’t wait to meet everyone in the infield as we experience this together!”
Additional brand activations for Infield fans to enjoy at this year’s Kentucky Derby include an Old Forester bar with DJ entertainment, White Claw Derby-inspired art installation and photo opportunity, Red Bull kombi bar experience, Q Mixers cocktail club with exclusive cocktail offerings, Army, Aviator Nation boutique and Boot Barn will distribute cowboy hats with branding for select Infield seating areas.
Guests interested in viewing The Unwell Network fan experience must purchase an Infield GA ticket. A limited quantity of Infield tickets are still available while supplies last. To purchase Infield tickets for the 150th Kentucky Derby, please visit KentuckyDerby.com.
About the Unwell Network
The Unwell Network is a platform for this generation’s unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation. The Unwell Network produces experiences for the most sought-after creators and talent across pop culture, beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and more. Talent includes Alex Cooper, Alix Earle, Madeline Argy, and Harry Jowsey, to name a few.
The Unwell Network, launched in August 2023, is a subsidiary of Trending (a Gen Z media venture and production company founded by Alex Cooper, creator, host, and executive producer of Call Her Daddy, and Matt Kaplan of ACE Entertainment). The network produces a variety of multi-platform concepts, projects, and experiences with some of the most sought-after creators and talent across pop culture, beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and more. Unwell is a destination for Gen Z’s unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation. The network’s initial marquee talent signings were US top creator Alix Earle and the popular UK social media personality Madeline Argy. Both Earle and Argy have been working with Cooper and the Unwell team to develop projects, including chart-topping podcasts Hot Mess with Alix Earle and Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy. Most recently, the network announced the signing of TV personality and Internet sensation Harry Jowsey, plus his upcoming podcast, Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey, launching this year.
About the Kentucky Derby
The $5 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the longest continually-held major sporting event in North America and the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series. Also known as, “The Run for the Roses®” and “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®,” the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 150th Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.
About Churchill Downs Racetrack
Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility and Race and Sports Book. www.ChurchillDowns.com.
This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “scheduled,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions).
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the following: the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather, including as a result of climate change; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers’ confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit, including the impact of inflation; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of any pandemics, epidemics, or outbreaks of infectious diseases, including possible new variants of COVID-19, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; loss of key or highly skilled personnel, as well as general disruptions in the general labor market; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine and historical racing machine (HRM) manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; failure to enter into or maintain agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully focus on market access and retail operations for our TwinSpires sports betting business and effectively compete; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach including customers’ personal information could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; inability to identify, complete, or fully realize the benefits of our proposed acquisitions, divestitures, development of new venues or the expansion of existing facilities on time, on budget, or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; cost overruns and other uncertainties associated with the development of new venues and the expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including risks related to environmental liabilities; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other similar laws and regulations, or applicable anti-money laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card or debit card use; work stoppages and labor problems; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; increases to interest rates (due to inflation or otherwise), disruption in the credit markets or changes to our credit ratings may adversely affect our business; increase in our insurance costs, or inability to obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and any inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events; and other factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Media Contacts
Hayley Armstrong
Brand Communications Manager
Churchill Downs Racetrack
Phone: (502) 356-7796
Email: [email protected]