Maker’s Mark Keeneland bottle, benefitting LexArts & Horse Mania, goes on sale today

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Spring Meet season for Keeneland kicks off Friday, and Maker’s Mark is unveiling this year’s commemorative bottles.

Those bourbon bottle sales will benefit LexArts.

Early Friday morning, the line of people waiting outside of the Liquor Barn in Hamburg wrapped itself all the way around the building. People came from all over the commonwealth to get their hands on one of those collectable bottles and each has their own reason.

“I’ve always lived out of state, from time to time, and I’ve always wanted to do this. And it’s never -I’ve been working on the day,” said Rachel Booth Marchyn, from Carlisle, KY. “My love for Kentucky. I don’t even drink bourbon.”

“It was something that me and my father started, and now that he’s gone, it’ll be six years in December,” said Charlie Warner, from Nicholas County.

The three distinct labels were made by three different artists, each depicting the beauty and history of thoroughbred horse racing.

The bottles are signed by the artists as well as Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin, Makers Mark Managing Director Rob Samuels, and one of three of the winningest female riders in Keeneland history.

For the collectors, they say that these bottles are special to them and the wait has become more of a social experience over the years.

“Just the excitement of the day and meeting nice people, and just for an hour I have to be quiet and think about the nice things of Kentucky instead of thinking about everything else that’s wrong,” said Marchyn.

“We don’t want it to end, and we thought it was going to end a few times. It’s a big deal to us collectors,” said Warner. “You know it’s not about the money, but some people do sell them. Sometimes it gets busy, need some money, [but] it would kill me to ever have to let one go.”

Those bottles went on sale earlier this morning to coincide with the start of the 2022 Spring Meet.

Those commemorative bottle sales will help benefit LexArts as they kick off their third Horse Mania event. The first of those horses was painted by students at Lexington’s steam academy.

You’ll be able to see all of the horses around town through this fall.

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