Woodford Reserve® Named Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes®

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Woodford Reserve® bourbon is proud to return as a sponsor of the 144th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 9th at Belmont Park® in Elmont, NY. Woodford Reserve will serve as the "Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes" for 2012 and will be included in the signature drink of the Belmont Stakes, the Belmont Jewel.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120531/CL16658)

Woodford Reserve will also sponsor the race immediately preceding the running of the Belmont Stakes. Named the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap, the 1 1/4th mile turf race carries a purse of $500,000 and is for three-year-olds and up.  The Manhattan Handicap was inaugurated at Morris Park in 1896 and is named after the principal borough of New York City. The race will be nationally televised on NBC with post time TBA.

"Woodford Reserve is proud to continue our commitment to the thoroughbred industry through our partnership with Belmont Park," said Laura Petry, senior brand manager for Woodford Reserve. "It is truly an honor to carry on the tradition of the distinguished Manhattan Handicap race and to be able to extend our partnership to the East Coast."

Woodford Reserve will also toast race day with the Belmont Jewel, the Official Drink of Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes.

Woodford Reserve Belmont Jewel
Official Cocktail of the Belmont Stakes

1 1/2 oz. Woodford Reserve
2 oz.  Lemonade
1 oz.  Pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge or cherry.

The Woodford Reserve Belmont Jewel will be available in the clubhouse on the second floor near the Player's Club, on the clubhouse third floor Heritage Bar in the food court, in the grandstand on the second floor near the escalators and at Crop and Saddle in the lower grandstand.

"Woodford Reserve is an ideal partnership because of its premium quality and strong commitment to the thoroughbred industry," said Ellen McClain, NYRA President and Chief Operating Officer.  "We are delighted to be able to serve Woodford Reserve's first class product to our patrons."

Belmont Park
Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, is the home of the third leg of horse racing's storied Triple Crown and one of three racetracks operated by The New York Racing Association (NYRA). NYRA also operates Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course. Founded in 1955, and franchised to run thoroughbred racing in New York through 2033, NYRA contributes more than $2 billion annually to the State's urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2007, nearly two million people attended the live races at NYRA tracks, and the average daily betting handle on NYRA races totals more than $10.9 million. To learn more about NYRA, please visit www.NYRA.com.

About Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve, the "Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes," is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky - the heart of thoroughbred country. Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF-B), a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands such as Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, and Tuaca. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodfordreserve.

Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2012

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