Churchill Downs Inc. is offering rare memorabilia of 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones in an eBay auction to benefit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. A ticket package to the 2005 Kentucky Derby and Oaks will also be offered in the auction, which is scheduled to begin on Nov. 26. Called the "Smarty Jones Kentucky Derby Package," the auction features a framed Smarty Jones saddlecloth autographed by owners Roy and Pat Chapman, trainer John Servis, and jockey Stewart Elliott. The package also includes tickets to the 2005 Kentucky Derby and Oaks, complete with a VIP lunch and backside tour for two. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a non-profit organization that provides unrestricted financial grants to the spouses and children of military personnel lost in the performance of duties. The grants of $10,000 are intended to help families meet immediate and long-term financial needs. Currently, the fund provides support for families of military personnel lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan tragedies."Our team members around the country appreciate the tremendous sacrifice made by the thousands of men and women serving in our Armed Forces, not to mention the hardships endured by their loved ones at home," said Andrew G. Skehan, CDI executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We want to do what we can to support and promote the fund and its mission of providing financial assistance to military families in their time of need." During the 2004 running of the Kentucky Derby, CDI hosted the families of four soldiers who were killed in action while serving in Iraq. The Edgewood Stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day was dedicated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, and a portion of the race's purse money was donated to the Fund, with CDI making a matching contribution. CDI will donate all monies raised from the "Smarty Jones Kentucky Derby Package" auction to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
The "Smarty Jones Kentucky Derby Package" may be viewed on www.ebay.com in the "Sports Memorabilia" category under horse racing. The auction's keywords are "Smarty Jones" and "Kentucky Derby."