The city of Hot Springs, Ark., is issuing trading cards that will be given to fans in attendance at Oaklawn Park on the day jockey Calvin Borel rides his 5,000th career winner.
With 4,999 victories, Borel is taking a break from competition but will be back in the saddle when the Oaklawn meet begins Jan. 11.
"We have done a series of these trading cards beginning in 2001 shortly after President Bill Clinton left office," Steve Arrison, chief executive officer of Visit Hot Springs, said in a press release. "They have been among the most successful marketing items we have ever done, with hundreds of thousands distributed free around the globe. When Calvin rides his 5,000th victory we'll give out free Calvin Borel cards at Oaklawn that day.
"He rode his 4,999th victory in New Orleans last week, and his historic 5,000th should come fairly quickly when Oaklawn opens its 2013 live race meet Jan. 11. We can't know for certain which day that victory will come, but we'll be prepared to hand out free cards at the track that day."
Arrison said the only way to get one of the free cards will be to be present at Oaklawn the day he wins number 5,000.
"We will not be issuing the cards anywhere else, and we will not accept mailed-in requests for them," he said. "We'll have special areas set up where fans can receive their cards. We are thinking that we'll hand out two cards per person until they're all gone, but that could change depending on the demand."
The cards will follow the traditional format of the earlier cards, which contain a color photo on the front and text information on the back along with information about visiting Hot Springs, Arrison said.
In addition to the Clinton card, Hot Springs issued a card marking the appearance of Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I).
Borel, who has won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) three times, has ridden in 6,365 races at Oaklawn with 899 wins, 817 seconds, and 708 thirds, with $20,395,809 in earnings at the track.
