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Kentucky Coach Honored on Maker’s Mark 2014 Keeneland Bottle

The 2014 Maker's Mark Keeneland label featuring Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops. Image courtesy TTB.gov. April 2, 2014 – University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has his team in the NCAA’s Final Four this weekend in Arlington, Texas, but his football counterpart gets the trophy at Keeneland for the running of this year’s Maker’s 46 Mile on April 11. Mark Stoops is featured on the commemorative Maker’s Mark bottle that will go on sale Friday (April 4), with a part of the proceeds to benefit the University of Kentucky’s Gill Heart Institute. 10,000 bottles will be available in Kentucky, and Stoops will join Maker’s Mark’s Rob Samuels and Bill Samuels Jr for a bottle signing at Keeneland on the morning of the Grade 1 stakes race.

Stoops is the brother of Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops and Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. They lost their father to a heart attack at the early age of 54, and in a news release, Stoops said he jumped at the chance to help raise funds to improve cardiac care in Kentucky.

“I’m certainly honored to be on the label of this year’s bottle, especially with the proceeds helping to bring ever-better cardiac care to the people of Kentucky. I’ve been here long enough to appreciate both the significance of the Gill Heart Institute’s work and the unique role this commemorative bottle plays to help support it. I’m deeply grateful to Keeneland and Maker’s Mark for making this happen.”

This is the 18th year for the commemorative Maker’s Mark Keeneland charity bottlings, with more than $7 million raised for Kentucky charities so far. Calipari was featured on the 2010 Keeneland bottle.

Links: Maker’s Mark