Taking the Lead: Julep Cup Jaunt Raises $60,000 for UAMS Programs
| June 5, 2018 | Through the spattered mud of a rain-soaked Churchill Downs, racing fans focused on the past, as Justify beat out a crowded field to break the 136-year Curse of Apollo. Meanwhile, the 15th Julep Cup Jaunt at UAMS, held May 5 in Little Rock, was looking ahead: raising $60,000 to benefit medical students and the hospital’s tiniest newborns.
Nearly 300 colorful, derby-themed guests filled the Fred W. Smith Conference Center on the 12th floor of the UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute almost to capacity. Sponsored by the UAMS Consortium, the event is central Arkansas’ premier derby watch party, featuring themed food and drink and a silent auction. This year’s event proceeds will establish a scholarship in the UAMS College of Medicine and benefit the UAMS neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“Today, you’re here with us not only for your love of racing, but for your love of UAMS, and for that we thank you,” said Buckley O’Mell, chair of the UAMS Consortium. “There is no greater asset for the state of Arkansas than an academic health care facility like UAMS that is fully engaged in improving the quality of life throughout its various missions. The care provided here at UAMS is making a true difference for all Arkansans.”
Linda Holmes, flanked by members of The Hat Club, won the Derby-themed hat contest.
The UAMS College of Medicine has educated and trained the vast majority of Arkansas’ physicians. The UAMS NICU cares for infants of high-risk pregnancies, premature births and newborns with special medical needs. It features private rooms for patients and web-based cameras known as the ANGEL Eye system in every room, allowing parents and family to view babies via a secure website.
Sponsors for the event were The Hat Club of Little Rock, Robin Dee Enterprises, Simmons Bank, UARK Federal Credit Union, Bankers Assurance LLC, CenterPoint Energy, Quattlebaum Grooms & Tull, BancorpSouth, Mitchell Williams, Everything Mary, HoganTaylor, Bank of Little Rock Mortgage, Miller Pipeline, Dianne Lamberth and Walter S. Nunnelly III.
Wearing a kaleidoscope of colors, guests mingled on a sunny spring day to watch the wettest Kentucky Derby on record. Men wore navy sport coats with colored-check shirts and light khaki slacks. Some sported pastel or paisley bowties, and a few donned seersucker. Women wore a range of colors and styles, with dresses ranging from bright pinks, greens and reds to royal blue and deep purple. As ever, derby hats and fascinators dotted the crowd, including ruffles, feathers and large bows. One particularly festive guest wore a trilby, a narrow-brimmed men’s hat frequently seen at horse races.
Emcees this year were KATV Channel 7 news anchors Alyson Courtney and Chris Kane.
“You’re talking about something that can be a parent’s worst nightmare, when your kid has to go to the NICU for whatever reason, because you just don’t know what could be wrong,” Kane said. “And the care that they are given there at the NICU at UAMS is second to none.”
Silent auction items included designer jewelry and clothing, spa packages, Kentucky bourbon, local artwork, athletic club memberships, dinner packages, golf outings, an Oaklawn package, camping gear and even an electric generator.
Members of The Hat Club, a local nonprofit group, selected Linda Holmes as the winner of the hat contest for her large pink hat, featuring wispy pink ripples resembling cotton candy. Audience members watched the race on a large 12 ft. by 24 ft. theater-style auditorium screen. This year’s crowd brought plenty of energy and cheering during the race.
Similar to last year’s Derby, there was a moderate rain delay. For the first several lengths, Justify and Promises Fulfilled, a 49-1 longshot, were neck-and-neck. Eventually Justify pulled ahead and carried the rest of the race, despite late challenges from second-place finisher Good Magic and third-place finisher Audible. Instilled Regard, with 85-1 odds to win, placed fourth. Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon, a pre-race favorite, finished next to last.