Kentucky Derby '02 Road Trip

Kids to the Cup Essay Contest Winners Enjoy Derby

KTTC Essay contest winners Dylan Smith, Emma Shaw and Natalie Cousin ready for a big day in their Kentucky Derby box seats.

For the third consecutive year three winners of a nationwide essay contest sponsored by Kids to the Cup were treated to box seats at the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby for themselves and one parent each. This year's essay topic was, "Which is the Most Important Triple Crown Race?" and members were asked to write 500 words or less to make their case.

This year's winners: Natalie Cousin, 16, Lansing, MI; Dylan Smith, 12, Silver Springs, MD; and Emma Shaw, 10, Slippery Rock, PA, enjoyed a close-up view of War Emblem as he raced toward the finish in the Derby.

Friday morning the essay contest winners and a host of other KTTC members and parents, a group of 20 strong, invaded the Churchill Downs backside to watch morning workouts and to meet trainers D.Wayne Lukas, Bob Baffert, Bill Mott, Ted West, and Steve Asmussen. The trainers spoke about their horses and the challenges that faced them along the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Natalie Cousin and friend.

ESPN shot some footage of the group as they listened attentively to Asmussen outside his barn and aired the tape during an early-morning broadcast. KTTC members also were the subjects of some local Derby television coverage when all three winners were interviewed from their box seats.

Following the Derby the group posed for photos and collected autographs from some of the sport's top riders including Chris McCarron, Jorge Chavez, Gary Stevens, Eddie Delahoussaye and Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Six additional essay contest winners will attend the Preakness Stakes and another six winners will visit the Belmont as guests of KTTC.