These reports can help them secure grants, justify public services, raise funds or improve public opinion. If a company wants to build a new facility, for example, knowing the economic value of jobs and tax revenue the facility will produce may help them secure building permits or tax incentives.

“If you have a vision and you want to estimate what type of splash something is going to have, whether it’s building a new factory site or it’s a new gaming center, a report like this can help,” Lambert said.

As a faculty member for the College of Business’s Equine Business Program, Lambert has prepared reports on the horse racing industry, the impact of parimutuel wagering, historical horse racing machines and the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs for many years. Taxes on wagering help fund UofL’s Equine Business Program, the equine program at University of Kentucky and other organizations that support Kentucky’s horse industry.

“If you’re showing that the spending and attendance at the tracks are generating enough revenue, then you’re justifying the attention that the equine industry gets because it is one of the signature industries here in Kentucky,” Lambert said.

Lambert’s reports, such as the he recently prepared for Humana Inc., go beyond examining payroll and the business’s spending to document additional jobs, tax revenue, supplier earnings and spending, philanthropy and more.

Laurie Young, director of industry partnerships for the UofL Office of Research and Innovation, has tapped into Lambert’s expertise, connecting him with Humana and other organizations such as Anthem, the metals industry consortium MI2 and the Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF) to provide economic impact reports for those groups.

Lambert’s ability to ferret out less obvious areas of impact adds value to his reports. For example, Humana’s report included the value of volunteer hours and tuition reimbursement spent at local colleges and universities. For KDF, Lambert is calculating money spent by visitors at restaurants and hotels.

With these additional calculations, Lambert’s reports reveal the ripple effects of payroll and spending through the local economy, known as multipliers.

“When a company pays their employees, those employees turn around and spend that money at restaurants and pay their mortgage or rent. So, these other enterprises receive a share of that pay. Then they’re going to turn around and pay their employees, their suppliers, etcetera,” Lambert said.

Understanding this downstream impact can magnify the understanding of the organization’s value substantially.

To calculate these multipliers, Lambert uses the computer modeling program IMPLAN, which is provided to UofL with state funding. Using it in this way returns benefit to the state by helping Kentucky businesses grow and attract talent to the commonwealth.

Facilitating economic impact reports is just one way with UofL for research and other services, from business to engineering and beyond.

“I go out and listen to what the companies need and then I collaborate on campus. We’re trying to grow industry work across campus and highlight all that UofL has to offer businesses,” Young said.

One collaboration can lead to another. In preparing the economic impact study for KDF, it occurred to Young the group also may benefit from marketing consultation, leading to a project by Henrietta Pepper’s marketing class. The students’ presentation impressed KDF, as well as their consulting firm.

“We’re trying to change companies’ perception of UofL,” Young said. “In addition to providing talent, we can do so much more for our community.”

Among them are: social media coordinator for and , U.S. assistant racing manager at AMO Racing, graduate and all-female camel racing winner.

It’s easy to wonder what led Leslie from the Bluegrass State’s horse tracks to camel racing in Dubai. This week, she’s back in Louisville providing professional social media coverage of the Run for the Roses. ��

UofL News caught up with the accomplished alumna to hear more about her journey and the influence of the university.����

UofL News: What initially sparked your interest in the Equine Industry Business Program at UofL?��

Leslie: I was intrigued by the program because there isn’t anything else like it. Being able to get a business degree while specializing in the equine field was something that really drew me in. I also liked that it was a very close-knit program and the class sizes were small.��

UofL News: Can you share with us the journey that led you from studying equine business at the University of Louisville to becoming involved in camel racing and eventually winning the C1 Championship in Dubai?��

Leslie: I worked in the Thoroughbred industry throughout college and took every opportunity to meet new people. Working for Thoroughbred racehorse trainer Mark Casse, I met a lot of connected people who had an influence on where I am today. In 2022, I went to Dubai for America’s Best Racing and it was then that I was first introduced to camel racing. I went out to film a segment on unique things to do in Dubai at the only camel riding school in the UAE, and that is where I met Linda Krockenberger, who co-founded the school and started the C1 Championships. We joked that it would be cool for me to one day compete in a race, and little did we know it would lead to this. Two years later the dream became a reality, and it turned out better than we both could have imagined.��

UofL News: Do you have any memorable experiences or lessons from your time as a student at the University of Louisville that have stuck with you since graduating?��

Leslie: I enjoyed meeting students with similar passions, even if we weren’t focused on the same discipline – we all shared the love for the horse. I really enjoyed my time on the UofL Saddleseat Team, in which we took home the national title. I have had a passion for horses since I can remember, but being surrounded by like-minded people on a daily basis certainly helped ignite my dream of working in the Thoroughbred industry. Terri Burch welcomed me into the program with open arms and for that, I’m forever grateful.��

UofL News: Have you ever participated in any Kentucky Derby events or festivities? Did the university’s proximity and ties to Churchill Downs help your career?��

Leslie: Yes, I was very lucky to work for Mark Casse when we had several horses competing in the Derby. War of Will in 2019 (who went on to win the Preakness Stakes), Enforceable in 2020 and Soup and Sandwich and Helium in 2021.��

I was at the track every morning before heading to school, so being nearby was ideal, especially when my alarm went off at 4:30 each morning. I had to have a nap every day in between classes, but the hard work definitely paid off.��

UofL News: What advice would you offer to prospective or current students in the Equine Industry Business Program at UofL who may be considering various career paths within the industry?��

Leslie: Take every opportunity. Even if you feel as though the event, person or whatever it may be might not benefit you, you never know who you’ll meet. I exhausted myself, but it was the best thing I could have done for my career. If I hadn’t jumped at every opportunity, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. I never gave up, and I knew that going to college while working and traveling wouldn’t be easy, but I was lucky to have a support system that helped me follow my dreams.��

“I am so grateful for all the opportunities that UofL has made possible for me during my academic career,” said Savannah Newton, communication major and director of research for The Bird’s Nest. “The Derby has 149 years of history within the Louisville community and the university is both a blend of innovation and tradition. I am honored to be a part of the legacy.”��

Karen Freberg, professor in strategic communication and director of The Bird’s Nest says she appreciates the partnership with Churchill Downs.

“This will be an incredible real-world experience for our students at the University of Louisville to showcase their creative, strategic and marketable skills in social media, public relations and event planning for their future internships and future jobs,” Freberg said.

The agency offers a variety of services for clients in social media, branding, video production, event planning, public relations, digital content, research, advertising and influencer marketing. The Bird’s Nest charges a modest fee for services negotiated between the agency and the client. All fees are used to support student initiatives such as supplies, professional development, scholarships, conferences and student work. Read more about The Bird’s Nest.

Arguably, the deepest tie is the music – the auditory traditions that evoke emotion and pageantry throughout the city on that first Saturday each May. Indeed, if an official soundtrack existed for the Kentucky Derby, the University of Louisville would appear several times in the credits.

Take, for instance, the event’s signature opening of “My Old Kentucky Home.”

The rendition is performed by our very own Marching Cards. It has been since 1936, in fact, when the group was first recognized as “The Official Band of the Kentucky Derby.” The lyrics, meanwhile, are brought to life by the UofL Cardinal Singers.

A few years ago, a�� experience is like: “I’ve interviewed Kentuckians who haven’t set foot in the state for 30 years who still stand in front of their televisions and weep when they hear the woodwinds and brass instruments strike the first few notes of ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’ The lyrics tell us that there’ll be hard times, by and by. But at the crescendo, it’s as if 150,000 voices nudge us to weep no more.”��

Those are our students playing those woodwinds and brass instruments and��creating such sentiment, courtesy of Stephen Collins Foster’s lyrics. Such an experience is not lost on the group.

“I’m extremely proud to be a part of this tradition. Some of the most important work the CMB does is that which impacts the Louisville community. To represent not only the city, but the state at such a highly respected sporting event is truly humbling. Further, this experience creates a unique bond between current and former members of the CMB that no other marching band can relate to. Like the rest of the band, my memory of this Derby will last a lifetime,” said Michael LaRoche, a Marching Card and mechanical engineering major.

“Hands down my favorite part is hearing everyone sing at Churchill Downs. When the song begins, voices are a bit subdued, but then a strong rise of voices is heard on ‘Weep no more my lady.’ It is a powerful and unifying event that makes you feel connected to people all over the world and so proud to live in Kentucky,” Amy Acklin, director of the Cardinal Marching Band, said in 2019.

So important is this tradition to our students that when the Derby was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UofL drum major Natalie Humble recruited marching band students from schools across the state to record a virtual version of “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Meanwhile, that emotion shifts to excitement whenever the sound of the trumpet rises above the crowd to beckon horses to the starting gate for each race. The signature “Call to the Post” has been used at racetracks since the 1860s, . At the Derby, it’s performed by UofL School of Music alum Steve Buttleman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance in 2007.

The fulltime bugler, who also kicks off the day with “The Star-Spangled Banner,” performs at hundreds of special events throughout the year. But it’s his Derby assignment that stands out most.

“There isn’t another office in the world with a view like mine. I step out onto the balcony and I am looking across the racetrack at the Twin Spires … I never take what I do for granted,” he told the Courier Journal.

Derby Week is here, which means our city is in the spotlight of a global stage once again. And positioned in that metaphoric orchestra pit, ready to set the tone for the festivities, are our fellow Cardinals. , for a Marching Cards takeover from��LaRoche.

Check out a performance from the Marching Cards and the Cardinal Singers from a few years ago:

The traditional pageantry that kicks off springtime in the commonwealth – the Kentucky Derby – isn’t happening on the first Saturday in May for the first time since 1945.

A pandemic has put us all on pause.

However, while we’re relegated to our homes, left to wait for an unpredictable amount of time for things to get back to “normal,” our spirit still resonates. You see it when the green lights turn on. You hear it when the bells toll. ����

On Saturday, you’ll feel it when that old familiar song plays. Our song.

Since 1936, UofL’s Marching Cards have served as “The Official Band of the Kentucky Derby,” opening up the “Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports” with our rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home.” Each year, our students play this song to about 150,000 people at Churchill Downs and an additional 15 million television viewers across the world.

By the time the band is finished playing, there typically aren’t many dry eyes left. A�� “I’ve interviewed Kentuckians who haven’t set foot in the state for 30 years who still stand in front of their televisions and weep when they hear the woodwinds and brass instruments strike the first few notes of ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’

The lyrics tell us that there’ll be hard times, by and by. But at the crescendo, it’s as if 150,000 voices nudge us to weep no more.”��

Has there been a better time for such a nudge than now?

UofL’s drum major Natalie Humble didn’t want that feeling – that experience – to get lost this year.

So, she reached out to a few of her friends, both at UofL and at other colleges and universities across Kentucky, and asked if they would want to perform a virtual version of the state song and debut the finished piece on May 2, what would have been Derby Day.��

“I came up with the idea one day while doing online schoolwork and reflecting on what the semester would have been like in a normal situation. ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ popped into my head and I immediately wanted to create something that brought some normality back into the spring. But I wanted it to be something that all of us – as Kentuckians – resonated with,” Humble said.

Everyone she reached out to was interested. In fact, Humble recruited about 100 total participants – about half of whom are UofL students. Another 20 or so are UofL School of Music alums, a handful are UofL faculty and the rest are from other institutions throughout the state. Thirteen total institutions, to be exact.

“We had a massive amount of interest from students at UofL, and it was really incredible to see the alums show so much interest. I am truly proud of how many other schools we got to participate,” she said.

Humble, a rising senior Music ����ֱ�� major from Monticello, Kentucky, has performed at the Derby twice. Her favorite memory was during her freshman year, when it down poured.��

“It doesn’t sound like much fun, but it was so memorable that I can still feel the adrenaline now just the same as I did on that day,” she said.

Although performing “My Old Kentucky Home” to kick off the Derby is a signature UofL experience, Humble said it was important to get other schools involved this year because of the unusual circumstances created by COVID-19.

“As a college student and as a Kentuckian, I know how hard it is to adjust, and this experience is something that we all share. In times like this, it is especially important for all of us to realize that we aren’t alone and that we’re a team, so inviting everyone to be part of such a meaningful project was the most valuable part of the whole idea,” she said.

“The Derby performance always represents togetherness for me. It is such a short part of the timeline, but it is a time where all the people watching – no matter where they are in the world – are taking a moment to pause and come together. I think this year’s performance represents the same thing, just in a different way.”

Stay tuned for this performance of the “My Old Kentucky Home,” which will be available on both the and Saturday, May 2.

The following schools will be represented in the performance:��Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, Georgetown College, Ivy Tech Community College, Lindsey Wilson College, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, University of the Cumberlands, Western Kentucky University.

Since 1936, the group has served as “The Official Band of the Kentucky Derby.” What this means is that on the first Saturday of every May just prior to the Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports, our students’ rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home” is showcased to about 150,000 people at Churchill Downs and an additional 15 million television viewers across the world. By the time the band is finished playing, there aren’t many dry eyes left.

A : “I’ve interviewed Kentuckians who haven’t set foot in the state for 30 years who still stand in front of their televisions and weep when they hear the woodwinds and brass instruments strike the first few notes of ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’ The lyrics tell us that there’ll be hard times, by and by. But at the crescendo, it’s as if 150,000 voices nudge us to weep no more.”��

Those are our students playing those woodwinds and brass instruments and��evoking such emotion, courtesy of Stephen Collins Foster’s lyrics. Such an experience is not lost on the group.

“Hands down my favorite part is hearing everyone sing at Churchill Downs. When the song begins, voices are a bit subdued, but then a strong rise of voices is heard on ‘Weep no more my lady.’ It is a powerful and unifying event that makes you feel connected to people all over the world and so proud to live in Kentucky,” said Amy Acklin, associate director of Bands and director of the Cardinal Marching Band.

This Saturday will mark her 12^th year with the band, eight of which have been as director and four spent as a student. This year will also mark year 24 for Dr. Fred Speck, UofL’s director of Bands, and year three for Dr. Jason Cumberledge, assistant director of Bands.

It’s not just the directors who appreciate the experience, either. Natalie Humble, a sophomore from Monticello, Kentucky, performed at the Derby as a trumpet player last year and will move into the drum major role this year. She calls the opportunity to play the Derby “surreal.”

“Traveling to (football) games is a unique experience in the fall, but there is nothing more special than having an opportunity like this right where we are,” she said. “It is entirely unique to the Cardinal Marching Band. Having that legacy of performing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ is something you can only gain through the CMB – that’s the most special part.”

Acklin adds that having the unique opportunity to be part of this tradition is a privilege. ��

“It’s pretty incredible to know that literally thousands of UofL alumni, whom you’ve never met, are cheering you on and grateful for your service in continuing this important tradition,” Acklin said. “Having this singular honor for over eight decades is a testament to the commitment from the community and the dedication of the band and its alums.”

As for his perspective, which spans more than two decades, Speck simply passed along his favorite quote from famed sports commentator Jim McKay in 1999:

“It offers a moment that exists nowhere else in sports … when the horses come on the track and you see the silks on the jockeys and the tan of the track and the blue of the sky. Then they start playing that song, ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ and you can’t explain why, but it doesn’t matter if you’re from Kentucky or England or Timbuktu, it brings a tear to your eye…”

Check out the Marching Cards’ and Cardinal Singers’ performance from the 2017 Derby below, but be sure to have some tissues on hand.

The editors found themselves with dozens of boxes of bound BloodHorse magazines dating back to 1940 and no place to put them. They were a duplicate set, and some of them were even bound in a green cloth valuable to collectors.

“These magazines contain a wealth of historical information, and the last thing we wanted to do was throw them into a dumpster,” said Eric Mitchell, bloodstock editor at BloodHorse. “One of our first calls was to Sean (Beirne) at the UofL Equine Industry Program, which BloodHorse has supported for years by offering internships to students, providing guest lecturers, and hiring graduates of the program.”

That’s why, one cold day in March, Beirne and equine administrative assistant Liz Young found themselves driving to Lexington in a rented truck. What they came back with is unique to UofL.

BloodHorse Magazine’s donation to the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program marks the first time the program has been the recipient of a book collection. While the equine program is a part of the College of Business, the donated volumes will be kept in Ekstrom Library on Belknap Campus.

The collection consists of a continuous run of BloodHorse Magazine from 1940 to 2018 bound in 332 volumes. It contains more than 4,100 issues, many bound in green cloth. Also donated were a selection of Goodwin’s Turf Guides that date back to the mid- to late-1800s.

“This donation gives researchers an enormous amount of thoroughbred racing history and breeding in one place,” said Beirne, director of the Equine Industry Program. “On behalf of our students, faculty members and researchers, I thank BloodHorse for trusting UofL with this invaluable collection.”

UofL’s Equine Industry Program offers an accredited business degree with an equine focus. Graduates can be found in all aspects of the industry, from training to broadcasting.��

BloodHorse offers comprehensive and broad-ranging coverage of thoroughbred racing and breeding. The company’s website, , offers daily news, analysis, race entries and results.

“We were thrilled that UofL wanted the books and recognized their value,” Mitchell said. ��“It really does offer peace of mind that they have a home where they are appreciated and used.”