Kentucky Derby contender to rep Skidmore College

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - When contender Mo Donegal breaks from the No. 1 post position this Saturday at the Kentucky Derby, he will be bearing the hopes of more than just those betting he'll win the first jewel of the Triple Crown. He'll also be bearing the colors and name of Skidmore College, thanks to Ken Freirich, a 1990 Skidmore graduate and partner in one of the big race's favorites.

Mo Donegal earned his spot in the Derby after winning the Wood Memorial in an upset, beating the leader down the home stretch by a neck. But Freirich has always believed in the three-year-old, having become an investor in the rising star in Donegal Racing, and is using the big race to bring attention to another favorite in his life, Skidmore College, located in the horse-racing mecca Saratoga Springs.

"I have always been passionate about horse racing, philanthropy, and Skidmore,” said Freirich, who in 2010 established and then endowed the Kenneth A. Freirich Entrepreneurship Competition at the College as a way to foster entrepreneurship across campus and create a transformative, life-changing experience for students. “Being able to combine all three passions, while providing Skidmore visibility and branding at the Kentucky Derby, is a thrill and dream of a lifetime!”

Mo Donegal is also partly owned by other partners including Skidmore alumnus Ray Bryan, class of 1994, who introduced Freirich to Donegal Racing four years ago. Mo Donegal's checkerboard-patterned blanket will be branded in the Donegal Racing colors, which also happen to be the school's green and yellow colors, with Skidmore College appearing on the side in white lettering against a dark background.

Post time for the 2022 Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. The event is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.