New Graeter’s flavor is an officially licensed ice cream of the Kentucky Derby and boasts a bourbon-kissed base blended with black cherries and pralines

CINCINNATI, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The race to the most indulgent scoop of ice cream of the season has begun. Graeter’s Ice Cream, America’s oldest family-owned and operated ice cream maker famous for its French Pot® process, is releasing a new limited-edition flavor for Derby season: Backstretch Bourbon Cherry.

In a collaboration worthy of the Winner’s Circle, Graeter’s and Churchill Downs have teamed up to create a bourbon-kissed ice cream blended with black cherries and pralines, intentionally crafted to capture the thrill, tradition and pageantry of the race. This decadent flavor is an officially licensed ice cream of the Kentucky Derby®. 

“We’ve long believed a collaboration between Graeter’s and Churchill Downs was a natural fit,” said Richard Graeter, fourth-generation president and CEO of Graeter’s Ice Cream. “When the Churchill Downs team visited Cincinnati late last year, they experienced our factory tour and tasted ice cream straight from our French Pots – and we introduced them to what is now Backstretch Bourbon Cherry. The flavor and name were developed by Graeter’s with their input, and Churchill Downs approved it on the very first bite. From that moment, we knew we had a winning flavor.”

Backstretch Bourbon Cherry is available starting today, April 13, for nationwide shipping at Graeters.com, as well as by the pint and by the scoop at all Graeter’s scoop shops. Pints of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry can also be found starting April 15 at select grocery stores including Kroger in Ohio, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Dorothy Lane Markets, Jungle Jim’s and Central Market in Texas.

Graeter’s “Off to the Races” Collection
To help fans celebrate the race weekend properly at home or with friends, Graeter’s is offering three ice cream pack options in its Off to the Races Collection for purchase online:

• The Backstretch Six-Pint Pack: Two pints of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry, one pint each of Madagascar Vanilla, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Salted Caramel
• The Winner’s Circle Six-Pint Pack ft. Kern’s Kitchen Derby Pie: This bundle features two pints of Bourbon Ball, one pint each of Madagascar Vanilla, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Salted Caramel, plus one of the iconic Kern’s Derby Pies – the official pie of the Kentucky Derby Festival
• The Trifecta Chip Wheelies Pack: Graeter’s signature ice cream sandwiches offered in three different flavors – four of Backstretch Bourbon Cherry (sandwiched between two handmade sugar cookies), and four of Vanilla Chocolate Chip and Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip (both between two handmade chocolate chip cookies)

Graeter’s Backstretch Bourbon Giveaway: Win Free Ice Cream for a Year
Graeter’s is taking Derby celebrations to a whole new level by giving fans the opportunity to win free ice cream for a year, no purchase necessary. One lucky winner will receive a free Create-Your-Own Six-Pint Pack every month for 12 months beginning May 2026 through April 2027. Five runners-up will receive a free Create-Your-Own Six-Pint Pack.

How to Enter: Today through 11:59 p.m. ET on Derby Day, May 2, 2026, ice cream lovers across the country can enter for a chance to win free Graeter’s ice cream for a year by simply submitting their name, contact information and birthday at Graeters.com/Derby. One (1) winner and five (5) runners-up will be selected at random.

The Graeter’s Backstretch Bourbon Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous US & DC, 18 & older. For Official Rules, visit Graeters.com/Derby.

Graeter’s Ice Cream at Oaks and Kentucky Derby
On May 1-2, 2026, the Graeter’s Ice Cream Truck will be making its official Kentucky Derby debut, offering ticketed guests the chance to sample indulgent flavors including Backstretch Bourbon Cherry and Graeter’s signature Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, in addition to other Graeter’s staples. The truck will be stationed at the Clubhouse Gate entrance and is open to all guests attending Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs will also be serving Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream and Backstretch Bourbon Cherry scoops in select suites and dining areas.

About Graeter’s
Since 1870, five generations of the Graeter family have remained committed to handcrafting only the most indulgent ice cream available. From humble beginnings serving ice cream from a cart in Cincinnati to the nationwide presence of Graeter’s Ice Cream today, the family has stayed true to the traditional “French Pot” method and is the only company in the world that still makes ice cream at scale this way. Graeter’s has 50+ retail stores and ships more than 300,000 pints annually. The brand can also be found in more than 3,000 grocery stores across the United States.

For more information, visit Graeters.com or follow Graeter’s on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or X (formerly known as Twitter).

About Churchill Downs Racetrack
Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of the Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September and Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com.

About Kentucky Derby
The $5 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the longest continually held major sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series. Also known as “The Run for the Roses®” and “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®,” the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. The 152^nd Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.

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SOURCE Graeter’s