What Is Derby Day?

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SPACE COAST DERBY DAY VIDEO

Ladies and Gentlemen! You are cordially invited to Florida’s premiere charity fundraiser, Space Coast Derby Day 2018. Join us on May 5th from 2-7:30pm at Wickham Park in Melbourne, Florida. And they’re off!! Enjoy live charity horse races, silent auctions, business networking, dinner by Carrabba’s, and more ending with live streaming of the 143rd Annual Kentucky Derby.

Proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, Crosswinds Youth Services, and Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds.

Finally, it’s off to the races!

This is the party you don’t want to miss it so buy your tickets today!

Space Coast Derby Day started as Rockledge Rotary’s main fundraiser in 2004 as Rockledge Rotary Derby Day and was originally held at the Rockledge Country Club. The event grew over the next few years until that venue was no longer large enough. After jumping around, we became a fixture at the Holiday Inn Viera from 2007-2014. A few years ago, we opted to aim for an event and a venue with almost unlimited growth opportunity and moved the event to Wickham Park. As an indoor/outdoor event with live horse racing, we were able to almost double our capacity and provide Central Florida’s premier Kentucky Derby experience. This year’s primary benefactors are Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, Crosswinds Youth Services, and Hidden Acres Thoroughbred Rescue.

Beneficiaries

Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for families with children receiving treatment at hospitals and medical facilities in Orlando. Each year, about 450 of the 1,700 families that stay with Ronald McDonald House to be close to their critically ill children are Brevard County residents.

Crosswinds Youth Services creates opportunities for young people to succeed. Crosswinds provides an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youths, along with additional services like educational, vocational, and recreational services designed to strengthen skills and individual, group, and family counseling.

Hidden Acres Thoroughbred Rescue (HART) is a foster facility for retiring OTTBs (Off-the-Track-Thoroughbreds), many of which sometimes face lonely, unproductive, or even unthinkable lives after retiring from racing. HART also provides opportunities for area youth to learn more about equestrian pursuits.