How Kroger florists craft the Breeders' Cup winners' floral blankets

VERSAILLES, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Long before the horses cross the finish line at the Breeders’ Cup, another championship tradition is taking shape in Woodford County.

Since 1988, Kroger has designed and produced the official floral blankets presented to Breeders’ Cup winners. This year, the public is getting a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into creating them.

“We have a high degree of excellence here,” said Angie Harp, who leads a team of 16 master florists working on the project.

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The florists, who come from Kentucky and Indiana, spend hours preparing the ceremonial floral blankets ahead of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Lexington.

Guests can watch the florists work for about 10 hours as they create the garlands that will ultimately be awarded to the winners of all 14 championship races.

“Our master florists will be here all day,” Harp said.

Producing the garlands requires extensive preparation. The team arranges between 20,000 and 30,000 flowers to complete the project.

“A lot of planning, a lot of praying,” Harp said.

Weather can also complicate the process. According to Harp, the orchids used for the garlands come from Illinois, making coordination with farms especially important.

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“Every year, it’s a dance of weather with all of our partnering farms to make sure we have product for the event,” Harp said.

For Harp, however, the work is about more than preparing flowers for the winners. The project gives Kroger’s florists an opportunity to showcase their skills before an international audience.

“Each one of my florists that is tied to each one of the garlands, it’s what makes it special,” Harp said.

After nearly four decades, the intricate floral blankets remain part of the tradition surrounding one of horse racing’s biggest events.

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